Our Arnolds - The Riverside

Whether, Happy Days, American Graffiti or Back to the Future, the one place where all the characters came together and their adventures began was the restaurant or soda bar. The iconic 50s American culture was beamed to us through movies and television.

Growing up in Bronte during the late 50's and through to the end of the 1960s; the kids in Bronte,

particularly those on the west side of the "Creek", had such a hangout.

When I talk or post about the Riverside, most people think I am referring to the the bar overlooking the Oakville Creek on Forsythe Street. Others, because they lived elsewhere in Oakville or moved here post 1970 have no recollection. If you lived outside Bronte, parents would always caution their kids not to go to Bronte; all you will find are hoodlums and trouble makers. I alway thought a better term was reprobates.

Tucked into the South East Corner of Lakeshore and West River, the Bronte Riverside was little more than a white, square box building, with a gravel parking lot facing Hwy 2, the Kings Highway. At the rear of the restaurant were one room cottages for rent. There was always a cast of characters living in these structures, sometimes a teenager from one of the local families kicked out of their own home or striking out on their own.

It was also possible to use a rickety staircase down to the Creek to access a small wooden dock to fish, dock a boat and swim.

As you entered the restaurant there was a long, 50s style arborite counter with the aluminum edging running the lenght of the restaurant. It was elevated above the floor, by a step up that contained those classic chrome, restaurant swival, stools with the red leather pads. These stools provided the perfect perch to see who was coming into the restuarant, a view out the windows over looking the creek and most importantly, who was siting in a series of booths along the windows facing Lakeshore Road.

The end of the restaurant towards the Creek was stocked with chocolate bars, those silver bags of chips, penny candy, hockey and Beatles bubble gum cards. The other end towards West River street included the milkshake station, pop cooler and ice cream freezer. That section was finished off with a grill and access to the kitchen.

In front of the large windows overlooking the creek was one of the most important fixtures, the juke box. This was the 4 songs for a quarter model and it, along with the smells, and look created that same atmosphere you saw on Happy Days, with one exception. No, someone did not drop a quarter in and the kids spontaniously jumped up to do the latest dance.

Maybe that was us being researved Canadians.

For myself, that juke box established my taste in music. It was racked with the hits of the day, the Beatles, Dave Clark Five, the Beach Boys. But there was more, those one hit wonders. Bob Kuban, the Cheater, the Shangri Las, Leader of the Park, the Beau Brummels, the Buckinghams, the McCoys...the list goes on and on. Even to this day a song will come on Spotify and I will be transported back to that Juke Box.

Periodically, the other end of the restaurant included a pinball machine.

In away, the restaurant was generational. There were local adults, travellers, business people who would pull off Hwy. 2 for a meal.

There were older teens who adopted it as a meeting place or hang out at the end of the school day. For, those of us in elemetary school, it was a short bike ride from Westbrook on Mississauga to buy penny candy, hockey or Beatle Cards. The latter our "currency" to gamble away at recess or lunchtime games like closest to the wall or flips.

At best, back then we only had 4 or 5 channels of black and white tv. Fun was what you made outside. Out on your bike, backyard sleep outs, swimming in the Bronte Creek, scrub baseball or pick up hockey on the creek.

Bronte Creek was our swimming hole. In early June, we would start at the abutments (remnants from the old radial railway bridge at Rebecca Street). As the water warmed up, we would move to what was called the bend, then to the dock at the Riverside. Later in the summer, we would swim at the beach and boat lunch ramp or across from Lakeside Marketeria.

By August, the Lake had warmed and we would be swiming off the west pier and diving board.

In the winter, shinny started first at the Bronte Marsh. As the creek froze, we played in front of the Riverside. The bridge provided a great place do slap shots up against the concrete with wonderful echos of the puck hitting the stick.

We were always in search of better ice. We would move up the creek towards Metro Marine, always dangerously close to the edge at the bend out towards the pier. There were a few cold winters when we were able to play out in front of what is now the Shores the site of the old Lakeside Marketeria.

After a morning of play, we would make our way back to the Riverside to get warm. I can remember taking off our boots and gloves and placing them on the old radiator by the window over looking the creek.

Entering high school in 1965, kids west of the creek went to either Blakelock or Perdue. A year later some from that group split off and went to the newly opened White Oaks High School.

The Riverside, after school or the weekends was where we could meet after being separated by the different high schools. For the princely sum of $.50 you had enough money for a few hours or even an afternoon of hanging out. A plate of home cut fries, drenched in white vinegar and salt and an ice cold, tall bottle of Pepsi could be had for $.25. That would leave a quarter left over for the juke box.

With high school came dating. At the Riverside, the younger kids or those not dating were usually found on the swivel stools, with the couples gravitating towards the booths. At least one of the high school sweet heart couples are still together today.

Part of Bronte's reputation was always linked to supposed "motorcycle gangs". From my perspective it is part folklore with a bit factual. People forget, at one time the QEW did not exist and Hwy.2 or Lakeshore was the major east-west transportation route. My aunt regaled me with stories of traveling from Toronto along Hwy 2 to see the big bands at the Brant Inn in the late 30s and early 40s. Sometimes they would stay at the Pig and Whistle Motor Court at Burloak and Lakeshore.

In the late 50s there as a motorcycle gang in Toronto called the Black Diamond Riders. Their leader had the best gang name ever; Johnny Sombrero. There was also a gang out of Hamilton the Red Devils. I do have a memory of a story from my father about the two gangs meeting at Bronte Road and Lakeshore for a rumble. If true, that could be the genesis of the reputation.

At the corner of Lakeshore and Mississauga Street was a Shell gas station. In the mid 60s, it was purchased and changed into a company called Engine Sales and Service. This became one of the places to sell the first generation of Japanese motorcycles, in this case Suzuki. Almost over night local kids purchase the initial 50cc models. If my memory is not too foggy, I think you could also rent the bikes for a day.

As the years passed, Honda, Kawasaki bigger models emerged and some of the early riders moved on the BSAs, Triumphs and Harleys. There were a few kids from Bronte and Oakville that did end up in the gangs, but the vast majority who own bikes really grew out of what started at Engine Sales and Service. With the Riverside a 5 minute walk away, those with bikes, first cars or out with parents vehicles would end up at the Riverside.

The Riverside, in a sense was the gateway into Bronte, one that was defined by the old, concrete arched Bridge across the Creek. Growing up, I must have walked across the bridge 1000s of times; as did most kids living on the west side of Bronte. It was not till 1960-61 Westbrook PS was built on Mississauga Street, so we all spent our first years in school attending Centriller. To get to Allans Drug Store, Lakeside, barber shops, our small world of civilization you had to cross that bridge. Because of that; a unique phase was borne and only used by those living on the west side. Ask the simple question; Where are you going? I am going over town! was the common response. In 1985 we built at house on the west side and as my daughter grew up she inherited that phase.

Teen experiences of hanging out at the Riverside are also intertwined with the Bronte Bridge. Despite todays warning signs of no jumping, falling and a dozen other things, we did all those and more. I can remember dropping firecrackers bought at Allans timing them so you could hear that wonderful echo from under the bridge and shooting ten ball flares out over the creek. We all walked along the concrete rail, hoping not to fall in. You saw the seasons change, ice dams and the break up. There was a Halloween night when the eastern arches were painted in a rainstorm with the words Bronte A Go Go. There were toilets "borrowed" from a near by storage sheds and left on the west side abutments to the arches. There was attempts to water ski from the dock at the Riverside, heading up the creek under the bridge.

There were numerous car crashes and even an electrocution of a boater. One summer some boaters out for the day had been swimming in the lake and ran their suits up the mast to dry. They became stuck at the top. The solution; sail up to the bridge where the top of the mast could be reached. Unfortunately, the mast hit the hydro wires that stretched across the bridge and a man was electrocute. For the more squeamish, dried skin was found on the railing the next day.

Halloween was always interesting in Bronte. In the 50s I believe my brother and a few friends managed to transport an outhouse from Bronte Beach across the bridge to be left in front of Pop Allans.

I suspect there were other teen life adventures, just like American Graffiti. First kiss, beer and first joint and likely more. Couples met, dated, became steadies and got married. Some grew up and moved away; others stayed in town. Some left high school for work and a few went off to university.

I am fortunate to have a number of class pictures from Westbrook. I have digitized them and pulled them up to write this post. Seeing the faces, I remember them not just at school, but hanging out in the Riverside or "going over town".

The Riverside also played another role. Starting in the summer of 64-65 (my memory is a little faded) we lost the first of what became a number of class mates from the west side. It is a long time ago, so I can't remember where we heard the news on each occasion, but I am certain at some point in time we were at least at the Riverside to talk about it or share the news.

As the 60s wore on, we got older, high school, part time jobs, had girl or boy friends, we grew our hair, groups of friends changed and the Riverside became less important.

As I said the Riverside and the old Bronte Bridge were linked. When it became time to replace the bridge, it also meant the end of the Riverside.

All that remains for me are a few faded pictures and some wonderful memories.