LaRonde

I was at LaRonde last weekend, and got to thinking about all the rides that were there before. I figure if I am thinking about this, others must be as well, so here we go.


I know, I know, Laronde is still around, but many of the rides and attractions that were cool way back when, were probably deemed to unsafe by todays standards, and thus closed. These are what I will be focusing on for this blog.

First off, let's remember the non-rides. Waaayy back when, there was an Aquarium and a Dolphin Show at Laronde. Don't remember that, do you... When you walked in, the penguins were waiting to greet you, and when you left the aquarium, there was an electric eel that you could press a button and see how much electricity he was giving off. Then you made your way to the dolphin tank, where you were able to see a dolphin show in which acrobatic dolphins jumped, flipped and ate food out of the trainers hands.


Then they put in a WaterPark in the 1980s. I never went to it, so I can't comment too much on it, but I guess it wasn't such a big deal as it is now closed.

Here are some of the old rides that have closed down.

OVNI = Big Spaceship that locked you into a seat that went around the perimeter inside of the ride in a circle and each seat went up and down one after another.

The Rotor - a large tube, that you stood against the wall, and the whole inside of the tube started spinning, and you stuck to the wall (like a giant salad spinner). The floor then dropped from under you. People were always turning upside down on the walls, and I am sure that there was a few sick people on this ride.

The Enterprise - Like a sideways ferris wheel, that locked people into little cages, then started spinning really fast. Then the wheel started lifting, so that it was going closer to up and down than flat out spinning.

The Funicular (telerifique) - A ride that started at one end of LaRonde, and in a cable car, brought you over LaRonde, over the lake, and to the other side where it left you off. This was a great place to get a little privacy when on a date... Boomchickawowow.

There was a house of Glass aka (la Palais des Glaces) that was unbearably hot on a typical Montreal summer day.

There was a Haunted House ride, that was mediocore at best when it came to scaring people, but another great place for privacy...

There was the Maelstrom, a ride that put you in a car, and went around and around while going up and down















The Diablo - 3 arms with a wheel on the end of each of them, and cars attached to the wheel. The arms spun around, then the wheels started spinning.

The Astronef - a cage that hung down from a long arm. When you got in the cage and strapped in, the arm started rotating and stopped for a while at the top (you are upside down and losing all your change at this point).















There was a ride that was similiar to the Enterprise, except for being locked in a cage, you stood against the wall while the wheel started spinning, then the wheel rose. I can't remember the name.

There were Teacups, which you sat in and they started rotating while the platform you were in were spinning.

There were others, but i can't remember them all.

The ones that have been there from the beginning and are still there are...

The Pitoune (water ride)
The Merry Go Round
The Kiddy Train
The MiniRail
The Spirale
The Ferris Wheel (La Grande Roue)

If you remember any others, or want to comment, feel free. As always, click on the ads please.

Eaton's

677 Ste-Catherine Ouest?

Eatons...

Better for shopping or enjoying a dinner on the 9th floor restaurant?

Timothy Eaton was one of Canadas greatest businessmen. He opened the first Eatons in Toronto, but later expanded to Montreal and Winnipeg.

In 1925, Timothy Eaton purchased the Goodwin's store on Ste-Catherine street in Montreal, and by 1927, he had converted it to a 6 story department store. In 1930, it was expanded to nine storys, the topwhich floor had the restaurant.

The restaurant and the hallway leading to it were done in the Art Deco style. The restaurant was a close replica of Mrs. Eaton's favorite transatlantic liner called Ile de France. For more about the restaurant, watch the National Film Boards movie Les Dames du 9e (The Ladies of the 9th Floor). The restaurant is now a registered historical site by the Government of Quebec.

Eaton's had a large Mail Order service, and the catalog became an icon of Canadian culture. It allowed rural canadians to take advantage of the same prices that urban canadians enjoyed, and in turn, closed out many local monopolies. Some canadians even bought houses from the catalogue.



































Eaton's also sponsored the Eaton's Santa Clause Parade, from 1905 to 1982.






Eaton's (the chain that controlled almost %60 of department store sales in th 1930's) was put out of business when purchased by Sears. Sears tried to get their hands on the Montreal location, but were beat out by Les Ailes de la Mode.






Sears closed some stores, and sold some to the Bay, with the hopes of relaunching the brand in 2000. Their logo was changed

Never happened, and now the Montreal location is les Ailes de la Mode and the Eaton's Center.

Simpsons

What was in Simons downtown before it was Simons. Well lets work backwards. It is currently a clothing department store named Simons and a cinema named Scotia Bank. Before that it was Simpsons. Before that it was Simpson's (see the difference). The change came because of pressure from french Quebecers (with an appostrophe, it does not seem so french).

Before it's current incarnation, the Simpsons store in Montreal shrunk considerably. In its last incarnation, it was a tunnel of plywood that connected Place Montreal Trust to Cours Mont-Royal. In its before last incarnation, it was a department store, but only on the main floor and in the basement. Before that, it was a beautiful store, that was in competition with The Bay and Eatons (and Kresges). Ask me about the layout, and it is a blur, as I get confused with the The Bay and Eatons also.

The Montreal store ceased to exist in 1991.

In 1987, the Hudsons Bay company acquired Simpsons, but was forced to end the partnership due to federal competition laws.

In 1952, Simpsons teamed up with Sears, and became Simpons-Sears Ltd.

I have been unable to find the exact opening date, but it was 1897 +- 50 years.

Robert Simpson opened his first store at Toronto, Ontario in 1871. When he died in 1897, his store was taken over and expansion started in Montreal, Halifax and Regina.

And that was Simpsons (not to be confused with the Simpsons)