In 2005, John Rennie High School was celebrating the 50th anniversary of its founding. On its website's message board, a question about the Pits began a flood of emails back and forth.

There is some crossover of topics within the following threads.

The Pits/The Rope
Maywood/St. John's
Cedar Park I
Cedar Park II
Amature Radio
Miss McQuitty
Milk Trucks

The Pits/The Rope thread

Alistair Mackenzie March 4
Does anyone remember the rope at Terra Cotta pits?

There was this old firehose slung over a willow tree by a creek. you could climb the tree, which was on an angle, and swing out over the creek. What a blast...

I haven't been back in Pointe Claire for 15 years (at least).Are the pits still there?

We used to party there alot back in the day.

Scott C March 5
pits are still there but they are all cleaned up and family friendly now

Peter Laws March 5
Terra Cotta Park, if I'm not mistaken. From what I remember of past discussions here (which may or may not be in the archives), the initial clean up was organized by students from JR.

Jack DeRosa March 7
I remember the "rope" like it was yesterday, Glad to see someone else remembers it too! It was a blast, even when you climb high into the tree, grab hold, fling yourself off, (it would be to the left if I remember well) peel off the rope and end up face down in a shallow, rocky creek... and then have to go back to school and sit through 3 more classes! I tell stories of that rope at least once a month as I teach people to do flying trapeze, and I probably do what I do in part because of that "rope"

Alistair Mackenzie March 8
Finally, someone who actually swung on that rope.

You are right, to the left. And I,ve seen a few faceplants off of that rope ,too ( Joey Brice's was priceless.).

Right on Jack,
Alistair

Rob Carr April 17
The funniest and most dangerous stunt on the rope that I remember was
the water bursting into flame from some torched gasoline just as Bugs
Bromilow went swinging across, circa 1971
-Rob Carr

Iain Findleton April 20
I swung on the rope many, many times, and it pre-dates
1971 by at least a decade. People may not remember
that the town dump was once at the corner of Maywood
and St. Louis. We used to go there in the 50's and
pass along the ditch/creek where the rope hung.

Maywood thread/St. John's thread

James R. Hay April 20
St. Louis and Maywood or Donegani and Maywood?

Iain Findleton May 3
Donigani & Maywood is a very, very recent contribution to the local map. I am talking St. Louis and Maywood, which has been around for much longer...

Dr. Hay's kid, i presume...:)

James R. Hay May 3
On Tue, 3 May 2005, Iain Findleton wrote:

> Donigani & Maywood is a very, very recent contribution
> to the local map.

Donegani has existed for a long time albeit with a different name. I'm not sure when Maywood was brought down to Donegany however it would have been 1965 or 1966 at the latest.

> I am talking St. Louis and Maywood, which has been around for much
> longer...

That part of Maywood was the origenal Cote St-Jean and as such has been around for almost 300 years. I don't recall when St. Louis was put in. I wasn't aware that the town dump had started out at the top of the hill. Its not the sort of thing I study however I suppose it moved after the brick yards closed.

> Dr. Hay's kid, i presume...:)

Yes, but which Dr. Hay?
Jim.

Iain Findleton May 5
Indeed, the original St. Jean was renamed, and it was brought down to Donegani about when Councillor Bob Bernie arranged for the construction of the Seniors home.

The Y, Pool, etc are built on a land fill that, I presume, covers the old dump.

Dr Hay I remember used to make house calls in the 50's and was an MD.

James R. Hay May 5
On Thu, 5 May 2005, Iain Findleton wrote:

> Indeed, the original St. Jean was renamed,
Yes, about 1962 I believe.

> and it was brought down to Donegani about when Councillor Bob
> Bernie arranged for the construction of the Seniors home.

No, it was well before that. I can remember that from the opening of the civic centre we were able to return home by going south on Maywood to Donegani, heading west to El Dorado where we went north to Springdale to get to St. John's to head south if we didn't just go back along St. Louis. That part of St. Louis is now Douglas Shand.

> The Y, Pool, etc are built on a land fill that, I presume, covers the
> old dump.

The Y would have been built in the late fifties or early sixties. The pool and arena were a centennial project and opened in 1967. Until the seventies the city works yard was on the west side of Maywood at Donegani and then they built the new garage on the east side and moved across the street. I do remember there being a small dump in the sixties where the present works yard is. This would have to have been relatively recent since it would have been on land which was used for the brick works.

> Dr Hay I remember used to make house calls in the 50's and was an MD.

He lived across the street from us and moved to Hamilton in 1967 to take a position in family medicine with McMaster as I recall.

My father, now retired, is an economist so didn't make the same kind of house call;-)

Take care,
Jim.

Peter Laws May 5
On 5/5/05, Alan Rhodes <anduril@alanrhodes.com> wrote:

> It does seem Maywood was the old route of St John's rd, as can be seen here
> in maps from 1876 and c. 1980:
>
> http://www.alanrhodes.com/stjohns.jpg
>
> Also, the divisions of the old parishes clearly are reflected in the street
> layouts of a century later.

I always knew that Maywood had been St John's at some point - now I know why there is the kink near JR.
Thanks. Again.

James R. Hay May 5
That is right. Cote St-Jean ran between farms 43 and 45/46 and then ran along the back of farms 46, 47 and 48 before turning "north" to run between the fronts of the interior farms.

> Also, the divisions of the old parishes clearly are reflected in the street
> layouts of a century later.

In many cases the farms were bought up in ones and twos for development and the street layout reflicts this.
By the way if my memory serves me correctly the Lakeshore Road, at least officially, will be 300 years old next year. My recollection of the ordinance requiring the clearing of the road was issued in 1706. In actual practice it was a few years before anything resembling a road as we
know it was cleared.

Take care,
Jim.

On Thu, 5 May 2005, Peter Laws wrote:
> I always knew that Maywood had been St John's at some point - now I
> know why there is the kink near JR.

That's why the original address for the school was 500 St. John's Rd.
Jim.

Cedar Park thread II

Mark Rehder May 6
James R. Hay wrote:
>In many cases the farms were bought up in ones and twos for development
>and the street layout reflicts this.

Does anyone know why Cedar Ave. has its circle? Not many streets have one like that, unless it's a traffic routing circle.

The parking lot that was behind the old Uni. church (if there is a behind on a circle) was not always there, and I recall a greenhouse being dismantled to make room for it. I was maybe 10 or so, and while digging through the structure I found some newspapers from the late
50's, with their Sports sections talking about the Habs and Maurice Richard! Those papers would have been only 10 or 12 years old, but to a fanatical hockey kid finding those was akin to a religious experience! ;o)

>By the way if my memory serves me correctly the Lakeshore Road, at least
>officially, will be 300 years old next year. My recollection of the
>ordinance requiring the clearing of the road was issued in 1706. In
>actual practice it was a few years before anything resembling a road as we
>know it was cleared.

Did they finally widen the sidewalks, thus moving the lamposts inboard? Riding along there on my bike to get to the Village was rather scary, what with the curvy narrow road, and those unforgiving poles going by, waiting to snag your handlebar...
Mark

Footprint May 6
Drayton Nursuries was located behind the Church on Cedar.

James R. Hay May 6
Hi Mark and all,
On Fri, 6 May 2005, Mark Rehder wrote:

> James R. Hay wrote:
>
>> In many cases the farms were bought up in ones and twos for development
>> and the street layout reflicts this.
>
> Does anyone know why Cedar Ave. has its circle? Not many streets have
> one like that, unless it's a traffic routing circle.

With the inception of Cedar Park back in 1892 or 1893 the intention was to have a church in the circle. It was not done for almost thirty years but Otto Lilly always planned that a church would be built.

> The parking lot that was behind the old Uni. church (if there is a
> behind on a circle) was not always there, and I recall a greenhouse
> being dismantled to make room for it.

That's right. The Pointe Claire Nursery was there if I remember the name correctly.

>> By the way if my memory serves me correctly the Lakeshore Road, at least
>> officially, will be 300 years old next year. My recollection of the
>> ordinance requiring the clearing of the road was issued in 1706. In
>> actual practice it was a few years before anything resembling a road as we
>> know it was cleared.
>>
>
> Did they finally widen the sidewalks, thus moving the lamposts inboard?
> Riding along there on my bike to get to the Village was rather scary,
> what with the curvy narrow road, and those unforgiving poles going by,
> waiting to snag your handlebar...

Yes, in the eighties, I think it was, they did some work on the road. Some straightening and realigning, sidewalk work and all of the poles were moved off the road. Even the spot where the sidewalk narrowed at the corner of the Legault house (which juts into the road allowance) was widened by moving the street closer to the lake. The sidewalk no longer narrows to a foot at that point.

Take care,
Jim.

Mark Rehder May 6
All this talk sure gets the old gears spinning...

Further Cedar Ave. info:

Our property at 8 Cedar was twice as large as it is now, and my dad and oldest brother would kick a football back forth along its length! Brother Mike has a wonderful enlargement of a photo of the house from the 50's when it still showed its wood siding (covered later by stucco). We sold the western half in '66 to the Jordans (who used to live up the street) and Alex and I were best buds from age 6 to 12 or so. The best part about the divide was that Mike and I only had half as much lawn to mow as our older bros. did. hehe

We had a tiny "forest" on the circle (north) side of the house, which sported a superbe triple-decker treehouse at the NE corner of the property. If those trees are still there I bet some of the old nails are as well. And that circle gave us some shelter from traffic to play our Habs vs. Leafs road hockey games (since the main flow used the eastern side, and the part behind the church was gravel for many years). It perhaps the only curved hockey rink in the immediate area. ;o)

The Mayos lived to the south of us (John and I were best pals too), and divided and sold the southern part to the Maisonvilles. Other lots on the east side of the street heading to the lake got divided during my childhood as well. Apparently we even owned a strip of land at the waterfront, since our house was one of the first on the street, so this must have had something to do with the original land titles.

We had a funny thing happen one day when I was about six or so. We noticed a depression in the lawn, right behind the carport. As the lawn started to sink in that one spot my Dad poked at it with a shovel and a hole opened up! So the sod was pulled back to reveal some rotting boards covering an old well! My brother Eric actually lowered himself down the well and stood on a stout board wedged across the opening about 8 feet down. There was of course water at the bottom, but we kids wanted a full excavation in case there was cool stuff like Egyptian mummies or at least some old guns. But Dad, keeping in mind that there were tons of small kids in the 'hood waiting to fall into that hole, had to get it dealt with right away. He told me years later that he had talked to folks at the City to se if anyone wanted to explore it further, but no interest was shown. So to our great dismay a big truck came and dumped a load of gravel down the well, which was then covered over again (OK, it was kinda cool to have a dumptruck in one's driveway, but still...). And who knows what lurks beneath other suburban lawns...

Memories of skating on the lake with our dad, and trying to clear enough snow to play hockey. Remember the ice races near the Edgewater Hotel? It was all little euro cars like Minis running studded tires. One year they moved it over near Stewart Hall, and the big grader fell through the ice as it prepped the course. We got there just in time to see one tire bob to the surface. The driver had apparently jumped off as the ice gave way and was already being attended to. A bunch of us would also play on the ice floes during the spring break-up. Had a few scary moments when slipping and getting feet wet. Man, if mom ever knew... (or maybe she did).

Oh, and one final one for now. When brother Jon had to mow the lawn he got right into it. He lived in the attic, and would put his hi-fi speaker in the window overlooking the backyard. And then put on Jimi Hendrix, as loud as the system would go (so he could hear it over the gas mower, of course!). He did this when my folks were out shopping or wherever, but the neighbours usually let him know they were not amused...

Mark

Cedar Park thread I

Mark Rehder May 4
Ah, it's always fun to look back...

My family used to have a copy of a publication (put out by either the City or the library) that detailed the history and settlement of the Pointe Claire area. Showed all the old seigneury (sp?) layouts, the development of the Village, etc. Wish I knew what happened to it...

I grew up at 8 Cedar Ave. a few doors from Cedar Park, and right across from the former Unitarian Church (moved to Winston Circle in '73). Our house was the second oldest on the street, built in 1901, and I remember my dad replacing the old push-button light switches as they gave out. The family was in the area from 1952 (I was born in 59) until I moved to T.O. in 84.

I remember my Mom's account number at the Royal Bank being only three digits, since all the account numbers were by branch, not nationwide, and she opened her account just have the plaza was built in ther early 50's. The St. John's Rd. / Hwy 20 intersection was a level crossing, as was the 20 and Sources and the 20 and Cartier (where I recall one of my Cedar Park classmates getting killed by a truck riding his bike against the lights).

At Cedar Park I had Mrs. Wallbridge for Gr. 1, Gr. 2 was Miss. Fisher, Gr. 3 was a young woman whose name I forget (think she got married in the middle of the year), Gr. 4 I can't recall, Miss Bishop for Gr. 5, and Miss Gilmour for Gr. 6. I remember Miss Bishop most of all, as she taught all five of us over the years! (and that's saying something about longevity, as there's a 16 year age difference between the youngest and oldest in my family). One thing I recall about Gr. 4 was that we sat grouped at tables instead of desks, which was experimental at the time.

Damn, I feel old. hehe

Mark

James R. Hay May 4
On Wed, 4 May 2005, Mark Rehder wrote:

> My family used to have a copy of a publication (put out by either the
> City or the library) that detailed the history and settlement of the
> Pointe Claire area. Showed all the old seigneury (sp?) layouts, the
> development of the Village, etc. Wish I knew what happened to it...

You're not thinking of Brian Mathews' book which was published in the mid to late 1980s are you?

> I grew up at 8 Cedar Ave. a few doors from Cedar Park, and right across
> from the former Unitarian Church (moved to Winston Circle in '73).

So that's where you guys went.
--(snip)--
> I remember my Mom's account number at the Royal Bank being only three
> digits, since all the account numbers were by branch, not nationwide,

Yup.
> and she opened her account just have the plaza was built in ther early
> 50's.

Actually I think it was eithel late fifties or probably 1962 or 1963.
> The St. John's Rd. / Hwy 20 intersection was a level crossing, as
> was the 20 and Sources and the 20 and Cartier (where I recall one of my
> Cedar Park classmates getting killed by a truck riding his bike against
> the lights).

There were a few deaths at that intersection. I recall that Mark Strudwick was killed at that crossing, on foot I think, and also Ken Fillipelli was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1970. I still think about those lives cut short but I don't miss the intersection.

Lakeside and 20 was one of the last intersections to close although
latterly it was only accessible to/from the east bound side of the 20.

> At Cedar Park I had Mrs. Wallbridge for Gr. 1,

Who still lives in the same house on Lakeview beside the Peters' house as far as I know. I had her too.

> Gr. 2 was Miss. Fisher,
Hmmm. I'd have to think about who I had. Unfortunately I don't recall at the moment.

> Gr. 3 was a young woman whose name I forget (think she got married in
> the middle of the year),

I had Miss Rice in grade 3 but I think there was a teacher who became Mrs. Stein and married during the year.
> Gr. 4 I can't recall,

I had Miss Moore in grade 4.

> Miss Bishop for Gr. 5,

Me too.
> and Miss Gilmour for Gr. 6.
I don't recall her but in grade 6 I had Miss Gilker. Mrs. Nicholson was the gym teacher when I was there.

> I remember Miss Bishop most of all, as she
> taught all five of us over the years! (and that's saying something about
> longevity, as there's a 16 year age difference between the youngest and
> oldest in my family).

She taught some of my brothers also who were six to eight years older than me. Oddly enough they still are!

> One thing I recall about Gr. 4 was that we sat
> grouped at tables instead of desks, which was experimental at the time.
>
> Damn, I feel old. hehe

Well, you're older than me!
Where did all the other Rehder's go?

Take care,
Jim.

Mark Rehder May 4
James R. Hay wrote:

>You're not thinking of Brian Mathews' book which was published in the mid
>to late 1980s are you?

Nope. I recall reading back it in the late 60's. I think it actually was more of a newsletter style than a book, so that's why I thught of it being a library publication.
>>At Cedar Park I had Mrs. Wallbridge for Gr. 1,
>>
>>
>
>Who still lives in the same house on Lakeview beside the Peters' house as
>far as I know. I had her too.

Holy smokes, I didn't think any grade school teachers I had would still be alive. :P
>>Gr. 2 was Miss. Fisher,
>>
>>
>
>Hmmm. I'd have to think about who I had. Unfortunately I don't recall at
>the moment.

She lived on Cedar Ave. near Lakeview.
>>Gr. 3 was a young woman whose name I forget (think she got married in
>>the middle of the year),
>>
>>
>
>I had Miss Rice in grade 3 but I think there was a teacher who became Mrs.
>Stein and married during the year.

The names sound right, and I think they're one and the same.
>>Gr. 4 I can't recall,
>>
>>
>
>I had Miss Moore in grade 4.

Yes, Miss Moore, thank you!
>>and Miss Gilmour for Gr. 6.
>>
>>

>I don't recall her but in grade 6 I had Miss Gilker. Mrs. Nicholson was
>the gym teacher when I was there.
>
You're correct, it was Gilker.
>Where did all the other Rehder's go?

I sold them all for scientific experiments. hehe

Youngest brother Mike went to Queen's, and has been in hi-tech every since. Will be returning here to Ottawa in June after five years in Israel. Next older bro Jon is in PEI working as a musician, Eric lives in T.O doing hi-tech, Christine lives in Calgary. Parents split in '71 and remarried, one pair lives in Kingston, other in T.O., everyone gets along just fine. Dad turned 89 this year.

Cheers,
Mark

James R. Hay May 4
Hi Mark,
On Wed, 4 May 2005, Mark Rehder wrote:
>> You're not thinking of Brian Mathews' book which was published in the mid
>> to late 1980s are you?
>>

> Nope. I recall reading back it in the late 60's. I think it actually
> was more of a newsletter style than a book, so that's why I thught of it
> being a library publication.

Ok, could it have been about 50 pages of typescript pages with a (probably) blue cover?

>>> At Cedar Park I had Mrs. Wallbridge for Gr. 1,
>>
>> Who still lives in the same house on Lakeview beside the Peters' house as
>> far as I know. I had her too.

> Holy smokes, I didn't think any grade school teachers I had would still
> be alive. :P

I think she still is. It seems to me that I saw her not that log ago. Of course in grade one I think we thought all teachers were ancient. ;-)

>>> Gr. 2 was Miss. Fisher,
>>>
>>>
>>
>> Hmmm. I'd have to think about who I had. Unfortunately I don't recall at
>> the moment.
>>

> She lived on Cedar Ave. near Lakeview.
Yes, there was one but I can't recall her name at the moment.
>>> Gr. 3 was a young woman whose name I forget (think she got married in
>>> the middle of the year),
>>
>> I had Miss Rice in grade 3 but I think there was a teacher who became Mrs.
>> Stein and married during the year.
>
> The names sound right, and I think they're one and the same.
I seem to recall that Miss Rice left the summer after I was in her class and went up to Peterborough but I can't swear to it.
>>> Gr. 4 I can't recall,
>>
>> I had Miss Moore in grade 4.
>
> Yes, Miss Moore, thank you!
You're welcome:-)
>>> and Miss Gilmour for Gr. 6.
>>
>> I don't recall her but in grade 6 I had Miss Gilker. Mrs. Nicholson was
>> the gym teacher when I was there.
>
> You're correct, it was Gilker.
A good teacher but tended to be strict.
>> Where did all the other Rehder's go?
>
> I sold them all for scientific experiments. hehe
:-)
> Youngest brother Mike went to Queen's, and has been in hi-tech every
> since.

Sounds good. I remember him at Rennie. Think he may have been the year behind me but don't recall.

> Will be returning here to Ottawa in June after five years in Israel.

Gee, life is tough!

> Next older bro Jon is in PEI working as a musician,

Still? Seems to me he went down there some time ago. Seems to me that my brother David and he were friends.

> Eric lives in T.O doing hi-tech, Christine lives in Calgary.

Sounds good.

> Parents split in '71 and remarried, one pair lives in Kingston, other in
> T.O., everyone gets along just fine. Dad turned 89 this year.

Ok, we wondered where your Dad went.
Thanks,
Jim.

Lauren Hambly May 4
Was that little round bit on Cedar Avenue called Cedar Park? I think of Cedar Park as the place where I went to the outdoor pool to take swimming lessons as a kid (f-f-f-freeezing water some mornings!). Rode there on my bike to lessons - by myself - imagine! Even walked to Nursery School without an adult - Sue Peachey and I walked together. I grew up at 124 Prince Rupert Drive before moving to Maywood for Grade 7. When we moved to Prince Rupert sometime before 1965 ('63?), ours was the last house on the street -nothing but fields all around - no park, Seigniory School not built yet, either. Man, it was windy.

I went to Seigniory before JRHS. I remember them ripping all the walls out in the grade 5/6 area and carpeting it all for 'open concept' which was the new thing at the time. No lockers or desks ... we had little plastic bins in a closet for our stuff. I remember misbehaving students getting Mr. Marshall's running shoe across their behinds - and hard! It was a treat when we could buy a ticket to stay after school and watch a Disney film played on a reel-to-reel projector in the gym. Herbie the Love Bug.

Hot pants and bell bottoms were the fashion, and floor-length skirts for special occasions. We all had those skipping toys (what were they called?) that had a ring for your ankle and a weight at one end ... you swung it around your ankle and jumped over the rope as it went. Plastic 'Big Wheel' bikes made an incredible racket going up and down the streets where smaller children played. Most everyone owned a "Troll", and a "Super Ball", I think. Kids were outside everywhere all the time - playing 'tag', or 'statues', or 'What Time is it Mr.Wolf?'.

I remember Fairview being built, and later going with my Dad to the pharmacy there to use the machine that tested those glass tubes for our enormous black and white TV set.

When was the year of the huge snowstorm? I followed my parents along footpaths down the streets to Pierrette's to buy some powdered milk ... there was no way to use the roads. We had to dig down to our car in the driveway. I think Police borrowed snowmobiles that year.

Yeah, old. Now I feel really old!

...../Laurie (class of '77)

[Kathleen McHugh May 4
The toy you couldn't remember the name of is the Skip-O-Rope. Apparently you can buy a vintage one on the Internet for $10.50.

Super Balls were such a blast!

Too bad you don't see many kids out having fun in the streets these days like we did.

Lauren Hambly May 4
I got curious and looked for one on E-Bay ... no Skip-O-Rope, but Skip-Ball looks just the same, and claims to be a new toy! 6 CAD from the UK.

Yes, kids seem to play indoors more these days. I was always out until the street-lights came on.]

Daniel Goodier May 4
Cedar Park Pool was North of the 2 & 20 on the hill, which isn't quite as large (the hill that is) as I remember.

The drugstore that your Dad tested tubes at was probably, "The Apothecary" at the corner of St Jeans and Hymus. I remember that machine as well as my Dad used it to test tubes for his Amateur Radio equipment.

Dan Goodier '74

Lauren Hambly May 4
Daniel Goodier <daniel@goodier.ca> wrote:
"Cedar Park Pool was North of the 2 & 20 on the hill, which isn't quite as
large (the hill that is) as I remember."

L: Yes! That's the one! Guys wore skimpy Speedos ... <grin>. There was a luge-like sled run down the side of that hill in the winter, too!

"The drugstore that your Dad tested tubes at was probably, "The Apothecary"
at the corner of St Jeans and Hymus. I remember that machine as well as my
Dad used it to test tubes for his Amateur Radio equipment."

L: Hmmm .. maybe ... but wasn't there a store with a tester at Fairview? Near the mall entrance of Simpson's on the south side?

James R. Hay May 4
On Wed, 4 May 2005, Lauren Hambly wrote:

> Was that little round bit on Cedar Avenue called Cedar Park?

No, that was always intended for a church.

> I think of Cedar Park as the place where I went to the outdoor pool to take
> swimming lessons as a kid (f-f-f-freeezing water some mornings!).

That builds character;-) if it was the pool over toward Cartier that was Lakeshore Pool at Kinsmen Park while to the east was Lakeside Pool at Ovide Park.

> Rode there on my bike to lessons - by myself - imagine! Even walked to
> Nursery School without an adult - Sue Peachey and I walked together. I
> grew up at 124 Prince Rupert Drive before moving to Maywood for Grade 7.
> When we moved to Prince Rupert sometime before 1965 ('63?), ours was the
> last house on the street -nothing but fields all around - no park,
> Seigniory School not built yet, either. Man, it was windy.

I seem to recall both Lakeside Heights and Cedar park Heights being noted for wind.
--(snip)--
> I remember Fairview being built, and later going with my Dad to the
> pharmacy there to use the machine that tested those glass tubes for our
> enormous black and white TV set.

Yup, those were the days and I still have lots of tubes in the basement;-)

> When was the year of the huge snowstorm?

1970-1971 was the winter and the storm was March 3-5 1971.

> I followed my parents along footpaths down the streets to Pierrette's

I think that was Perette's.

> to buy some powdered milk ... there was no way to use the roads. We had
> to dig down to our car in the driveway. I think Police borrowed snowmobiles that year.

Yup, I remember the snowmobiles going by the house and I think it was one of the few times when the pulled most of the plows off the road except to clear the way for emergency vehecles although they did try to keep ahead on St. John's and other major streets

> Yeah, old. Now I feel really old!

Me too.
Jim.

M-E.C. Agnew May 5
Yes, that HUGE snowstorm ("we" Quebecers didn't even have to phone in the troops to dig us out, like Torontonian's......LOL). I have a photo of my Dad's vehicle, well, all you can see is an inch of his antenna! I lived in Pierrefonds, on Rolland Street and quite of few of the long established farmers from the village and Ile. Bizard came out with their horses and sleighs (cutters, whichever name you prefer) to the corner of my street with bread, milk, staples like that. They didn't charge anything extra for the provisions and if you didn't have money on you, they would exchange tel. no's. and catch up later. They also checked if anyone needed help from a doctor. My father could tell by the sounds of the bells on the harnesses which family was coming when. I always thought that my Dad knowing the different families bells was very, admirable - I never had the time to learn. I do remember using snowshoes often times in the "normal" storms to go to the village for some groceries. Amazing that as a kid (or to my knowledge my parents, either) we never thought much about it one way or another, it was just the way it was and you just managed. I think that was a good thing. m-ea

Peter Laws May 4
On 5/4/05, Daniel Goodier <daniel@goodier.ca> wrote:

> The drugstore that your Dad tested tubes at was probably, "The Apothecary"
> at the corner of St Jeans and Hymus. I remember that machine as well as my
> Dad used it to test tubes for his Amateur Radio equipment.The drug store at Fairview did have a tube-tester

Back In The Day - I think it was standard for all drug stores at the time. Of course,they also stocked tubes. It's amazing to me that more folks weren't killed servicing their own TVs back then - voltages in tube equipment can be in very high!

The Apothecary was built much later than Fairview. For the young'uns here, the original drug store at Fairview was
located across from the Toronto-Dominion bank which is also gone.

>From their coffee shop, you could watch the buses coming and going from the original bus terminal.

Of course, that area is now covered by the building that started as a Sears and is now an Old Navy, et al.

James R. Hay May 4
On Wed, 4 May 2005, Daniel Goodier wrote:

> Cedar Park Pool was North of the 2 & 20 on the hill, which isn't quite as
> large (the hill that is) as I remember.

That was Cedar Park Heights pool wasn't it?

> The drugstore that your Dad tested tubes at was probably, "The Apothecary"
> at the corner of St Jeans and Hymus. I remember that machine as well as my
> Dad used it to test tubes for his Amateur Radio equipment.

They had a tube tester in the drug store at Fairwiew, as well as a photocopier.

Speaking of Amateur Radio was there an Amateur Radio station at Rennie at some point? I seem to recall seeing a tower (not the one for the computer WAN antennas that lasted about two years) whih seemed to have a 20 or 40
metre HF antenna on it. Do you remember your Dad's callsign?

Take care,
Jim.

On Wed, 4 May 2005, Lauren Hambly wrote:
> Daniel Goodier <daniel@goodier.ca> wrote:
>
> "Cedar Park Pool was North of the 2 & 20 on the hill, which isn't quite as
> large (the hill that is) as I remember."
>
> L: Yes! That's the one! Guys wore skimpy Speedos ... <grin>. There was a luge-like sled run down the side of that hill in the winter, too!

Especially those of us who raced although I'm not sure that it was the best fashion statement in the world;-)

> "The drugstore that your Dad tested tubes at was probably, "The Apothecary"
> at the corner of St Jeans and Hymus. I remember that machine as well as my
> Dad used it to test tubes for his Amateur Radio equipment."
>
> L: Hmmm .. maybe ... but wasn't there a store with a tester at
> Fairview? Near the mall entrance of Simpson's on the south side?

That sounds right. It was definitely at Fairview.
Jim.

On Wed, 4 May 2005, Peter Laws wrote:
> The drug store at Fairview did have a tube-tester Back In The Day - I
> think it was standard for all drug stores at the time. Of course,
> they also stocked tubes. It's amazing to me that more folks weren't
> killed servicing their own TVs back then - voltages in tube equipment
> can be in very high!

What's 30 or 40,000 volts between friends???

> The Apothecary was built much later than Fairview.
>
> For the young'uns here, the original drug store at Fairview was
> located across from the Toronto-Dominion bank which is also gone.

Now you'll have to explain that one:-)
Take care,
Jim.

Daniel Goodier May 4
"The drugstore that your Dad tested tubes at was probably, "The Apothecary"
at the corner of St Jeans and Hymus. I remember that machine as well as my
Dad used it to test tubes for his Amateur Radio equipment."

L: Hmmm .. maybe ... but wasn't there a store with a tester at Fairview?
Near the mall entrance of Simpson's on the south side?

DG: Can't say that I remember the drugstore at Fairview even though I workedweekends at Eaton's for 5 years. Now I can tell you where all the bars, brasseries, and taverns were.How about this. There was a store called Import Bazaar in the mall on St Jeans and Hymus (where CFOX and the Hymus Tavern were). It was great place
to get all sorts of things from the far east cheap, incense burners, sandals, wall decorations, etcetera. If I am not mistaken, Import Bazaar sometime in the past 20 years morphed into what we now know as Pier 1. Does anyone know for sure?

Thanks.
Dan Goodier '74

[Lauren Hambly May 4
Oh my, I had forgotten about he Buffalo/Jesus Sandals you could get at Cargo Canada ... brown, oily things that you soaked and wore wet when you got them so they'd have a custom fit. Made your feet black.

Remember Earth Shoes? Heels lower than the toes? I had Dr. Scholls Exercise Sandals, and a denim-blue pair of platform shoes <shaking head>. North Stars runners were must-haves. I wore them religiously even though they tore the skin off the backs of my heels. They went with the must-have Lee Rider jeans and my older brother's button-down shirt worn open over a t-shirt.

....../Laurie '77]

Peter Laws May 4
On 5/4/05, James R. Hay <jrhay@haya.qc.ca> wrote:
> On Wed, 4 May 2005, Daniel Goodier wrote:
>
> > The drugstore that your Dad tested tubes at was probably, "The Apothecary"
> > at the corner of St Jeans and Hymus. I remember that machine as well as my
> > Dad used it to test tubes for his Amateur Radio equipment.
>
> They had a tube tester in the drug store at Fairwiew, as well as a
> photocopier.
>
> Speaking of Amateur Radio was there an Amateur Radio station at Rennie at
> some point? I seem to recall seeing a tower (not the one for the computer

This will bore (to tears) anyone not interested in the subject, but I believe the tower appeared in the mid-1970s. 10/15/20 m Yagi. Maybe a dipole or two. Heath transceiver from near the end of their reign. I've been poking around on the web and think it may have been an HW5400 or SS9000 ... but neither of those look quite right (definitely had a digital dial tho').

There was a cage in the electronics room (down near the auditorium in
the "Vo Tech" hall) and I think the coaxes terminated there. Can't remember the name of the electronics teacher, but do recall that he wasn't that interested in getting the station up and running.

Peter Laws May 4
On 5/4/05, Daniel Goodier <daniel@goodier.ca> wrote:
> How about this. There was a store called Import Bazaar in the mall on St
> Jeans and Hymus (where CFOX and the Hymus Tavern were). It was great place
> to get all sorts of things from the far east cheap, incense burners,
> sandals, wall decorations, etcetera. If I am not mistaken, Import Bazaar
> sometime in the past 20 years morphed into what we now know as Pier 1. Does
> anyone know for sure?

I think of that store every time I'm dragged into a Pier 1, which isn't often, fortunately. You have it right, tho' at one time it was named "Cargo Canada", with no noticeable change in the range of products offered ...

Mark Rehder May 4
James R. Hay wrote:
>On Wed, 4 May 2005, Mark Rehder wrote:
>
>>Nope. I recall reading back it in the late 60's. I think it actually
>>was more of a newsletter style than a book, so that's why I thught of it
>>being a library publication.
>>
>>
>Ok, could it have been about 50 pages of typescript pages with a
>(probably) blue cover?
>

That sounds very familiar...

>>Will be returning here to Ottawa in June after five years in Israel.
>>
>>
>
>Gee, life is tough!

Well, it wasn't all fun and games. While Mike was certainly well paid, their time there was also during the worst of the violence. Eventually they had to tell their two teenaged sons that they could be at home, at a friend's house, or the beach, and that was it. Even the shopping malls had tanks and military personel (imagine that at Fairview!). Of course, then there was a bombing on the beach, so that was out as well. And while my bro was not generally a fan of the Israeli government's policies, he did admit that the wall drastically cut down
the suicide attacks.

Mark
--

James R. Hay May 4
On Wed, 4 May 2005, Mark Rehder wrote:
>>> Nope. I recall reading back it in the late 60's. I think it actually
>>> was more of a newsletter style than a book, so that's why I thught of it
>>> being a library publication.
>>
>> Ok, could it have been about 50 pages of typescript pages with a
>> (probably) blue cover?
>
> That sounds very familiar...

That would be George E.R. Milne's "Recollections of Early Pointe Claire". It was published by the school board.

>>> Will be returning here to Ottawa in June after five years in Israel.
>>
>> Gee, life is tough!
>
> Well, it wasn't all fun and games. While Mike was certainly well paid,
> their time there was also during the worst of the violence.

There's no question that its been no picnic over there.

> Eventually
> they had to tell their two teenaged sons that they could be at home, at
> a friend's house, or the beach, and that was it. Even the shopping
> malls had tanks and military personel (imagine that at Fairview!).

Lovely. That's not a great atmosphere for teenagers for sure and Mike must not have like that part of it.

> Of course, then there was a bombing on the beach, so that was out as
> well. And while my bro was not generally a fan of the Israeli
> government's policies, he did admit that the wall drastically cut down
> the suicide attacks.

It would, no matter what we think of the policy.
Jim.

Mark Rehder May 4
Lauren Hambly wrote:
>Was that little round bit on Cedar Avenue called Cedar Park?

Nope, but there had been a church building there for a long time. I don't recall what domination it was before the Unitarians took over in the mid-60's. I went to both nursery school and kindergarden in that building. Anyone remember the Cappucino family and all their adopted kids? Fred. C. was our minister, and adopted son Mike (who may still be on this list) was around my age.

>Hot pants and bell bottoms were the fashion, and floor-length skirts for special occasions.

I recall being very distracted in high school by the really tight slacks that the girls would wear. I mean, really tight. But I won't go any further with that thought... ;o)

>When was the year of the huge snowstorm? I followed my parents along footpaths down the streets to Pierrette's to buy some powdered milk ... there was no way to use the roads. We had to dig down to our car in the driveway. I think Police borrowed snowmobiles that year.

Yeah, that was a good dump of snow. Because our driveway opened onto the circle, I recall Mike and I having to dig a path from the back door, along the driveway, and along a section of the circle all the way to the main part of the street (felt like a mile to us), so that dad could walk down recently plowed section to the train station (I think the trains were the only transport running for a few days!). I can't remember why we didn't just shovel the front walk out to the street. (Perhaps dad wanted a head start on getting the driveway cleared?)

Mark
--

James R. Hay May 4
On Wed, 4 May 2005, Mark Rehder wrote:
> Lauren Hambly wrote:
>
>> Was that little round bit on Cedar Avenue called Cedar Park?
>>
>
> Nope, but there had been a church building there for a long time.

I'd have to look but I think it was built in 1920 or 1921.

> I don't recall what domination it was before the Unitarians took over in
> the mid-60's.

It was originally Lilly Memorial Church. It started out as Presbyterian but in 1925 went United. In the 1950s when the congregation built the new church on Lakeview and changed the name to Cedar Park United Church they
sold the building to the Lakeshore Unitarian Church.

> I went to both nursery school and kindergarden in that building.

I think that was the Pointe Claire Co-op Preschool which I want to Nursery School with and later Kindergarten when they moved to Briarwood Church in Beaconsfield.

> Anyone remember the Cappucino family and all their adopted kids? Fred.
> C. was our minister, and adopted son Mike (who may still be on this
> list) was around my age.

I remember Robin Capuccino who would have been around my age and another
family with many adopted children was the Simpsons of whom David was about
my age.
Jim.

Mark Rehder May 5
Lauren Hambly wrote:
>Alan,
>
>I had a quick look at your website yesterday. I am in awe - such talent! Wow!

Ditto. I also like the old album covers and concert info. And reading
it all makes me glad I didn't smoke pot until after I got out of high
school. Otherwise I may have never gotten out. :P

> The map of Fairview '69 took me back - thanks!
>
>Didn't Pascal's have a store-front made of a bunch if hardware soldered together and painted black?
>

Yes. I think it was all black so it looked like wrought iron or something? I remember being in that store in '78, and the first Van Halen album was playing in the music section. As I heard this guitar whirl its way through "Eruption" and then into a cover of "you really got me" I went "what the?..." and asked the clerk who the band was. It was certainly much more rock and roll than the Foreigner / Boston / Styx formula rock that was current (of course Van Halen fell into a formula as well. But I thought much of that first album was great).

>I remember sitting at the counter in Woolworth's and splitting a free-refill glass of iced tea with my friend Debby ... the waitress let us sit there all afternoon .. must have had about 10 glasses! Wasn't there one of those new-fangled "Pong" video game tables outside? <chuckle>

Yes, that rings a bell. I heard the slowest setting on Pong was good for the stoners, since one did not need quick reflexes (perhaps that mode could have been called "bong"?). ;o)

Mark

Amateur Radio thread

Peter Laws May 4
On 5/4/05, Mark Rehder <mark@drumbent.com> wrote:
> James R. Hay wrote:
>
> >Speaking of Amateur Radio was there an Amateur Radio station at Rennie at
>
> I recall an in-house station called JRBC...

DIfferent thing entirely.

JRBC "broadcast" from a studio on the 5th floor to the cafeteria and... well, I think just the cafeteria. Originally, they were known as KAOS, then JRBC, then JRFM in the 1970s. Does the school still have anything like this?

Miss McQuitty thread

Jill Smith May 5
Hi: Does anyone, of those who might recall the sixties, remember hootenannies in the gym and square dancing? Or is it just me and am I really that old?

Oh, yes, and Miss Quinte (sp?), the short but severe gym teacher for girls?

Cheers, Jill Smith

Patricia Smith May 5
i remember both the hootenannies & the square dancing in gym class LOL
the gym teacher i remember, her name, unfortunately not (thought it was McQ...something), but isn't she the one who always checked if the teddy blouses were buttoned LOL??
~pat ('67)

Paddy Warren May 5
I remember the female( if she was really that)gym teacher her name was Miss McQuidity (not sure of spelling) the only teacher that i could not stand. And i remember how my grade 11 class got even with all the grief that she
put us through. It was the last day of gym gym for the year and our gym class was in the last period of the day . It was a miserable cold and windy June day, the football field was wet and there was one big puddle that had her name on it. I remember that we all pushed her into it and ran like Hell ...no showers that day.........Paddy Warren

j fenton richards May 5
If you will check the fiftieth reunion site you will see reference to Miss McQuitty, the girls gym teacher during the early sixties. Trudi Acheson and I, along with several others, wrote some interesting recollections of this colourful lady. It was rumoured that she had been a sargent in the armed forces. One story I was dying to write was the day we were asked not to act out in gym class during the warm late spring weather of 1962 or '63. Apparently some of the teachers, whose classes were located on the first floor, had their windows open to cool the classrooms. They had complained to McQuitty that their students were distracted by the gym classes outside. Miss McQuitty made it clear she had little respect for teachers with so little control of their students. Anyway we were told that,if we did anything disruptive during class, we would be given the choice of a detention or a kick in the ass. After going outside we were waiting for equipment to be set up when Barbara Carmichael started doing the splits on the lawn. I could not resist tapping her front foot so that she toppled over. She and I chased each other for a few seconds and giggling before we heard "Fenton and Carmichael, front and center!" bellowed at us. She reviewed what the promised punishments were. We both said a "D" or a kick in the ass. She asked which we would accept. We both said a kick in the ass, thinking that would be the end of it. To our amazement she asked us to touch our toes. We were shocked as we had thought it was all a joke. We reluctantly bent over in full view of the two wings of class windows (this was long before the addition to the school). Miss McQuitty lightly tapped both of us with the tip of her shoe and told us to join the rest of the class. It was all in fun and we had a good laugh about it. I think sometimes that her habit of pulling on the teddy blouses was kind of a female wedgie and an inside joke. She often teased girls. I hope no one was hurt by her sense of humour as I always took it in a friendly way.

Milk Trucks thread
Lauren Hambly May 5
MILK TRUCKS! Right! Putting your empty glass bottles out on the porch on milk day with your milk order curled in the neck! Never occurred to me that we hiked down those snow footpaths to buy powdered milk because the milkman couldn't get to us ... was thinking that we couldn't drive to the grocery store! LOL

Wow, getting snowed in overnight at Fairview with your boyfriend. That IS a cool memory.

More on milk and Perettes .. right..... not Pierrettes ... do you remember the picture of the girl and little poem on the side of the Perette's milk carton? Something about holding her milk jug tight .. ended with a moral ... Don't count your chicken's before they're hatched, I think?

Mark .. how could I have forgotten that Pascal's had a record dept.! Rick Wakeman's "Journey to the Centre of the Earth" came to mind when you mentioned that.

...../Laurie DeCourcy '77

Peter Laws May 5
Here in Chicagoland, there is still one dairy company that will deliver milk every day - trucks look just like the Sealtest trucks when we were kids. :-) JJJoubert was the other company, at least in Pierrefonds.

The POM bread man used to deliver in our neighborhood as well and there was a dry cleaner that made the rounds, too (Worsley?). We had cardboard cards you hung in the window if you wanted service
(except the milkmen, where, as you said, you put your order out with the empties ...

James R. Hay May 5
Hi folks,
On Thu, 5 May 2005, Peter Laws wrote:
> On 5/5/05, Lauren Hambly <exp_lauren@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> MILK TRUCKS! Right! Putting your empty glass bottles out on the porch on milk day with your milk order curled in the neck! Never occurred to me that we hiked down those

> Here in Chicagoland, there is still one dairy company that will
> deliver milk every day - trucks look just like the Sealtest trucks
> when we were kids. :-) JJJoubert was the other company, at least in
> Pierrefonds.

We had Guaranteed Pure Milk.

> The POM bread man used to deliver in our neighborhood as well and
> there was a dry cleaner that made the rounds, too (Worsley?).
We had POM and Art Bedard was the cleaner which I think got swallowed into
one of the big chains.

> We had cardboard cards you hung in the window if you wanted service
> (except the milkmen, where, as you said, you put your order out with
> the empties ...
Yup.
Jim.

Kathleen McHugh May 5
Does anybody else remember the ice cream truck coming around? I think it was called Tastee Freeze and I can still hear that welcome theme song he used to play to draw all the kids over.
Kathy (Greer) McHugh
P.S. Any more '72ers out there?