NoLemonsVille
From reader EE on his weekends in Richmond and, occasionally, forays into greater Lotusland as a kid (in response to a post that featured balsa wood glider fun from my own childhood across the Salish sea)...
While I agree that we didn't need remote controlled cars back in days of yore, I do know that my brothers and I would have gone berserk with a camera-equipped drone, especially on camping trips.
From reader EE on his weekends in Richmond and, occasionally, forays into greater Lotusland as a kid (in response to a post that featured balsa wood glider fun from my own childhood across the Salish sea)...
The wee balsa gliders were 5 cents, the larger ones 10 cents and with a rubber band 25 cents, from the gas station/store on number 5 road in Richmond.
The big treat was a Saturday morning shopping on Fraser St. and bread from the Wonder Bakery (with a free cookie) and lunch in the car at White Spot on South West marine, now gone.
Every three months or so, the family would venture downtown to Woodwards (the best toy department in Vancouver) and the Bay, which meant a lil suit and tie and my hair Brilcreamed back. The elevators all had young blonde teen operators and announce each floor as they manipulated the operating handles, like they were driving a train.
On the way home we would top at my Grandparents for Saturday Roast Beef, finally ending up at my uncles where i got to play with their real Lionel train. My parents could only afford a much cheaper used MARX train for me, but it didn't matter as it chugged on a little oval of track, but for me we were crossing vast mountains and small stations.
Who needed remote cars?
While I agree that we didn't need remote controlled cars back in days of yore, I do know that my brothers and I would have gone berserk with a camera-equipped drone, especially on camping trips.
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Image at the top of the post is from the really, really excellent 'Richmond Archives Blog'.
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5 comments:
Woodwards. Don’t forget to mention their fresh donuts. My mouth is watering at just the thought. Especially Oakridge’s
NVG--
Absolutely, especially the glazed ones...Mine came from the then newly minted Mayfair store in Victoria.
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I wasn't going to mention the g l a z e d .........
Where I spent my early years in Richmond, the area around our house was know as DP land because so many "displaced persons" had come to settle in Canada and the 2 1/2 acre farmettes along #5 was a natural for many.
Strange that, we got along, well almost as the "mad" Russian next door hated everyone and their house was classic Eastern European, the family lived upstairs and the cow and chickens resided down stairs. Everyone just ignored him.
Blueberries were the berry of choice on the peat and across the street were the Dykes, from Oklahoma, who escaped to Canada because Mrs Dyck was Cherokee and when they married, it was illegal to marry a first nations lady in Oklahoma. No one on #5 cared and she did make the best Bluuu-Berrry pie in Richmond, if not BC!
It was time of Polio and I remember the children with leg braces or worse coming to our school, we all helped the best way we could and no one called anyone names.
Across the street was a German couple who lost their children escaping the Gestapo and then the Russian. They were very nice to the children.
In Grade 2, September 1962, when the first Indian refugees came to Canada, a short little lady, grey hair in a bun, sharp tweed suit, spectacles and brown shoes came to class to explain to all the about our new friends and if anyone in the class said anything bad or naughty, she would personally deal with the miscreant, as she slammed the pointer on the desk. Message sent and received.
Nobody did say anything and I have midnight sweats still remembering that fireball and yes, also those movies about the iron lung and polio. No anti vaxers back then.
Yesterday was a different country, we did things differently then.
This is all so amazing! Thank you, checked out the Richmond archives Blog also. We moved to Richmond from Vancouver on Halloween day, 1953 or 1954. Some of the pictures I remember those places, especially the old City Hall, not the one built later, but the original one with its wood floors. It looked great in the pictures. The new one, which had the RCMP detachment sort of behind it to the side, so you could count the RCMP vehicles while you drove by on Granville. If they were all there, speeding or drinking under age was O.K.
Woodwards downtown, was every other Friday night until they built Woodwards at Oakridge and all I remember was the ice cream cones. Ah and the candy counter at Woodwards Oakridge. The Christmas windows at Woodwards downtown were just what a kids dreams were made of.
The old church which is now Minoru chapel, was a church we attended at its original site, when the Presbyterians rented until they built their church on No. 2 Rd.
The old race track was a great place. You'd see all the men getting off the bus to go to the track, when you were a kid.
Brighouse, the land where the Richmond Center Mall is today, was still just land and a very old house stood on it and no one lived in anymore.
The gliders Evil Eye mentions, I loved them. they were amazing.
I'll have to go check out the archives of Richmond. some of the names in the articles, made me laugh. Mom had opions on some of those people, very clear opinions. Thank you so much and to the person who does the Richmond Archives blog. It was like going down memory lane. All the buildings which are mentioned I watched go up.
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