Does anybody else remember the sour green apples that grew on a lot of trees in the back yards of the cottages on the avenues between bannantyne and champlain. It was a pass time of myself and a few friends to raid them at lunch hour from school.There was a few trees in the lane between Willibrord and Rielle behind Willibrord school in the AllyO laneway I'm sure that many of you remember that lane I think it was the only one in Verdun with a given name. It had a wild little hill that you could make your bike airborn if you went fast enough.Nearly got my butt kicked good a few times just for getting a apple,Verdun Style. Dannyb--
THANKS for stopping by, I do my best to acknowledge when someone leaves a comment,you do not have to be a member here & everyone is welcome. Ps: This site is monitored but not actively posting on a regular basis. Mostly these are stories & some photos saved from a defunct site known as Verdun Connections which was on MSN Groups initially then on a social network called Multiply.
31 comments:
Hey Dannyb I remember that laneway very well it had sort of a loading bay at the intersection of the lane that ran behind Rielle & Willibrord...........do you remember the concrete ramp directly behind the fire escapes of the old St Willibrord school..........by the way the lane directly behind my house when I lived on Verdun Av also had a name it was called Quinn Lane,it had a few little known homes with actual addresses on them..do you remember the lumber yard on Gordon?always fun to annoy the lumber yard dog by scurrying under the fence on Gordon and trying to climb up on the stacks of lumber to avoid being caught by the dog....then make it all the way over to the lane and head back home down the cross lane....did you know Paul Figueroa ? He lived on Rielle and his back door was across from the lumber yard?
Hi Les, Yes I know Paul, He hung around Pop's with us. We called him Pablo when he was older. The loading dock or ramp as you called it is the bump I refer to.I played in that lumber yard too.I think Tom and Peter Sawyer lived across from the lumber yard too, did you know them. Remember the store on verdun ave. between Rielle and Gordon that sold all kinds of candies to the schoolkids, they had mojoes jubjubes,cherry balls,black babies,greenleafs,honeymoons,black balls etc... And we could wash them down with a 2cent or 5cent Corona if you had the empties. Then we could all chip in and buy a pack of cigarettes for 25cents and finish the candies and corona with a sportsman. those were the days. Dannyb--
Your right Dannyb 'Sportsman plain' the store was called Pauls he would also sell us two smokes for a nickel...hahah it's lucky were not all dead with the ages we started our habits...do you rememnber there was lane that separated that store from a greek restaurant,who shared the storefront with a dry cleaners...............it was deep enough for us to play cards ...toppers, leaners etc etc.......That was a weird lane as it came directly off Verdun Av...right across from my house..........and headed towards Wellington, close to Pastor Johnston's house of thievery remember him.........hahaha I remember playing in the rubble of the old houses they tore down to build his church...across from the old chinese Laundry do you remember that....also the New Verdun Restaurant used to be right on the corner of Wellington & Gordon(before moving to the middle of the block between Galt & Gordon............Wow did we ever have alot of restaurants in Verdun..........
Quinn Lane was named after Pat Quinn Sr. who was an
alderman in Verdun & my brother-in-laws father (Pat Jr.) who lived on 6th
Ave. between Verdun & Banningtyne. His Mom & Dad lived on 5th Ave. just
below Banningtyne at the lane. Quinn Lane had Quinn's Catering in it & was
run by an Uncle as Quinn's Catering. The family also owned the gas station at
the corner of 1st Ave & Verdun which was originally McColl Frontenac which
laster became "Texaco". Brother-in-law owned & operated this station for a
number of years & sold out to his brother Francis who also owned "Shamrock
Cat\rtage". Pat Jr. later owned the grocery at the corner of 3rd & Verdun (
South/West Corner). Just a little more Verdun Trivia. remaining Quinn's now live
in Crawford Pk.
"Tony"
Forgot to mention in my earlier response about the
laneway behind Willibrord School, that a lot of good scraps took place there at
lunch breaks. The Brothers would even watch behind the shades at what was going
on & could tell who won or lost. Losers usually were left alone while
winners got challenged with homework, harder questions, etc.
Tony
your right about the scraps Tony cause I was in a couple........hahaha hey Dannyb do remember Walter Czerwinski from grade school? what ever happened to him?and do you remembere when all some of the kids would try to hyperventillate by holding there breath and then they would flop around on the ground like a fish out of water....for a few seconds you'd have wild dreams......how about St willibrord park for the playground (remember the milkman would give out free milk),but you had to get to the truck quick cause if you didn't you got the warm crap..hahaha
ONE OF THE BEST RESTAURANTS WAS ON THE CORNER OF FIFTH AND WELLINGTON,,WE KNEW IT AS TASEES
Hi dewline, That was a good restaurant, I remember the nickname now that you mentioned it havn't heard that in a long time. Prince of Wales has been gone for a long time along with a lot of others in verdun. Dannyb--
Hi Les, I remember Walter, I think the last time I seen him was about 25 years ago in the Point on Center street, his uncle had that cold meat store between Shear and Richmond that is called Waynes now.I think he also worked for Reggie Constant's Grandfather at the grocery store at atwater and verdun on the southwest corner along with Reggie and Richard Allair.Also that hyperventalating got very scary when we could not wake a friend and then he had siezeurs all day long after, I won't mention his name. And I am impressed that you remember the free milk at the park. Dannyb--
HI Dannyb I remember that exact event and the continuing seizures all day, everyone there probably stopped ever trying that stunt,after that episode........it wasn't to hard to remember the milk, cause from the sounds of it alot of us seemed to switch to other beverages none of which I can recall being free..hahahaha.and I don't think cows get to 'nervous' when they see a bunch of Verdunites at a gathering...unless of course their feed is mainly 'barley' in which CASE(pun intended) I can see great cause for alarm..hahaha
HEY- DANNYB O YES SPORTSMAN SMOKES, I THINK THEY HAD THEM PRIZE MONEY COUPONS INSIDE THEM PACKS???? I SMOKED THEM FOR SURE STARTED AT 12 YEARS OLD, DRANK BEER AT THE PALL MALL TAVERN AT 14 YEARS OLD. REMEMBER THEY USED TO CASH OUR PAY CHEQUES AT THE TAVERNS ON FRIDAYS, DRINK A FEW BEERS??? DRIVE HOME NO PROBLEM??? CAN'T DO THIS NOW FOR SURE, HEY YOU NEED ID JUST TO GET A PACK OF SMOKES TODAY, LES REMEMBER THOSE BIG FAT CIGS THEY HAD 5 CENTS EACH, I REMEMBER 2 FOR 5 CENTS.
Mark Tens also had coupons in the packs...could buy all sorts of merchandise with them
take care Debbie
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Mark Tens you had to save the front flap,they had a perforated line across the top,and I think they were all different values.as for sportsman, they had half a coupon in each pack and you would have to match it up with another half and you would win that prize..........As for the Forest fires in BC there is not much to say, it's quite simply 'Unbelieveable' I know a lot of people in Kelowna,Kamloops & Vernon , Penticton , Ok Falls, Keremeos .....there all in awe of walls of fire travelling fast....try to imagine looking at the skyline of Montreal, Place Ville Marie on fire ....now multiply that by thousands ..it's incredible.......the valleys and lakes for many miles around are filled with smoke............I have a few pictures that were sent to me from the front window of my buddy's business and the mountains are breathing huge plumes of smoke.....it's very difficult to even imagine th size of these fires..night skies are aglow with Fire .very weird,On last nights news they have claimed that this type of fire may happen once every 500 years...........
Hi Les, Remember the duty paid sticker across the packs of smokes and bottles of boose, some people would buy them if you got them off without damaging them. remember that? Also this is turning out to be one of the worst years in BC's history for forest fires, it is sad very sad to see that kind of disaster. Dannyb--
Hello All: I've been reading all the stories for the past few months and have enjoyed them all, even though some of it is before my time. Today's talk about restaurants in Verdun brought back memories of growing up on the corner of Wellington and Woodland. I have a dim recollection of riding a streetcar as a real small kid, remember the tracks in front of my house; at that time it was a bus terminus, and that infamous Pavilion was up on the waterfront. My mom of course always warned me to stay away from that nasty place, lol. But she would send me down to White's restaurant to pick up the Star and I was in awe of all the cool people who would congregate there, all the hot cars, etc. Remember there were so many late night accidents on that corner, we were woken up by the screech followed by the bang many many times. Although it is nowhere near the same scale, these terrible fires in BC make me think back to that huge fire at Gratton's furniture store, right in the next block...mother was packing up the valuables that night ! I never seem to have gotten the Verdun out of the girl, I still live here, I'm the butt of many jokes in my circle of school friends who have all moved on to other places...I'll probably die here I expect. I want to thank all you guys for bringing back fond memories....Sunday mornings always put a smile on my face !
Hi Judebug, I looked at your member profile and see we are the same age and went to VCHS maybe we know each other, There are a few other people that went to VCHS at the same time as us that are on connections also. My sister hung around with Carolann G. who lived near Stillwells on Wellington I gather you lived in the same area of Wellington. My parents told me to stay away from the Pav. too, it didn't stop me from checking it out. They always chased us away but we would go right back. Dannyb--
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Hi Les, Your right about Colleen. If your still on connections I'll be in the chat room for a while to speak. Dannyb--
Hi Les, The number had to end in 99 and ya it was a lot of fun. We met a few girls on there that lived in Verdun. Dannyb--
"There was a few trees in the lane between Willibrord and Rielle behind
Willibrord school in the AllyO laneway I'm sure that many of you
remember that lane I think it was the only one in Verdun with a given
name."
Ya Danny, I believe that lane was the route I used back and forth to
Bannantyne school, and the green apples never escaped my keen
observations. Also you may remember the purple grape vines in one yard.
These grapes were tasty and just a little sour, but the price was right.
Willibrord school had a great brick wall for bouncing off a tennis or
lacrosse ball, There was a perfect 2"cement ledge on the wall about
four feet up from the ground which we had to hit squarely to get a 'fly
ball'. We would jump the fence on the weekend to play this game, before
the brothers chased us off. We had to be very accurate with the
lacrosse balls, because they could easily get away from us. Great
hand/eye coordination practice.
Bill Cooper
Danny B and Les F Right you are, I was in grade 9 in 1968 and yes, I am in that book (although I hate to admit it...I take horrible pictures) To narrow down the field I was in the A class and my husband to be was in D, for the third year in a row I think.... that was the year that they had a pilot project in physics.... I remember I had to go over to the "boys' side" for that class with Brother Paul (now he was a treat for a teacher) You guys have me wondering now if I know you too, Les were you in the same grade as me? And no, I dont mind you being nosy, you can print whatever you like, I have no secrets these days.....
LesF: must be my day for sending messages, probably because i'm procrastinating about doing what i'm supposed to be doing.....the Savoy theatre.....Saturday morning movies for 50 cents, i remember them well, and for the same price (i think) you could go to the Vogue on centre st. in the afternoon and get 3 movies...boy those days are long gone (like the Savoy and the Vogue). I was talking to my dad this afternoon and he asked if I remembered the time that 2 guys had stolen a car and drove it, foot to the floor, straight down Woodland right up the path to the boardwalk, jumped out and let the car go down the stairs to the water....lucky they didnt hit anything on the way, but that was one of many entertaining events that we could witness from the comfort of our front balcony....The Muirs I did not know other than going in the store....but I did know the MacDonalds upstairs. Have a good week everyone
Hi Judebug, I guess we all liked those Saturday Movies. We all went to the same theaters. We had a great time at the Savoy could throw popcorn at all the girls and then try to keep a straight face so they thought someone else threw it. It was hard to sneek someone in the Savoy compared to the Vogue.When you opened the door at the front of the theater at the Savoy it lit up the whole plave and the ushers would come running. Sure was fun in those days at that age. Dannyb--
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Hi Les Yes, I was friends with Brenda and a bit younger than Doris. I knew a Marcy Bowker dont know if she was related to Debbie, they lived on Osborne I think. I went to dances at the rec, beside St. Thomas More church, but rarely to Dawson's....dont know why. I remember my mom used to get real upset about going down to the Vogue for movies, although she was okay about the Savoy, I think the Vogue put her in mind of the terrible theatre fire where so many people were trapped. (Mom tended to be very protective), but horror movies were always my favorite. Now where did you go to school, and would you be in that yearbook too? If I can ever remember where I stored the damn things, I'll have to check around and see if I can pick you 2 out.
Hi Judebug, You won't find my picture in the year books at VCHS, That was the last place that I wanted my picture. I hardly ever when there, always had trouble passing Costa's would stop for a drink and get too comfortable. Go to the Verdun Pool Hall for lunch and finish the day at Lui's Restaurant at Osbourne and Verdun. Go have supper and hang at the Monument at night.We always went to the dances at the Rec, Dawsons, and the Ymca on Lasalle Blvd. I was not allowed at VCHS dances Brother Philip bared me for not going to classes, and Barney ( Mr. David ) was always after me for something. God it was fun then. Never a quiet day. Dannyb--
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Hi Bear, I'm not sure what that school did for me I know what it did not do for me. It didn't make me rich it didn't make me poor It didn't make me smart it didn't make me dumb. It didn't make me fast it didn't make me slow. It left me alone to do it on my own. I'm doing it my way. Dannyb--
I remember going to the Vogue when I was a kid with my older cousin who
lived on Knox street. They used to give you a ticket when you went in and
they had raffles during intermission and after the movie. One time I won a
doll. I thought it was great.
>From: "Verdun Connections"
>Reply-To: "Verdun Connections"
>To: "Verdun Connections"
>Subject: Re: Green apples
>Date: Sun, 24 Aug 2003 23:37:36 -0700
>
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