GONE – Main Drag, Centre Island Documentary

  • Created by:
    Lauren Leprich
  • Details:
    Includes an interview with Roxann Smith. Her parents owned the Manitou Hotel on the Main Drag, Centre Island. John deNotbeck also interviewed.
  • Date:
    Published on 9 Dec 2014
  • Provenance:
    via YouTube
  • Notes:  Personal photos of life on the Main Drag, Centre Island included.

5 Comments for “GONE – Main Drag, Centre Island Documentary”

Ron Baldwin

says:

My Mother Linda Trudeau grew up on Centre Island for her first 15 years. She’s was born in 1941 and lived there until 1955.
I heard the stories of their homes being expropriated by the city and I could never understand why.
What a horrible thing to do to the citizens of the community.
Mom grew up on the South side of the island and I have many photos of her as a little girl in front of her home in the late 50’s and early 60’s.
There is now a frisbee golf course in the area that her home used to be….what a shame!

Jim Anglin

says:

I remember the drug store on the drag especially the cartoons that were placed in the window. I think it was Hughes Drug Store but not sure. We lived near English’s Boat House and used to watch people pick up and return row boats and canoes. Durnans water taxi would pick up people at the boat house dock next to the bridge.The hot dogs we got there are still a pleasant memory. We lived on Centre Island the first half of the ’50’s and loved it. As my cousin said, “We thought it was the real world.” Now just a memory. Firemen playing horse shoes behind the fire hall, supplies unloading at the dock for the stores including blocks of ice, at CNE time going down to Centre Island ferry dock to watch the works, boat races in summer, open air bowling alley and Christmas eve. It all comes back now, and what a feeling.

Ed Guthrie

says:

Great to see the photos of Rona , and Mr. & Mrs Bill Sutherland in this doc. I am assuming that Roxanna Smith single name was shortened to Rona as a teen.
The ice cream store mentioned by Maureen in the doc was Acme Dairy, operated by my Mom & Dad. Mom gave the largest ice cream cones. The outdoor dance floor was right beneath my bedroom window.

Lana

says:

Hey Ed! I hope you get to see this. My name’s Alana, I’m Rona (aka Roxann)’s granddaughter. My sister Lauren made this video. Was great to see your comment, and that you recognized my grandma. Would love to hear more stories about the dance floor, and of the island and Rona in general. Take care!

Ed Guthrie

says:

Hello Alana, good to hear from relatives of old Islanders. Rona was several years older than me so I did not run in the same circles. Her brother Don and I were childhood and teen friends. Our store and home was next to the Manitou Hotel with the outdoor dance floor between. Many a night I went to sleep with the music of the big bands of our era. At the age of thirteen Don and I became two of the 12 or so founding members of the Island Canoe Club. Have you become familiar with The Toronto Island Connection a Yahoo Group site where Islanders have posted many photos and stories of their time living on the Island? I remember one photo of students of the Island School including your Grandmother as a young teen.
All the best, Ed

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