Why a Reunion in Toronto, not Montreal?

Why Toronto, not Montreal?

The Stay Inn is among the hotels where we have set up special MCHS 2015 room bookings, with block rates available for the reunion attendees. Lynn (Hennebury) Legge found the Stay Inn online. Jaan Pill followed up by visiting the site and speaking with the manager. The hotel is close to Sherway Gardens and Cloverdale Mall, for those who like to shop. Jaan Pill photo

What follows is an edited version of our April 1, 2015 discussion in Kitchener, among members of the Event Committee, about the “Why Toronto?” topic. This is a question that everybody has an opinion about. It’s a great topic for discussion.

At our April 1, 2015 meeting, we had the following dialogue, which I’ve edited (and made minor additions to) for the purpose of featuring it at as a blog post.

On May 13, 2015, at our most recent organizing meeting in Kitchener, we recorded brief interviews about the “What do I get for $150?” question and the “Why Toronto?” question.

February 2015 view of the Humber River, next to Old Mill Toronto. On October 17, 2015 in the afternoon prior to the 6:00 o’clock opening of the MCHS 2015 Reunion, Scott Munro will lead a Nature Walk along the Humber River. Jaan Pill photo

I’ve recently completed a prior video project, about the effort to Save Bala Falls in Ontario’s Muskoka cottage country. On all my current video projects, I’m working with an video editor named Steve Toepell of Bohemian Passport. He will edit the upcoming two online videos about key topics of conversation related to the planning of the MCHS 2015 Reunion.

If the topic interests you, click here to see Save Bala Falls video >

Here’s the April 1, 2015 “Why Toronto?” dialogue:

Lynn (Hennebury) Legge: I’m still getting a lot of static about “Why is it Toronto, not Montreal?”

Jaan Pill: Have you got some good responses?

If you keep an eye out for them, you will still see some 1960s-era cars on the streets of Toronto, such as what appears, in the photo. to be a vintage Lincoln Continental from “days gone by.” Jaan Pill photo

Lynn: I responded with the fact that we took a general consensus of how many people were in the Toronto core, and the fact that a lot of people have moved out to Ontario.

So we decided to do it in Ontario. And being at the central core, people can travel in from different states, different provinces, and if you should desire, you could go back to Montreal and make a side trip out of it.

Gina (Davis) Cayer: And then if you look at the Malcolm Campbell website, after ’73, ’74, most of those people stayed. Right next to Malcolm Campbell High School, my girlfriend stayed. Her whole street was practically Jewish. It’s all Armenians and all Greeks now. And she’s still there.

In Long Branch, which is south of where the Stay Inn is located, ’50s dances are a cherished local pastime. Occasionally, we check out such events as part of our research for MCHS 2015. Jaan Pill photo

But if you look at the website, after ’73, ’74, most people stayed – because they were still in school, whereas our group of people, most of us had to leave because the jobs left, or the opportunities went elsewhere, because of the Parti Québécois coming into Quebec. That was the big reason why many people left.

Pepsi is a product that was popular in Montreal in the 1960s.  Jaan Pill photo

Scott Munro: One of the answers to is that this association of us over the past ten years, of small groups of us gathering in Toronto. Christine (Hamilton) Plumtree came in a few times, and Tim Hewlings was down, and Bill Hollingsworth.

Jaan: And Bob Carswell was there too.

Lynn: And the organizers are here. The people that decided to organize.

Jaan: Plus we’ve made a point of traveling to Kitchener regularly, because Lynn is a key player, in terms of ideas and everything else. And so if we were to have the meeting in Montreal it would be pretty hard to get Lynn involved.

In Toronto you can still find some vintage Slippery When Wet signs. Other versions of the sign feature a graphic representation of rain and snow in the space above the car. Earlier versions of this sign have two thin, squiggly lines under the wheels, which suggest the car is trailing strands of spaghetti. The more robust skid marks (above) constitute  a more recent approach, from what I can gather. The photo was taken east of the Spaghetti Junction, which is located to the west of Old Mill Toronto. You can read about the Spaghetti Junction, which embodies 1960s-era concepts of urban planning, at the Preserved Stories website. Jaan Pill

Gina: But the whole thing is that you folks decided to organize this. Did anybody else from Montreal jump up and say, “No, I want to organize it”?

Lynn: Well, see this was organized before I came on board. But as I said, my view is that it’s a centre core, and that’s what I would respond to some of the emails that I got asking, you know.

The choice was made because it’s the central core and people are coming in from different Provinces, different States, and they’re making it an event – and some of them are going back to Montreal during this, as well.

Jaan: We’ll have that on the website.

At our April 1, 2015 meeting we also discussed groups of people who are thinking of attending

If you travel southwest from the Stay Inn and cross the border into Mississauga near the Lake Ontario shoreline, you will arrive at the Arsenal Lands where small arms including Bren Guns were assembled and tested during the Second World War. Young women from across Canada worked here during the war. Image from Arsenal Lands west of Small Arms Building at Dixie Road and Lakeshore Road East. Jaan Pill photo

Jaan: That is very important. To encourage them.

Lynn: And giving them that option to stay at a different place, that isn’t too pricey.

So I have another email that I formulated that I will send [to a particular contact], so she could get the whole family involved; it could be a Saraguay reunion the night before.

Jaan: Absolutely. And also if there are relatives, like sons, daughters, whatever, they can also attend.

Toronto features Red Light Cameras at selected intersections. Watch your step. Jaan Pill photo

Gina: I have about 15 who want to come but what they want to know is, “Who’s coming?”

It’s important. And especially when people pay, to put the years that the attended, because just having a name may not be enough – may not ring a bell.

Lynn: And just getting the groups together. Like I haven’t been able to get the core person from the Boating Club yet.

Sherway Gardens, located within walking distance of the Stay Inn, retains some of its 1970s feel but is constantly being rebuilt in order to cater to the tastes of the high-end consumer. A recent project has involved the additional of massive amounts of space for additional parking. Another nearby shopping destination is Cloverdale Mall where, if you don’t happen to shave in the morning, nobody’s going to mind. The latter mall is a delightful place to visit as is Sherway Gardens. Jaan Pill photo

I keep looking on the Internet trying to find that core person. I left long before these friendships and marriages occurred. I left Montreal.

Who’s coming?

Gina: People want to know who’s coming.

Jaan: That’s critical.  We will make that a priority – to find ways to get that information out to people.

Click on the images to enlarge them, Click again to enlarge them further.

Update

Just to let you know, in case you like to visit new places, a Sept. 21, 2015 Toronto Star article is entitled:

Expanded Sherway Gardens opens doors Tuesday: A $550 million expansion includes 50 new stores, more parking and a new food court that can seat more than 1,000

[End of update]