Previously...(parts 1 and 2)
The Pelissier side of the
Capitol Theatre (
Archives of Ontario feature). Opened in 1920, it was divided into three screens by the time Dad took me to see my first movie there. His pick to introduce me to the world of moviegoing?
Oh Heavenly Dog, starring Chevy Chase and Benji. One problem: as a kid, I didn't take any human transforming into another being very well, even if the transformation wasn't fully shown. On Friday nights, when I heard the
Dallas theme come on, I knew it was safe to go back into the living room because
The Incredible Hulk was over. Naturally, this later developed into an interest in special effects makeup and a large collection of Hulk comic books.
As for Chevy and Benji, when the switch between characters was made, I lost it. We left the theatre and never saw the rest of the movie until it was on TV years later, by that time a family joke. Roger Ebert
wasn't crazy about it either. It was probably several months before my parents decided to test milder fare on me. My spine must have stiffen quickly, as two years later Dad and I saw
Raiders of the Lost Ark in Amherstburg and registered no complaints about the melting Nazis (though we also laughed for years about how the Nazi with the clothes hanger who gets the medallion burned in his hand was a dead ringer for Dad).
This trio of beauties was found east of downtown, along Wyandotte St. This stretch of Wyandotte, between the core and Walkerville, is home to a variety of Middle Eastern businesses - I occasionally find pita bread in Toronto produced in this neighbourhood.
From roughly Drouillard Rd eastward to Lauzon Rd, Riverside Dr was blanketed with "
Save Our Drive" signs such as this one. The group behind the campaign is opposed to the
Riverside Drive Vista plan by the city, which aims to resurface the road and sidewalks, add bike lanes and plant additional trees.
The trip wound down in St. Clair Beach, where I discovered this sign by the Lakewood Golf Club at Riverside and Manning.
Based on a 2005 Ontario Municipal Board report, it looks like there have been a few tussles over its fate, including a proposed residential development. Wonder what would happen if you tried to drive a hovercraft across the grounds?
Comments