Pointe-Claire's MOST Endangered Story

I'm Jason Bolanis. Film maker. Husband. Father of 5.
Facebook.com/endangeredstories

[@dJs18eREEcBPGO3HWH8p]

Jason, this is by far your BEST documentary ever. Well done. Your attention to detail and your kindness for iconic and not so iconic remnants of by-gone years in Pointe Claire all shine. And you've served it up with a sensitivity that will touch a lot of hearts. Thank you.

[@libbymonaco9335]

Great story about a favorite place for many us. Thanks for bring these warm memories back.

[@EndangeredStories]

Thanks for being a part of it!

[@libbymonaco9335]

@@EndangeredStories Jason, watched last night, - the interview! Loved his comments about the dances in the village. We had so much fun back in those days.

[@TheVinylLoungeMtl]

Bravo, another very interesting “Endangered Story” loved it 🍦

[@mb-jm1bt]

Great job Jason, can you do a story about Scoopy's in Valois. When my family moved to Canada in 1975, we lived in DDO and I remember going to Scoopy's for ice cream. thanks

[@EndangeredStories]

I’ve started working on it :)

[@LindaKennedy-w1b]

I worked at the Valois milk bar as a kid.

[@lorispicer2498]

Thanks so much for this episode. It was really interesting; probably my favorite so far. It was a great era and I love seeing those old advertisements!

[@user-br9fx5nl8m]

Hi Jason, A very interesting story, however, there was another outlet for ice cream on the 2 and 20 around the same era. Having lived all my life in Beaconsfield, if my memory serves me well, there was also Dairy Queen between Sources Road and St. Johns (westbound) at what is now the parking lot for the train station just east of St. Johns road. I believe it was giving The Milk Bar a run for its money and may have played a role in its demise as the overpass was being planned (that is why perhaps the advertising slowed down, it could not compete). If memory serves (this is now nearly 60 years ago) the DQ was transported by a 'house mover' to its current location in Pincourt (in front of what is now Smoke Meat Pete's) in either 1967 or ‘68, you’d have to verify. I remember watching it happen, and the Lakeshore news (and other news agencies of the day) should have an article on it in their archives. I remember ordering my favourite - Mr. Misty Grape - (with its then mysterious to me sign with zooming moving colours) after my parents would pull off on our way home to Beaconsfield. Access was easy, because the newly twinned highway 2 now had a median (before it was only 2 lanes) that you could cross over at what was the old remaining ‘pieces’ of avenues that were severed by the highway... at least 6 or 8 places to make a U turn between Woodland and Sources. Of course most avenues on the Lakeshore were cut in half by highway 2, any map will show you how the streets exist on the south and north sides of the highway. Homes still stand with their fronts facing the 20 and the rears (now the fronts) facing south. Mind you highway 2 at the time was not busy like it is today, none the less... Also there was an A&W with window tray service between Dorval avenue and Sources Road heading west on the 2 and 20. That was shut down in ‘72 I think. Also Mr. Donut and Mr. Muffler with the tall Mr. Muffler man standing 30 feet in the air. How can one forget that? Ha! So many such businesses are now gone, but my memories still exist. As for level crossings, yes they were dangerous, the worst being Saint-Charles if I recall (over pass built after Saint John’s). The Woodland intersection (finally had an overpass built in the 90's) had the reputation of having consumed more lives (horrible collisions with burning wreckage) than any other intersection in Quebec due to the unexpected stop light on a highway. Finally Morgan Road was also passed over and the carnage from these lights/crossing came to an end. Thanks

[@Jeff-ie4rk]

Yes I too remember thd DQ - there was also a white (stucco?) building near the there called the Place for Steaks.

[@thebookwormteacher]

Absolutely impeccable. Super well done, Jason. Thank you for teaching me more about the West Island: my hometown. I appreciate you so much!!

[@Breadking100]

i hope they never build an overpass where Wild Willy's is

[@EndangeredStories]

Haha!!

[@cynthiahoman9017]

Well done. Thank you.

[@EndangeredStories]

Thanks for watching. Even though, for you, it’s a re-run.

[@ianbenwell598]

Loving this! I walked down to the "shops" at lunch from JRHS in the early 80s for fries at Topaze and Pac-Man at Jay's (I think that's what it was called). Great to hear more & more about what happened before my generation.

[@EndangeredStories]

Thanks, man. I was at Rennie in the early 90s. We had similar experiences. Tapas Fries & dogs at BJ’s. But in my day the arcade game was Mortal Combat. Haha.

[@ianbenwell598]

Yes... it was BJs. Thanks for the reminder!@@EndangeredStories

[@susanweaver6881]

Thank you.

[@m.benton2666]

Excellent video!

[@EndangeredStories]

Cheers.

[@abrahamdozer6273]

Those aren't just regular train tracks. They are the main lines (Montreal / Vancouver direct) of both the Canadian Pacific and Canadian National railways. Back in the 50s and 60s when rail was still king, before trucking took over they were VERY BUSY lines ... the busiest in the country. I remember them as being dangerous and deadly.

[@stephanerobert3946]

Someone might have this « MILK BAR » sign in his garage collecting dust and wondering where it is from.

[@EndangeredStories]

You’re gonna make me loose sleep now. Haha

[@OriginalDegree]

I honestly expected this to end with you saying he opened wild Willy’s

[@EndangeredStories]

Hahahaha

[@moustafachoucair506]

woooo

[@Jeff-ie4rk]

I remember it well. We moved to Courtland Park (Dorval) in 1955 and it was a special family treat on summer weekends to drive to the Milk Bar for ice cream. Also remember a Dairy Queen and The Place for Steak along the north side of the 2&20 close to St Jean's Road.

[@EndangeredStories]

No kidding. Would love a chance to capture any memories you have

[@Jeff-ie4rk]

@@EndangeredStories Foggy as they may be - how do we do that?

[@EndangeredStories]

@@Jeff-ie4rk Send me an email. [e-mail]

[@TedBrennan-m4z]

As usual, Ken Burns, er, I mean, Jason, you have produced an exceptional documentary about part of my upbringing in Pointe Claire. With all due respect, and in regard to the black and white picture of the students crossing the train tracks in a southward direction, in my opinion they are not heading to The Milk Bar, otherwise they would have have crossed over to the west side of St. John's Road toward the Milk Bar. Rather, I think they are simply returning home after class south down St. John's Road. Just me!! Lastly, I saw Don Elder interviewed but his name was omitted from the credits and, at the risk of being to picky! I believe there is a typo in former Mayor McMurchie's last name. Keep up the good work!

[@LindaKennedy-w1b]

Also there was a Valois Milk Bar on Donegani

[@EndangeredStories]

You’re right. Opened around ‘62. There was also a Milk Bar on Pine Beach.

[@BeverlyPitts-c6p]

The big decision was orange or banana ice cream. I remember going as a young girl with my family.

[@optative14]

Amazing! I grew up in Pointe Claire from the 70s to 90s and had only heard vague rumours about the Milk Bar! Thanks for shedding so much light on this establishment and era!

[@SeeMeNoMore1995]

Editing is on point.

[@EndangeredStories]

I don’t have to tell you how much of a compliment that is.

[@OriginalDegree]

A story about the manoir or Fairview would be epic

[@EndangeredStories]

Next year is Fairview’s 60th anniversary. I’m trying to get them to work on a project with me. Until then, check out this story about Fairview - kzbin.info/www/bejne/sJvJYpyfa5KDatUsi=HuRWmXywPU97616Z

[@cathyschuetze]

Pistachio was my favourite :)

[@abrahamdozer6273]

REAL chocolate malted milk shakes .... People don't know what those are, anymore. They think that "Malted Milk Shake" is a meme from a movie.

[@voxer99]

Does the Twisty Cream on Gouin still exist? They had chocolate malteds.