You're a Vernonite if you can remember . . .

[james-d]

Regarding the old Lake side Hotel and the Golden Spike nite club. It was owned By Joe Keenan, after the Lake side hotel fire fire he owned the Allison hotel he sold it . After Joe had moved and I think moved to Dawson Creek where he opened a pancake house. The new Allison hotel owner burned the allison for insurance money, But got caught the nite he set the fire. He had dropped his keys where the fire started, went home and the cops arrested him trying to break into his own house, His wife thought it was a burglar.

[hugh blake]

trying to find photos paddington station fish and chips,i was with my uncle early 70s when he saw a for lease sign,next day were walking around inside train station,didnt take long to open a restaurant back then

[OldIslander]

Bob57, I sure do remember 27th Street as much narrower, with gravel sides. And the huge cottonwood trees in front of Beiristo School. All that white wool blew around every Spring. Long gone now. Val Andretta worked with us at the glass plant, and he had been one of the city workers who shovelled the sand off those slow-moving sand trucks. He said it was a very, very cold job.

I can remember Mr. Beiristo -- he was still principal when I went there in late 50's for grades 5 and 6. I think before they renamed the school for him in the early 60's, it was just called the Vernon Elementary School?

[OldIslander]

I'm on Vancouver Island now, but was raised in Vernon from mid-50's to mid-60's. When I visit the area, here are some things I remember vividly as a kid:

- Tours of McCulloch's Aerated Waters
- A circus that came to town every year and set up in an empty lot beside MacKay's Drug Store on 30th Ave near 30th St.
- An abandoned graveyard just off (then) Old Kamloops Road at 35th Ave & 38th St. It was right out of a Stephen King novel with the grave stones all knocked over and overgrown with bushes. The city's first residents were buried there.
- The MacIntosh Girl's Pipe Band
- The city's garbage dump was located at the top of Old Kamloops Road, on the hillside just west of Alexis Park Dr and 43rd Ave -- we spent hours playing there as kids... ;-)
- And most fondly, the kid's fishing derby every year in the OgoPogo pool in Polson Park.

Anyone else remember these?

[OldIslander]

I remember that show, it was called welcome traveller and was originally hosted by Don Warner of CJIB.

I remember Don Warner -- he was very popular. Radio was all we had until '57 or '58, when TV reception finally arrived, and our family got its first television.

One April Fool's morning (probably late 50's?), Warner announced on air that the body of Ogo Pogo had just washed up on a beach, somewhere at the north end of Okanagan Lake. There was an exodus of cars from town headed out there to try and find it...!

[southy]

Don Warner, now there's a blast from the past. Don was a really really nice guy. Great sense of humour. Had the opportunity to tip a few pints with Don .. what a character. Seems to me he used to play the organ to ..not sure if he played in a band or not.

[superbee]

-OldIslander, I remember those, and also when they had go-cart derbys down Mission Hill, traffic was diverted from Mission Hill while the derby was on. Don Warner did the play by play at the Vernon hockey games, broadcasting from his corner spot above the ice, 'Don Warner at His Organ', as he played the organ along with his play by play. He was really something. The Carnival Parade went straight down Barnard back then, ending in the Safeway, Eaton's area. Harold's Star was magnificent above the intersection at the Bay corner. And the Cenotaph had a lovely arched gate on the east side, and a thick black chain fence that ran around the perimeter on black metal posts. Very dignified. May Day was also big, we'd walk from the schools to Polson Park's grandstand, and the May Queen and her attendants would arrive in a horse drawn carriage. All the kids then did maypole dancing in the centre area. Sad these nice things exist only in our memories now.

[CR250R40]

-OldIslander, I remember those, and also when they had go-cart derbys down Mission Hill, traffic was diverted from Mission Hill while the derby was on. Don Warner did the play by play at the Vernon hockey games, broadcasting from his corner spot above the ice, 'Don Warner at His Organ', as he played the organ along with his play by play. He was really something. The Carnival Parade went straight down Barnard back then, ending in the Safeway, Eaton's area. Harold's Star was magnificent above the intersection at the Bay corner. And the Cenotaph had a lovely arched gate on the east side, and a thick black chain fence that ran around the perimeter on black metal posts. Very dignified. May Day was also big, we'd walk from the schools to Polson Park's grandstand, and the May Queen and her attendants would arrive in a horse drawn carriage. All the kids then did maypole dancing in the centre area. Sad these nice things exist only in our memories now.

The annual Polson Park fishing derby for children still takes place.

I, too, recall the annual Soap Box (go-cart) Derby races down Mission Hill. For a few years the annual race moved to 39th Ave beside the Rec Centre/Becker Park. I participated one year in the event and it was a blast coming down the steep, s-twist Hill. The finish line was at the bridge beside the entrance to the curling club. I may be wrong, but I believe the Fraternal Order of Eagles put on the events.

Harold's Star looked incredible hanging in the center of downtown during Winter Carnival. It could be seen from many blocks away. There is a photo of it within this thread.

I also remember in the 1970s the Remembrance Day Parade went down Banard Avenue, starting at Safeway, parade participants turning left at Nolan's Drugs, passing Cenotaph Park. I believe the Remembrance Day parade became a "park service" only in the mid 1980s.

[superbee]

what happened to Harold's Star, and why is it not put up at Winter Carnival anymore?

[OldIslander]

" The Vernon News "
" The Vernon Canadians "
" The Vernon Girls Trumpet Band "
" The Lookout "
" Otter Bay "

I remember Otter Bay well, before it became Ellison Park. It used to be a scout and cub camp, which I attended for at least three years, back in the late 50's.

[OldIslander]

CR250R40 and superbee...

I had completely forgotten about the soapbox derbies until I saw your posts. I too recall them being on the main highway coming into town from the south -- down Mission Hill -- and they certainly were big deal. I was too young to go in them, but we bought a used one after the race one year, and used it on the sloped street outside our house. It's a miracle we didn't kill ourselves in it...

I recall going to the May Day celebration each year in Polson Park with the pole dancing (back when pole dancing was quite innocent ...) and the May Queen arriving. I think they had these celebrations in many towns back then. My mother was the May Queen in Penticton one year, back in the early '30's.

And I vaguely recall the Vernon city council deciding to 'start up' the winter carnival -- it started around 1960? I was in the parade around '63, and have photos of it snowing. That year it went along 30th from east to west, ending up in the Safeway parking lot.

There was also a skier’s torchlight parade that year, that started at the scout hall (is it still there?) and ended up in Polson Park. It entered the park next to the floral clock and ended up in front of the grandstand. I walked in that, too. The torches were some kind of fabric (probably burlap...) wrapped around the end of poles and dipped in kerosene (or some other flammable liquid) -- most sputtered and went out well before the parade was over. But it was pretty cool....! ;-)

[rockandroller]

Chronologically it should be The Bib and Tucker( now on the roxx), then HYs steakhouse (the village green) and then Mr Mikes(like you said).

There was once a Hy's at the Village Green?? Would that be in the same location as the 27th St grill is now?

[Quimber]

The Fruit Union, where you could get anything from galvanized pails to herring in a barrel (either iced or salted, don't remember which). Also when Fisher's Hardware had a "fish call", that when you blew it, would leave a mustache on your upper lip. Got one guy pretty irate when he discovered he'd been all around town sporting a mustache. Must have been graphite or some such substance :)

[CR250R40]

The topic "Welcome Traveler" has been mentioned in this forum before but I want to bring it up again hoping new readers will write their memories of the early-1980s radio program. Welcome Traveler aired on CJIB Radio during the hot summer months of July and August, hosted by a radio personality whose name I no longer remember but I do recall enjoying his personality and the program itself. I believe the main remote location for Welcome Traveler was Kalamalka Lake Lookout. Tourists stopping were interviewed. Always a very enlightening afternoon program.

My question: were there other locations for Welcome Traveler near water? I ask because I recall listening to a CJIB program daily in summer.... as the interviews or promotions aired live the background sounds were waves lapping on beaches and/or against boat hulls, motorboats idling along the water, people mingling, all these sounds the perfect cacophony of beach fun. I do recall a female DJ or radio personality was also with the show, too. I loved the aquatic sound of the program.

Anyone having memories of Welcome Traveler or other radio programs near water on CJIB please share them.

Much appreciated!

[southy]

I remember Welcome Traveller well. To my recollection the interviews were always done from the Kal Lake Lookout. Two of the more prominent announcers who handled the Welcome Traveller duties were: Ron Stanley and Don Weglo. They usually had one or two hostesses who helped out with the visitors and handed out small gifts from the show's sponsors.