A Brief History Of The Legendary Maples Inn in Pointe Claire, Quebec

[@pierrecharbonneau463]

What a nice tribute and nice memories. I'm 85 years old and I remember, in 1951, when all of us 7 children celebrated our parents 25th wedding anniversary with a nice dinner at the Maples Inn.

[@ThatDarnRobbo1]

J'adore ces histoires historiques local!

[@Carlcarolos]

The first bar I was ever tossed out of. I was drunk, climbed on the stage, tapping the guitar player on the shoulder and saying "more wah wah!'. Out the backdoor I went. 15 at the time. Greatest bar and best people. Great video.

[@peggychurchill8689]

Wonderful story and so much heritage. I could walk to the The Mapes! Enjoyed it thoroughly!

[@garthstiebel1914]

The Caboose, where I had my first beer, after bicycling from Dollard, Carling Black Label in quarts, right up to my last days there, hanging around the front porch with my little green bags, performing a public service. The bands, the girls, the memories. We took it all for granted. What a time to be young.

[@seanrdonnelly3802]

I drank and played at the Mapes many times. A very big part of my youth and music career. Was very sad when it burned!

[@richardlavoie1708]

I grew up in Pointe Claire, i was pretty young when i started going to the Mapes, in 1974 my friend Danny Bruno and i would ride up on our mopeds to buy hash, we were 14 years old lol, no helmets and no care in the world,10 bucks a gram was the going price, as i grew of age the Mapes was our go to place for fun, and the pizza so good, so may hours and good drunks in the Mapes , the fun years like so many remember, when i heard of the burning i could hardly believe it, such a sad end for such a incredible historical passage for so many, the Mapes was gone , but the memories live like leaving after last call, pissed like a lord, getting into a frozen car with your buds and driving out of there with snow covered roads ,fish tailing along having fun smoking the last of our hash, god damn i miss those days. Richard Lavoie

[@johnsimla1991]

Hi Richard,I remember Danny Bruno from Lindsay Place.If my memory serves me well,I think he later died tragically in the parking lot of the mirabel racket club 1985ish.Cheers.

[@markdranfield4029]

Well done, I played there back in 81 with my band Crosstown during a Tuesday night talent show. We lost in the finals. I have a lot of great memory's from my time spent at the Mapes.

[@donaldstevens9324]

Mark you probably don't remember me but I hung out on Dalhousie with Perela an Mackay. I even remember your pointer, Heidi!

[@markdranfield4029]

@@donaldstevens9324 of course I remember you. Didn't you move out east in the 70's? I use to talk to your Dad at school during my spare time all through grade 5 & 6. I now live on Vancouver Island. How is your Dad and sister?

[@wiz601]

Saw Pat Metheny there. It was like a warm up show prior to his performance in Montréal the following night. :)

[@gradhd4359]

I always wondered if that was a fact , confirmed ! thanks.

[@madmaxrumifan233]

WoW! what an amazing video! I grew up in Pine Beach, the western part of Dorval. I easily spent at least 10 years in the Caboose, as a very regular customer. Incredible memories....I'm pretty sure that's where I acquired my life long passion for music. Thank you for your efforts Robbo, truly appreciated. Max

[@ThatDarnRobbo1]

Thanks Max!

[@metdav011]

Thanks Robbo, brings back many memories of times gone by.

[@ThatDarnRobbo1]

We had so much fun there, too bad we didn't take pictures....

[@rodolphogeuterro8961]

Great little vid. We spent many a night at the Mapes growing up. Saw lots of fine bands and drank a lot of beer. Gave it all up by the time I turned 18. I'm surprised no one has mentioned when Neil Young decided to spent a couple of weeks at the Mapes living outside in his motorhome. I believe it was shortly before his 'punk' album. Or was this just a dream...

[@davestark4795]

Fantastic journey back. Thanks for putting this together.

[@alainmeunier5008]

Living in Verdun, I had never heard of the Maples Inn till some work buddies took me there after work (airport). I thought I had died and gone to evening heaven. It reminded me of those places you see in movies or TV that everybody gathered in as if it was their 2nd home. My only regret is discovering it so close to it's demise, so even if I only went there occasionally in the year prior to it's conclusion, I still ended up missing it greatly as it was the place I had wished I had know since high school.

[@abrahamdozer6273]

Loved the Mapes. I was just out of the Armed Forces in the later 1970s and it was a good place to re-adjust attitude. I knew all those guys in Aeon (they were mostly from the Rabble and the Haunted). I remember telling a joke to the effect of "Someday the cockroaches are going to burn this place down for a change of scenery" and little did I know that I was predicting her outcome. RIP the memory of the Maples Inn ... Gawd the music was good!

[@ThatDarnRobbo1]

Thanks to all of you who posted positive comments. It's easy to make a video of something as iconic and unique as The Mapes. The real thanks for this video is for all of the people who posted the great pictures and information on the Facebook Maples Inn Crowd page.

[@truckerjgd56]

Hey Robbo. JD here from La Kachette. A few stories... First my Parents met at the Mapes... beach club days. We were in there the night before it burned. Newman had me haul the sound system to a garage in the village. And we were burning furniture in the Pub to stay warm... The sounds of Frozen Radiators falling off the walls upstairs. Awesome Video my Friend. Jeff.

[@ThatDarnRobbo1]

Hi Jeff! Great stories!

[@Johnnybouy56]

It was a great place to hang out listen to some live music.

[@paulwajda3497]

Lived a few streets west of the grand old Mapes and went there at least once a week in the late 70's early 80's...great people, great music, great and loved the beer and pizza. Had my usual seat at end of bar. My brother and our friends had great times there. Thanks for the video which brought back great memories....still looking for a club/bar that has that old charm and great music.... still looking in my 60's.

[@ThatDarnRobbo1]

I suspect that you'll never find another place quite like The Mapes!

[@debbieredikerwhitt]

l used to live down the street from there. I would catch the bus to John Renee High close to the hotel, 1970. I loved watching this video it just about made me cry. Dec. 23rd, 1970 my dad moved us to Los Angeles California. I've always regretted us moving and leaving Montreal

[@richardlavoie4012]

debbie we were lucky to have had it while we were young. the video took me back too. i loved it

[@MichaelLeBlanc-p4f]

Stop it ! You are bringing back too many old ghosts I once knew well. Dated sweet young Marilyn, the young lady the bar was named after by her father . . . Hurts to think about old happy careless days now so long gone . . .

[@Buttertubsmarsh]

I love this! Thank you. ♥ I looked like this when I enjoyed the Mapes culture. I was 15 when I ordered my first beer here in the Caboose. Celebrated my 18th birthday with friends too. Every Friday and Sat night for 5 glorious years.~Robin McNichol

[@abrahamdozer6273]

I remember Robin McNichol from school. The West Island was a small town.

[@erikt454]

Too bad I was too young... thanks for this video. I asked my mom about it, my parents went, but weren't regulars. I came back here after reading some FB comments about Dutch Mason playing here, and my dad was a fan. EDIT-> Awesome! The autographed Rabble l.p.!

[@MikeyTero]

I was born 5 years after the fire but growing up there was a picture of the maples hanging in near the entrance to our house for years. Great history.

[@warrenthomas9068]

Actually this is a very well put together video, historical, informative, well balanced. Thank you.

[@michaelmurphy1204]

Had my first beer in a bar, in the caboose, at 15 years old :)

[@balancedude63]

Awesome video! So many memories, that's my stubby at 6:00 and at 6:42 that's Dave Doyle (I took the pic). I remember being 12 and Boze worked at the chalet at Alexander Park, saw him creating those drawings.

[@ThatDarnRobbo1]

Great history Robert, thanks for the comment!

[@alext870]

Delivered the Gazette there in the early 80s when I was about 12 to 15. Always looked forward to the bartender opening the register and giving me 2 bucks and telling me to keep the change. (70 cents! That was a huge tip back then!).

[@lewdite]

My parents met at the Maples Inn in the early 1930s. My father was playing in a band.

[@rurocking]

Nice tribute for a great place. Had a lot of fun there in the 70s.

[@nightfrightshow]

Thx for putting this together nice trip down memory lane. If in touch with Mike St. Denis please pass on my best wishes.. We did the lights and sound for many bands that passed through the Mapes. A young , very young (24) Pat Metheny, Segarinni (Mike's new band), Twilight (Mike's old band), best friends of mine Wyant.

[@FreetoGrowBand]

As a teenager going there in the early 70’s I remember being amazed by the quantities of hash and weed

[@MichaelLeBlanc-p4f]

Maples ! A significant spot in my Youth. I'm the young 'clean-cut' fellow at 01:22 standing in front of the window. Crazy wild wild wild then. Now a tame 75 yr old smileing at the places I've been and the many old ghosts I once knew who haunt me as I type this message.

[@rkgrant]

What a great history. Thanks.

[@Roadghost88]

The Lakeshore night club scene is gone now. The Pioneer and Edgewater are both gone too. That was an entire boomer youth scene you can never, ever go back to. I do remember, having a tough time avoiding those Lakeshore Dr. telephone poles after two-for-one night at the Mapes though. Some nights I didn't remember anything at all.

[@davebrown5073]

Wow nice job WNR productions.... at 12:48 my buddies The Angry Young Ducks a.k. originally as Mango but due to some contractual rubbish with another local band changed their name to AYD. They were regulars at the Mapes when not touring in the outer reaches of the province and up Ottawa way for Univ of Ottawa, Carleton and the like. Even did some charity gigs for JAC in Ste Anne de Bellevue....ah the memories. With the sound and light mastery of RyDez (Rick Wright and Peter Desjardins) they would jack up the Mapes dance floors with writhing bodies doing covers and originals. In the photo standing left to right: Ascher Fischer drums; Steve Poirier bass, vocals; John Stafford sax and percussion,vocals; Rick Rice guitarist extraordinaire, vocals; seated left: Terry Legault, lead vocals, percussion, flute; Rod McManus, keyboards, percussion vocals.So many great summer nights from 75 to 77 all around the city and at the Mapes. Great job WNR. Note that Steve, John, Rod and Rick were Chateauguay/Khanawake musicians and much like The Rabble and The Haunted were.Lovely memories. DB

[@ThatDarnRobbo1]

Thanks for the the info and comment. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@stevers17]

Actually, we changed the name because record companies didn't think the name was indicative of our music. Then it became a choice of the Angry Young Ducks or Moose Droppings ( I preferred the latter!)

[@stevers17]

Is this Dave Brown from Chateauguay ... or Santana? (SPoirier here)

[@drak1956]

I grew up here. I always believed that when I was too old for The Mapes, I should die. Alas, I outlasted the Mapes.

[@erictanty7227]

Really great video! I learned a lot about the neighbourhood where I grew up. Too bad I was just a tad too young to have gone to the Maples. Missed it by a couple of years...

[@monadegrace384]

Thanks for the memories. Well done!

[@colehara]

Hey Mona! How are you?

[@stevedonohoe9427]

Too many stories and I'm not even from Montreal. A sublime place with many memories, some hard to believe but all true.

[@dentes1185]

We had a great time there around 1980. Rock music and girls.

[@RentalCarHawaii]

started drinking there at 16 with fake ID, which was the norm then, around 1966-67. Did not notice any quarts of beer in vid which were 65 cents then. Was a great place, and lots of good memories. Ron Roddick

[@LadyLuckMusic]

Nice job, thanks.

[@jonathandumer1872]

The Maples Inn was larger than life!

[@richardlavoie4012]

i grew up with the maples in,from 1974 as a punk kid going to score some hash lol,then till 1979 when i left for bc,but i can say one thing is the mapes was the best and the jumbo slices of pizza were surreal .

[@drak1956]

In 1985, I was living in Ottawa. The Mapes burnt down and everyone knew it was not accidental. I'm fairly certain it was either neighbors or an insurance scam. My Bro-in-law salvaged a couple of chairs but I was too far away. This place was such an important part of my life. I'm 65 years old and it still hurts. It's one thing to bring down a building, it another to destroy a culture and a legacy.

[@scottperry8852]

I would go to the Mapes when I visited Pointe Claire to stay with friends.

[@donnacameron5741]

This is sooooo well done!! We are trying to save the Old Pointe-Claire Hotel ( the Pioneer) from demolition. It would help us to have a video exactly like this one for that building to post. Please message on Save Le Pionnier Facebook page ASAP thanks

[@ThatDarnRobbo1]

Too bad about the flood at the P.C. Hotel... it's fate is unclear. We don't need condos in the Village, that's for sure.

[@deborahlinton9635]

That’s my brother David on the left in the picture at time stamp 17.42! Wow! And yes we were there many times.

[@riponredtj]

Nice job Rob!

[@ThatDarnRobbo1]

Thanks Alex!

[@CM-tm7lw]

I hope it’s you! I saw a KZbin video about 15 years ago. I think it was called “The Godfather”. It showed The Place for Steak and K-mart. I would love to see it again. There is no documentation of The Place for steak anywhere.

[@ThatDarnRobbo1]

That video is "The Godfather part 3", it was posted by Stephen G. Taken down due to music copyrights. He told me that he will maybe re-work the soundtrack and re-post. I hope so, I want to see it again. Mafia hit in the Place For Steak parking lot etc... great stuff.

[@tommoyle2509]

i used to drink in the caboose when i was teenage punk

[@glennrandalsaunders4273]

I remember Eddy Losinger , hash dealer RIP Also Andy Mashonous who was a doorman RIP

[@ThatDarnRobbo1]

Mu buds and I used to call the first table on the left in the Caboose "The Eddy Losinger Memorial Booth". Eddy was such a nice, peaceful guy. His death was truly tragic.

[@m.benton2666]

Well told story!👍👍

[@jelau4851]

I was there the night it burned down, it was a pity to see thar loss.

[@foolishonboards]

Loved the vid, im part of that "new youth culture" the one from today tho :P Watched it 3 times now, someone knows what's that song playing from 3:40 ?

[@ThatDarnRobbo1]

That's "Golden Girl" by The Rabble actually recorded live at The Mapes in the early 70's.

[@ThatDarnRobbo1]

I see that some entity has inserted ads on this video. Not my doing. Must be from a copyright issue concerning some musical bits.

[@nodrog1953]

Yes, part of my therapy as an Ontario English guy........what a memory

[@kathyhobart3449]

What girl

[@kathyhobart3449]

Memories

[@kathyhobart3449]

Forever

[@kathyhobart3449]

Big City

[@massapower]

Do any Videos exist from the MAPLES ?

[@drak1956]

The Caboose had the best damn Jukebox in Canada.

[@drhnaturopath]

I heard so many stories about the place and when I finally had a good ID I went. I remember waiting in line to get in and a guy was tossed out of the place through a window and landed at my feet. A bit too racy for this, then underage, kid.

[@drak1956]

Hey, I'm in the credits as John P. My best friend back then also appears as John T. Could be two other guys. Who knows. It was a long time ago.

[@ThatDarnRobbo1]

Sorry, that John P is a different person. But all Mapes regulars are a big part of this story.....

[@canamwing6999]

Welcome to the new west island. "Where your dreams come to die".

[@jamesstephenpeyton3305]

Ahhh. The Mapes

[@terrydaytripper]

nice memories

[@lordbarham1]

I certainly remember Arthur and his weird high-pitched laugh, as well as those days when just walking through the doors was enough to get stoned as a huge cloud of pot smoke rolled outwards! And Madot in The Cabouse who used to give me free beer when I was down and out. RIP Madot. Instead of burning down a local institution, they should have just driven out all the bourgeois wankers living around the Mapes and turned the area into low rent housing for students, artists and boho loonies of every kind. These are the people who make a city interesting. The bourgeois only make it boring and dull.

[@maryannebindner8788]

U