History of Chilliwack & District Pipe Band

The Chilliwack & District Pipe Band was founded in 1961 under the sponsorship of Branch 4, Royal Canadian Legion. The band chose to wear the Hunting Fraser tartan and full Highland military dress. The band sought and received the permission of the Chief of Clan Fraser to wear this tartan.

 From its first turnout on Remembrance Day in 1961 to the early 1970’s, the band was a performance band. It participated in parades,  community events,  military events at CFB Chilliwack,  and travelled throughout the Pacific Northwest as a representative of Branch 4 and  the City of Chilliwack.  In the 1960’s and 1970’s, the band was responsible for the establishment of a youth pipe band based in Chilliwack, which unfortunately was unable to continue into the 1980’s.

 In the 1970’s, the band was instrumental in the founding of the Legion Highland games, which became its primary competition forum. The band enjoyed considerable success at these games, winning in both Grades 4 and 3. Under the leadership of Pipe Majors Brian Bakuska and Frank Froese,  and Drum Sgt. Brian Campbell, the band expanded its role in competition attending  the Pacific Northwest games in Seattle and the Mount Vernon games. It competed in Grade 4 at community highland games, and also maintained a full schedule of parades and community events.

 In  May, 1998, P/M Froese,  P/M Bakuska and Drum Sgt. Campbell initiated a review of the band’s direction,  and recruited Fred Hansford, late of the Grade 1 Abbotsford Police and Triumph Street Pipe Bands, to assume the post of Pipe Major. The band decided to change its focus to competition rather than performance. All of the members committed themselves to raising the band’s playing standards, with the immediate goal  of attending the 2001 World Pipe Band Championships. The Band’s name was changed to Chilliwack & District Pipe Band at that time in order to facilitate fundraising and to recognize that the band was not only sponsored by a number of Community and Veterans’ organizations, but had attracted members from outside of Chilliwack.

 P/M Hansford initiated  a program of individual tuition and band practices which frequently involved the band members in three practices per week. The dedication of the members of the band was rewarded with a 3rd place finish in Grade 4 at the 1999 B.C. Pipers’ Association Indoor in the band’s first ever prize in the Pacific Northwest Circuit, as well as its first ever Grade 2 win at the Legion Games. Throughout the 1999 season, the band continued to improve, winning a second in Grade 4 at Bellingham, and thirds at other games. The pipe corps was frequently placed first.

 The band’s  performance record attracted many new players, and its  membership doubled by the fall of 1999. At that time the Abbotsford Police Pipe Band folded, and five of its members joined the Chilliwack Band. The band was reorganized under the aegis of the Fraser Valley Pipe Band Society, and adopted the McDougall tartan kilt worn by the Abbotsford band, in honour of Ian McDougall, a long time Pipe Major of our sister Legion Band from Abbotsford, and a well respected pioneer of piping in the Fraser Valley.  Former Pipe Major Douglas Bird of the Abbotsford Police was appointed P/Sgt. D/Sgt. Brian Campbell graciously invited D/Sgt. Gregor Merry, late of the Abbotsford Police Pipe Band to assume the position of lead tip of the Band.

 This provided a further impetus to the band’s progress and the band voluntarily moved to Grade 3. In its first Grade 3 performance, it won the B.C. Pipers’ Indoor meet in 2000. In the ensuing competition season, it placed second overall in the aggregate standings.

 In late 1999, it became clear that demand for places in the band, and the band’s rising playing standards,  could not be served by one band.  Plans to establish a Fraser Valley Youth Pipe Band, open to youths to age 18,  came to fruition. This band was established under the overall direction of P/M Ian McDougall, and was instructed by members of the C&D  Pipe Band.  In addition, a Grade 4 adult band was established under its first pipe Major, Bruce Wright, and  first lead tip, Brian Campbell. The new Fraser Cheam Regional Pipe Band chose to adopt the Hunting Fraser tartan formerly worn by C &D.

All three bands are currently sponsored by the Fraser Valley Pipe Band Association and are supported in part by the B.C. Lotteries Corporation.

 The 2001 Season saw the band’s 40^th Anniversary, further hard work and the addition of several playing members in both the pipe and drum corps.  The band moved to three practices per week, plus additional individual and small group pipe corps instruction, led by P/M Hansford, P/Sgt. Bird and P/Cpl Gardiner.

 The season culminated in the  long planned trip to Scotland, where the band was graded 3A by the RSPBA. The trip featured a civic reception and concert in Perth, and a 6^th place finish at Bridge of Allan in Grade 3.  However, the highlight of the trip was the band’s 6^th place finish out of  33 competing bands in the 2001 World Championships, Grade 3A,  earning it the Corby Bowl.

 On the Band’s return to Canada, P/M Fred Hansford retired as Pipe Major to devote more time to his law practice, and was succeeded  by  P/M Doug Bird. The band continued to compete in Grade 3A, returning to Scotland in 2003.  Although the overall placing was disappointing, the band was pleased to raise its pipe corps result from 6^th overall in 2001 to 3^rd overall.

 In 2003, the band entered competitions in Grade 2, where it seeks to continue to build on its past success and hard work. It remains under the direction of P/M Doug Bird and D/Sgt Gregor Merry.

 Future plans include a return to Scotland for the World Championships in 2007. The band continues in active competition  on the Pacific Northwest circuit, and continues to perform at various civic events.

History of Chilliwack & District Pipe Band