Castanet

Thank you, CR and Fritz, for the lovely photos of the Rec Centre and the old skating rink behind. And the info on the old reservoir on Black Rock. I had no idea the water reservoir on the top of 39th Avenue is named McMechan. I wonder whom it was named for? Both my sons had a nice math teacher up here who was raised in Vernon, one house behind the old wooden house on the corner of 39th Avenue and 32 Street--the highway. I wonder if it was someone in his family? Thank you for that interesting information.

Zookeeper, I wonder if your older friend is thinking of the big orchard that apparently was along the upper part of 39th Avenue, north of Black Rock? I was in Vernon last week, and stopped at a 39th Avenue garage sale just below the reservoir. The older couple said they remember when the land their home is on was an orchard long ago. Friends who lived in the 100 Homes say they remember a big orchard up along 39th Avenue. I can't remember the old apple farmer's name. I think one of the Mori family may have had an orchard along the road beside the reservoir in more recent times.

Years ago I heard there was a Chinese man who had a big lovely garden long ago on the ridge above East Vernon Road, near Dixon Dam Road. Near where the Arabian Horse Farm was in the 1960's. Mutual friends took the old fellow back there in the 1960's and he remembered when the huge BX ranch hayfield had a huge pond on it. That is long gone, and there are only small swamps in backyards around the huge fields edges. Your friend's memories of around Black Rock will be very interesting.

I wonder if anyone has photos of Vernon and surrounding areas taken from the top of Black Rock?

Hey, who remembers where the best milkshakes/most varieties in Vernon used to come from? (Repeat maybe but with summer here and all.....)

Just realised my best/favourite memories of Vernon involve food.

Fritzthecat wrote:Hey, who remembers where the best milkshakes/most varieties in Vernon used to come from? (Repeat maybe but with summer here and all.....)

Just realised my best/favourite memories of Vernon involve food.

I would say Greasy Grace's.

Best Shakes--Grace's

50 Flavours of Shakes--Tastee Freez

Best Fries (& Gravy)--Boogies (Northend)

superbee wrote:Best Shakes--Grace's

50 Flavours of Shakes--Tastee Freez

Best Fries (& Gravy)--Boogies (Northend)

I thought Del's Drive In had more flavours?

This was the late '60's. Grace's (The Dip) had thicker shakes, and I only had 3 flavours from there--vanilla, choc, and strawberry, at the walk-up window. I don't if they ever had other flavours. I really liked their shakes, they had a real good taste and were so thick you almost had to use a spoon. Wasn't Grace's called Del's later?

Tastee Freez had 50 bottles of flavours, and they would mix in whatever you wanted in your shake, and we came up with some wild mixtures but it was fun. They would also flavour pop too, add cherry flavouring, vanilla, whatever you wanted. Tastee Freez was right across from Fulton High School, so we went there alot.

There wasn't a pizza place in Vernon then, there was one on Bernard in Kelowna. I think Athens beside the show was the first pizza place. We ate alot of fries, and the ones at the Northend (Boogies) in the brown paper bag were great, and their gravy wonderful. The burgers at the Skyway Drive In were really good, Mrs. Hackman there was a burger maestro.

DQ had a great strawberry shake before and after they moved across the street.

A&W drive in , root beer shake , teen burger , rings and a tray on the window

What was the burger place right beside Econo-Gas or in the area. They made the most incredible, delicious pizza burger I have ever had. It was a franchise, I think, just can't remember the name.

southy wrote:What was the burger place right beside Econo-Gas or in the area. They made the most incredible, delicious pizza burger I have ever had. It was a franchise, I think, just can't remember the name.

Burger Baron? That would've been in the 90's.

southy wrote:What was the burger place right beside Econo-Gas or in the area. They made the most incredible, delicious pizza burger I have ever had. It was a franchise, I think, just can't remember the name.

Fritzthecat wrote:Burger Baron? That would've been in the 90's.

“Burger Baron” replaced the former “Northend Drive-in” [aka Boogie Burgers] on 43rd avenue around 1979. Then in 1981, Burger Baron’s owner Rene parted from the Burger Baron franchise and renamed his business “Rene’s The Burger Palace.” Rene’s new venture only lasted a few years.

I worked at Valley Fruit Stand for two years: 1980 – 1981. VFS made fresh fruit-flavoured milkshakes on site. Many varieties of shakes. Very tasty.

If my former Valley Fruit Stand colleague “Jackie” [petite girl then, drove an orange VW Bug] reads this, I think of you often. You made "summer of 1981" at VFS a joy.

I remember Burger baron at the north end across from the Shell Station.
For a short period in the 90's, right after DQ moved north to its current location (formerly Pizza patio, then Mr. Mikes then DQ) Burger baron put a store in the old DQ for a very short time. This would've been 1994 maybe? It didn't last long. After BB moved it it became a hobby shop and now Bell Mobility.

I could sure go for some Boogie's fries and gravy right about now!!! LOL!

What Vernon Chinese place these days has the best food, preferably a buffet (smorg)?

southy wrote:What was the burger place right beside Econo-Gas or in the area. They made the most incredible, delicious pizza burger I have ever had. It was a franchise, I think, just can't remember the name.

QQ was in the 3600 block and Econo was in the 3700 block on 97

Reading about burgers and shakes and stuff, I remember we didn't eat out a whole heck of a lot.

My friend found the old homestead, still there. She said it had an addition and was painted the ugliest green she had ever seen. The irrigation pipe she had to jump over to get to the house from the car park was no longer there. She saw the parking lot, formerly the Coldstream Hotel. For her, she didn't really find Vernon very attractive. The friend she was with wasn't really interested in looking around too much. I am still confused as to which reservoir she lived near, and she doesn't know of VSS (anyone know when that was originally built?), so I told her we will make a point of going up together. A picnic lunch at Polson Park will top the list and we will drive around and show and share (what we can still find lol).

zookeeper wrote:Reading about burgers and shakes and stuff, I remember we didn't eat out a whole heck of a lot.

My friend found the old homestead, still there. She said it had an addition and was painted the ugliest green she had ever seen. The irrigation pipe she had to jump over to get to the house from the car park was no longer there. She saw the parking lot, formerly the Coldstream Hotel. For her, she didn't really find Vernon very attractive. The friend she was with wasn't really interested in looking around too much. I am still confused as to which reservoir she lived near, and she doesn't know of VSS (anyone know when that was originally built?), so I told her we will make a point of going up together. A picnic lunch at Polson Park will top the list and we will drive around and show and share (what we can still find lol).

1967-ish.