Playing this week at the Clova is Julie and Julia and the second feature is The Time Traveler's Wife. The first show starts at 7pm. The second show is at 9:20. Price is $7. Doesn't matter if you stay for one movie or watch both or only show up for the second movie.
If you like to eat popcorn while watching a movie, bring your own container and get it filled with popcorn for $2.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
The Clova Theatre
The Clova Theatre was built on the main street in Cloverdale in 1947. Its on the east side of 176th Street between 58th and 58th Avenues.
When I was a kid I think it was an Odeon. Though I could be wrong. For all I know it was a Famous Players. Those were the two movie distributors back then and played different movies at their theatres, though they seemed to have merged now.
The Saturday matinees were a big thing for us kids. The movies cost a quarter to get in. I saw many of the Disney classics here. There were a lot of Disney movies produced in the late sixties that were also played here on Saturdays.
I remember seeing Star Wars here after it opened in 1977. I'd come down in the evening with a friend. The street was packed with a line up. The first show sold out but we bought tickets for the second show a couple of hours later. I remember when we returned and they opened the doors. There was a mad rush, everyone pushing to get inside. There's no way the staff could have verified who had bought tickets and who hadn't.
In the eighties it changed and started showing mostly foreign films and even some live shows here. But in the nineties the Clova revived again, purchased by a young man and his parents, and became known for being lower priced than the big movie houses in the area. The movies were current, probably playing at the other movie houses, but maybe a couple of weeks after the original opening date. The Clova became known for two different movies playing each night. For the same price you can see one or both movies, so its a very good deal.
The Clova also does get new releases the same opening day as the bigger movie houses. The deal is they have to show a new release for two weeks and show only that movie. No two fer's during this 2 week period.
The Clova is also known for serving good popcorn with real butter. They fill a popcorn container halfway, put on melted butter, and then fill the rest of the container and more popcorn. These days the Clova does its part to promote being green and encourages patrons to bring their own reusable containers and for $2 get it filled with popcorn. Most people bring in 4 litre ice cream buckets for their popcorn. And patrons who bring in their own reusable drink containers can also buy a pop for $2. Good value all around.
And everyone who purchases a ticket can enter their name in a monthly draw to win a one year pass to the Clova.
Right now the prices at the Clova are $7 per person. Cheap Tuesdays are $4. That price is good for one or both movies. This is the best value around for going out to the movies.
When I was a kid I think it was an Odeon. Though I could be wrong. For all I know it was a Famous Players. Those were the two movie distributors back then and played different movies at their theatres, though they seemed to have merged now.
The Saturday matinees were a big thing for us kids. The movies cost a quarter to get in. I saw many of the Disney classics here. There were a lot of Disney movies produced in the late sixties that were also played here on Saturdays.
I remember seeing Star Wars here after it opened in 1977. I'd come down in the evening with a friend. The street was packed with a line up. The first show sold out but we bought tickets for the second show a couple of hours later. I remember when we returned and they opened the doors. There was a mad rush, everyone pushing to get inside. There's no way the staff could have verified who had bought tickets and who hadn't.
In the eighties it changed and started showing mostly foreign films and even some live shows here. But in the nineties the Clova revived again, purchased by a young man and his parents, and became known for being lower priced than the big movie houses in the area. The movies were current, probably playing at the other movie houses, but maybe a couple of weeks after the original opening date. The Clova became known for two different movies playing each night. For the same price you can see one or both movies, so its a very good deal.
The Clova also does get new releases the same opening day as the bigger movie houses. The deal is they have to show a new release for two weeks and show only that movie. No two fer's during this 2 week period.
The Clova is also known for serving good popcorn with real butter. They fill a popcorn container halfway, put on melted butter, and then fill the rest of the container and more popcorn. These days the Clova does its part to promote being green and encourages patrons to bring their own reusable containers and for $2 get it filled with popcorn. Most people bring in 4 litre ice cream buckets for their popcorn. And patrons who bring in their own reusable drink containers can also buy a pop for $2. Good value all around.
And everyone who purchases a ticket can enter their name in a monthly draw to win a one year pass to the Clova.
Right now the prices at the Clova are $7 per person. Cheap Tuesdays are $4. That price is good for one or both movies. This is the best value around for going out to the movies.
Taking the train from Cloverdale to Langley
Yes, there used to be a passenger train that stopped in Cloverdale to pick up passengers and then continued to Langley.
I never rode it. A little before my time.
I do remember trains stopping in Cloverdale while I was growing up. Mostly to unload grain at the Co-op on Highway 10 near 176th Street. It was because of the trains stopping there that an overpass was built in the early seventies to keep traffic moving on 176th Street.
Before Cloverdale had a movie theatre my father used to take the train from Cloverdale to Langley to go to the movies. The problem was by the time the movie was finished, there was no return train going back to Cloverdale. This was before bus service came to the area. And before every household had multiple cars. So they boarded the train in Cloverdale, got off in Langley, watched the movie, and then walked home. Yes three miles.
Every now and then someone makes a bid to bring train service back to the Fraser Valley. There's the West Coast Express on the other side of the river from Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows going into Vancouver and back again. Trouble is only on weekdays and only during rush hour. Four trains go to Vancouver, then wait there till early afternoon, and then head back again, every half hour or so. I've never ridden those trains so I can't say their schedule.
Would it be so hard to bring passenger rail service back to Surrey and Langley and points east? The train tracks are already there. I know I'd ride that train.
I never rode it. A little before my time.
I do remember trains stopping in Cloverdale while I was growing up. Mostly to unload grain at the Co-op on Highway 10 near 176th Street. It was because of the trains stopping there that an overpass was built in the early seventies to keep traffic moving on 176th Street.
Before Cloverdale had a movie theatre my father used to take the train from Cloverdale to Langley to go to the movies. The problem was by the time the movie was finished, there was no return train going back to Cloverdale. This was before bus service came to the area. And before every household had multiple cars. So they boarded the train in Cloverdale, got off in Langley, watched the movie, and then walked home. Yes three miles.
Every now and then someone makes a bid to bring train service back to the Fraser Valley. There's the West Coast Express on the other side of the river from Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows going into Vancouver and back again. Trouble is only on weekdays and only during rush hour. Four trains go to Vancouver, then wait there till early afternoon, and then head back again, every half hour or so. I've never ridden those trains so I can't say their schedule.
Would it be so hard to bring passenger rail service back to Surrey and Langley and points east? The train tracks are already there. I know I'd ride that train.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Cloverdale's Bad Drivers
I spent a year living in Richmond on Westminster Highway. For cheap fun we'd walk up to the intersection at Number 3 Road and watch the driving. We were living there when there was a huge dump of snow, about 2 feet in a 24 hour period. We stook on the sidewalk and watched the drivers race down Westminster Highway like it was dry and clear. The watch them slam the brakes on and slide through red lights.
I've walked my dogs all over Cloverdale for years. We often walk down the main street and as such have to cross the street. Among other streets, I cross the Cloverdale Bypass at 58th Avenue and 57th Avenue and walk across the 4 way stops at 58th and 176th and 57th and 176th. When I walk across on the Bypass where there are traffic lights I always push the button for the pedestrian light. Never, ever walk across either of those intersections without pushing for the pedestrian light. They are quick lights and one would have to be a fast runner. With a geriatric dog in tow, that ain't happening! Always push the button and get a pedestrian walk.
Even though pedestrians have the right of way in crosswalks, and even more so when they've activated the pededstrian light, I am constantly cut off by cars in the crosswalks. One time I was crossing at 57th Avenue and a young man in a small red car comes zooming out for a left hand turn and cuts me off and nearly hits me, within 3 feet of me. Like he couldn't have waited until I cleared the intersection? I was carrying a bag of dog shit and his window was open, and what can I say. I have good aim. Oh, he was swearing at me. But he had no concern for my saftey and that I had pushed the pedestrian button and had every right to be there. This happens so many times at this intersection. A couple of days ago a man driving a van turning right from 57th onto the Bypass cut right in front of me. I should have kicked the back panel of his van - he was that close to me. And yesterday again I get cut off in the same intersection by a different van, this one with a business name on it - California Closets - nearly ran me over in the intersection, driven by a man. How come it is always male drivers who nearly take me out at the intersections?
Yesterday I was on the corner at 176th and 58th Avenue, on the same side of the street as the grocery store's parking lot. An oncoming car heading west along 58th driven by a man talking into a cell phone blew right through the 4 way stop. Fortunately no other vehicles were there and no pedestrians crossing the street.
When the Cloverdale Rodeo was in town this past May, Kerry and I, along with several other pedestrians, were waiting to cross the street at 60th Avenue and 176th Street, on the same side of the road as the fairgrounds. The light turned, the pedestrian walk sign lit up, and away we all went. Out of the corner of my eye I see a car beside me moving, making a right hand turn and not stopping for the pedestrians. And there were a few of us on this bright sunny day. I screamed "stop" meaning Kerry and the others so they wouldn't get hit. The car continued on and then pulled over a little ahead at the bus stop. I had probably screamed loud enough that the driver thought I yelled at him to stop. Which he didn't do. But I think was shaken up enough to pull over and collect himself before continuing.
What is with these people that they don't look for pedestrians or at least notice the pedestrian light has been activated and look around to see if anyone is in the crosswalk. I don't know whether its the influx of new people moving to the area but Cloverdale is becoming full of bad drivers.
To be fair I see pedestrians breaking the law too, particularly crossing the Bypass and jaywalking. If you're going to break the law and jaywalk, you need to run, not hold up traffic. I watched one man with a child saunter across the street. He had a red light and stop for pedestrians and was holding up the traffic at 58th Avenue who had the green light. Great example, teaching your kid to break the law. I'm guessing he didn't bother to push the pedestrian button and was in no hurry to cross the street either. Cars were honking at him. He was lucky he didn't get run over the way traffic is in that intersection when it comes to observing pedestrians who do have the right of way.
Is it becoming too dangerous to go for a walk around Cloverdale?
I've walked my dogs all over Cloverdale for years. We often walk down the main street and as such have to cross the street. Among other streets, I cross the Cloverdale Bypass at 58th Avenue and 57th Avenue and walk across the 4 way stops at 58th and 176th and 57th and 176th. When I walk across on the Bypass where there are traffic lights I always push the button for the pedestrian light. Never, ever walk across either of those intersections without pushing for the pedestrian light. They are quick lights and one would have to be a fast runner. With a geriatric dog in tow, that ain't happening! Always push the button and get a pedestrian walk.
Even though pedestrians have the right of way in crosswalks, and even more so when they've activated the pededstrian light, I am constantly cut off by cars in the crosswalks. One time I was crossing at 57th Avenue and a young man in a small red car comes zooming out for a left hand turn and cuts me off and nearly hits me, within 3 feet of me. Like he couldn't have waited until I cleared the intersection? I was carrying a bag of dog shit and his window was open, and what can I say. I have good aim. Oh, he was swearing at me. But he had no concern for my saftey and that I had pushed the pedestrian button and had every right to be there. This happens so many times at this intersection. A couple of days ago a man driving a van turning right from 57th onto the Bypass cut right in front of me. I should have kicked the back panel of his van - he was that close to me. And yesterday again I get cut off in the same intersection by a different van, this one with a business name on it - California Closets - nearly ran me over in the intersection, driven by a man. How come it is always male drivers who nearly take me out at the intersections?
Yesterday I was on the corner at 176th and 58th Avenue, on the same side of the street as the grocery store's parking lot. An oncoming car heading west along 58th driven by a man talking into a cell phone blew right through the 4 way stop. Fortunately no other vehicles were there and no pedestrians crossing the street.
When the Cloverdale Rodeo was in town this past May, Kerry and I, along with several other pedestrians, were waiting to cross the street at 60th Avenue and 176th Street, on the same side of the road as the fairgrounds. The light turned, the pedestrian walk sign lit up, and away we all went. Out of the corner of my eye I see a car beside me moving, making a right hand turn and not stopping for the pedestrians. And there were a few of us on this bright sunny day. I screamed "stop" meaning Kerry and the others so they wouldn't get hit. The car continued on and then pulled over a little ahead at the bus stop. I had probably screamed loud enough that the driver thought I yelled at him to stop. Which he didn't do. But I think was shaken up enough to pull over and collect himself before continuing.
What is with these people that they don't look for pedestrians or at least notice the pedestrian light has been activated and look around to see if anyone is in the crosswalk. I don't know whether its the influx of new people moving to the area but Cloverdale is becoming full of bad drivers.
To be fair I see pedestrians breaking the law too, particularly crossing the Bypass and jaywalking. If you're going to break the law and jaywalk, you need to run, not hold up traffic. I watched one man with a child saunter across the street. He had a red light and stop for pedestrians and was holding up the traffic at 58th Avenue who had the green light. Great example, teaching your kid to break the law. I'm guessing he didn't bother to push the pedestrian button and was in no hurry to cross the street either. Cars were honking at him. He was lucky he didn't get run over the way traffic is in that intersection when it comes to observing pedestrians who do have the right of way.
Is it becoming too dangerous to go for a walk around Cloverdale?
Thursday, September 24, 2009
The old Cook Book
I have a good sized cookbook collection. I often pick up regional cookbooks when I'm on vacation, have some celebrity cookbooks, and specific cookbooks such as vegetarian, chocolate, and crockpot cooking. I even wrote a cookbook!
But one of my favorites is a much battered cookbook that my mother bought for fifty cents sometime back in the late sixties put together by a librarian at White Rock Elementary school - I think! The recipes were donated by parents in the White Rock/Surrey school system and typed, stenciled, and copied by a school secretary. The paper is held together by a ring (there used to be 2 rings) and some pages have been reinforced by me with those hole protectors.
At the front of the cook book is the dedication:
Ingredients:
1 Publisher
1 Typist
300 Recipes
696 Pupil Workers
11 Mothers
12 Secondary Students
1 tsp good luck
Method:
While the principal and staff are warming to the idea, gather materials and mix furiously for 3 months. Intense heat and pressure are required as deadline approaches. Edit, type, duplicate, bind and turn out on a prepared, receptive public.
And this is the cookbook that I most often turn to when I'm looking for some family cooking, particularly in the cakes and squares sections. Back in the days when most women stayed at home taking care of the house and family and had some well tried and tested recipes. The names of the contributor are listed below each recipe. Almost always a Mrs somebody or other. A few Anonymous - guess they forgot to sign their name when they sent in their recipe.
Today I was looking for an easy cake to bake. I settled on a fudge cake that takes half hour to cook. Well, I had to keep putting it back int he oven because my toothpick didn't come out clean. I'd say it took closer to 50 minutes. Some of these older recipes need a little fine tuning. Maybe the ovens heated hotter forty years ago. There's a few places where my mother has made some notes such as an icing that goes well with a bar or square.
About twenty-five years ago I was at someone's house and they served Waldorf Red Velvet Cake for dessert. Oh, it was so good. I came home and checked our recipe books and the old parent's cook book had the recipe in there. I baked it and iced it and it came out wonderfully delicious. The next time I baked this cake it didn't turn out so well, and the third time it was decidedly flat. I never baked it again.
But I think about, and with that recipe sitting in the old Cook Book, maybe I'll give it another try.
But one of my favorites is a much battered cookbook that my mother bought for fifty cents sometime back in the late sixties put together by a librarian at White Rock Elementary school - I think! The recipes were donated by parents in the White Rock/Surrey school system and typed, stenciled, and copied by a school secretary. The paper is held together by a ring (there used to be 2 rings) and some pages have been reinforced by me with those hole protectors.
At the front of the cook book is the dedication:
Ingredients:
1 Publisher
1 Typist
300 Recipes
696 Pupil Workers
11 Mothers
12 Secondary Students
1 tsp good luck
Method:
While the principal and staff are warming to the idea, gather materials and mix furiously for 3 months. Intense heat and pressure are required as deadline approaches. Edit, type, duplicate, bind and turn out on a prepared, receptive public.
And this is the cookbook that I most often turn to when I'm looking for some family cooking, particularly in the cakes and squares sections. Back in the days when most women stayed at home taking care of the house and family and had some well tried and tested recipes. The names of the contributor are listed below each recipe. Almost always a Mrs somebody or other. A few Anonymous - guess they forgot to sign their name when they sent in their recipe.
Today I was looking for an easy cake to bake. I settled on a fudge cake that takes half hour to cook. Well, I had to keep putting it back int he oven because my toothpick didn't come out clean. I'd say it took closer to 50 minutes. Some of these older recipes need a little fine tuning. Maybe the ovens heated hotter forty years ago. There's a few places where my mother has made some notes such as an icing that goes well with a bar or square.
About twenty-five years ago I was at someone's house and they served Waldorf Red Velvet Cake for dessert. Oh, it was so good. I came home and checked our recipe books and the old parent's cook book had the recipe in there. I baked it and iced it and it came out wonderfully delicious. The next time I baked this cake it didn't turn out so well, and the third time it was decidedly flat. I never baked it again.
But I think about, and with that recipe sitting in the old Cook Book, maybe I'll give it another try.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Sunday afternoon at Campbell Valley Park
Today was a beautiful sunny day and we decided to hit the trails at Campbell Valley Park. Our horses Cajun, a 5 year old Quarter Horse, and Lucky, our 20 year old Standardbred, were today's mounts. Whistler, my seasoned 19 year old Appaloosa, got the day off. Yesterday he was a little off in his hind right leg. My best guess is I need my farrier because the frog (part of his hoof for the benefit of my non-horsey readers) has grown longer than the hoof, thus making it a little tender to walk on. My farrier will be out in a couple of days to take care of this. But usually Whistler is my choice for the trail rides.
The parking lot was packed with horse trailers but we found a spot and Kerry expertly maneuvered the rig in. We saddled up and headed out enjoying the ride and each other's company. I knew Campbell Valley Park was hosting its Heritage Days this weekend and we spotted the festivities as we rode along 204th Street near 8th Avenue. We stopped at the fence of the off leash dog park to speak with a woman who was playing with her adorable Weimeraner puppy and then continued on our way, getting closer to the water splash. We were wondering how Cajun and Lucky would take to walking through the creek. Usually neither of them will go unless Whistler leads the way.
All of a sudden Cajun started to spook, jumping and panicking, and it was all I could do to stay on his back and get him under control. He took me by surprise because he's normally a very quiet, unflappable horse. I heard pounding hoofbeats coming behind me. A galloping horse. Very odd. Most riders wouldn't allow their horses to move out that fast in the trails, especially on a day like this when there are so many other park users. Right away I knew there was something wrong - a runaway horse. I turned Cajun and saw the runaway didn't have a rider. Kerry and I used our horses to block the trail. We slowed the horse only momentarily. He/she veered off the trail, got around us, and keep running. And boy was this horse fast! Probably a Thoroughbred. And in full flight, fueled by fear.
After a quick discussion Kerry decided to turn around and look for the rider and I would go after the horse. Like my slowpoke Cajun had any chance of running this horse down. All I could hope for was that something ahead would cause the horse to stop. As I rounded a corner and came into the area that is a large field I saw a couple who were picking blackberries and three horses in a group a little ahead, and one other horse and rider near the water splash trail. The woman picking berries came running toward me and asked if the rider was hurt. I said I didn't know. I could still see the horse but then it disappeared behind some trees. The woman who was on her horse further up the trail said it had gone out the gate and down 4th Avenue.
Now that's scary. A loose horse on the road.
One of the other riders got on her cell phone and called her mother to drive down there and look for the horse. I turned around and cantered back up the trail to find Kerry and see if he needed assistance with a fallen rider. They weren't too far away walking up the trail towards me. The rider was not hurt.
The woman who was picking berries said her van was right there on the road and offered the rider a lift to look for her horse, but the rider declined. She didn't seem all that concerned, thinking her horse was headed for home around 8th Avenue and 224th Street. That is still a fair distance from where we were. She seemed to know the 3 other horse and riders that were nearby as they called each other by names. The young lady told her she'd called her mother who must have been somewhere nearby and was going to try to find the horse. Said the horse was going too fast for any of them to stop.
Kerry and I continued on our ride. He told me he'd offered the fallen rider to double behind him on Lucky but she'd declined. I was surprised that she'd also turned down the offer of that other woman to drive her down the street to look for the horse.
I sure hope that horse is OK. I know for me there is nothing more scary than to have a horse loose on the road.
The parking lot was packed with horse trailers but we found a spot and Kerry expertly maneuvered the rig in. We saddled up and headed out enjoying the ride and each other's company. I knew Campbell Valley Park was hosting its Heritage Days this weekend and we spotted the festivities as we rode along 204th Street near 8th Avenue. We stopped at the fence of the off leash dog park to speak with a woman who was playing with her adorable Weimeraner puppy and then continued on our way, getting closer to the water splash. We were wondering how Cajun and Lucky would take to walking through the creek. Usually neither of them will go unless Whistler leads the way.
All of a sudden Cajun started to spook, jumping and panicking, and it was all I could do to stay on his back and get him under control. He took me by surprise because he's normally a very quiet, unflappable horse. I heard pounding hoofbeats coming behind me. A galloping horse. Very odd. Most riders wouldn't allow their horses to move out that fast in the trails, especially on a day like this when there are so many other park users. Right away I knew there was something wrong - a runaway horse. I turned Cajun and saw the runaway didn't have a rider. Kerry and I used our horses to block the trail. We slowed the horse only momentarily. He/she veered off the trail, got around us, and keep running. And boy was this horse fast! Probably a Thoroughbred. And in full flight, fueled by fear.
After a quick discussion Kerry decided to turn around and look for the rider and I would go after the horse. Like my slowpoke Cajun had any chance of running this horse down. All I could hope for was that something ahead would cause the horse to stop. As I rounded a corner and came into the area that is a large field I saw a couple who were picking blackberries and three horses in a group a little ahead, and one other horse and rider near the water splash trail. The woman picking berries came running toward me and asked if the rider was hurt. I said I didn't know. I could still see the horse but then it disappeared behind some trees. The woman who was on her horse further up the trail said it had gone out the gate and down 4th Avenue.
Now that's scary. A loose horse on the road.
One of the other riders got on her cell phone and called her mother to drive down there and look for the horse. I turned around and cantered back up the trail to find Kerry and see if he needed assistance with a fallen rider. They weren't too far away walking up the trail towards me. The rider was not hurt.
The woman who was picking berries said her van was right there on the road and offered the rider a lift to look for her horse, but the rider declined. She didn't seem all that concerned, thinking her horse was headed for home around 8th Avenue and 224th Street. That is still a fair distance from where we were. She seemed to know the 3 other horse and riders that were nearby as they called each other by names. The young lady told her she'd called her mother who must have been somewhere nearby and was going to try to find the horse. Said the horse was going too fast for any of them to stop.
Kerry and I continued on our ride. He told me he'd offered the fallen rider to double behind him on Lucky but she'd declined. I was surprised that she'd also turned down the offer of that other woman to drive her down the street to look for the horse.
I sure hope that horse is OK. I know for me there is nothing more scary than to have a horse loose on the road.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Antiques in Cloverdale
Back in the 1980's and into the 1990's Cloverdale was well known as the place to go for antique shopping. Indeed, it seemed like every second store along 176th Street was home to an antique store of sorts and became the unofficial antique capital of British Columbia. Other stores on the main street tried to capitalize on the fame and threw in a few antiques in their shops in addition to the other wares they sold in their shops.
Many of the antique merchants leased the stores on Cloverdale's main street. Crowds of people would show up to stroll up and down 176th Street and go in and out of each antique shop in search of the perfect addition for the house. Unique treasures. Little trinkets or perhaps a plate like the one you used to have in the house growing up. I even saw Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy books being sold for $5 apiece. My mother gave away my collection after I entered junior high school and no longer read them. Darn! Worth some money now!
But then the store owners got greedy and jacked up the rents. One by one the antique stores shut down. Some moved their businesses to Fort Langley, but many of them relocated to Front Street in New Westminster, the Lower Mainland's new antique alley.
Some of those former antique shops are still sitting empty. For years! I can't see as how that was a good business move by the owners of the stores. Better to have a tenant at a lower price than no income at all.
A few antique stores still remain in Cloverdale, one of the best known is the Red Barn Antiques located on the southwest corner of the intersection at 176th Street and Highway 10. It has a large selection to choose from and has also supplied props to BC's movie and TV industry. Its still open, but a few months ago the Cloverdale Reporter announced that the owners are retiring and having a going out of business sale and will be closing. The Cloverdale Antique Mall opened around the same time as one of the last antique shops departed town and is located in the Clover Square Village at Highway 10 and 177B Street selling antiques and holding monthly auctions. Another place with antique sales and auctions is a business located in the old Safeway site in the soon to be demolished Cloverdale Mall, roughly located between 176th Street and Highway 15, and 58th and 57th Avenues. Cloverdale Antiques and Fine Art has been in business for many years and is located on 176th Street, a couple of shops down from the Clova Theatre.
Undoubtedly I've missed a couple of stores that sell some antiques in addition to other wares. Cloverdale is still a nice town to wander up and down the main street and discover a treasure in an antique store. But not on a Sunday or Monday. Many Cloverdale businesses are closed on those days.
Many of the antique merchants leased the stores on Cloverdale's main street. Crowds of people would show up to stroll up and down 176th Street and go in and out of each antique shop in search of the perfect addition for the house. Unique treasures. Little trinkets or perhaps a plate like the one you used to have in the house growing up. I even saw Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy books being sold for $5 apiece. My mother gave away my collection after I entered junior high school and no longer read them. Darn! Worth some money now!
But then the store owners got greedy and jacked up the rents. One by one the antique stores shut down. Some moved their businesses to Fort Langley, but many of them relocated to Front Street in New Westminster, the Lower Mainland's new antique alley.
Some of those former antique shops are still sitting empty. For years! I can't see as how that was a good business move by the owners of the stores. Better to have a tenant at a lower price than no income at all.
A few antique stores still remain in Cloverdale, one of the best known is the Red Barn Antiques located on the southwest corner of the intersection at 176th Street and Highway 10. It has a large selection to choose from and has also supplied props to BC's movie and TV industry. Its still open, but a few months ago the Cloverdale Reporter announced that the owners are retiring and having a going out of business sale and will be closing. The Cloverdale Antique Mall opened around the same time as one of the last antique shops departed town and is located in the Clover Square Village at Highway 10 and 177B Street selling antiques and holding monthly auctions. Another place with antique sales and auctions is a business located in the old Safeway site in the soon to be demolished Cloverdale Mall, roughly located between 176th Street and Highway 15, and 58th and 57th Avenues. Cloverdale Antiques and Fine Art has been in business for many years and is located on 176th Street, a couple of shops down from the Clova Theatre.
Undoubtedly I've missed a couple of stores that sell some antiques in addition to other wares. Cloverdale is still a nice town to wander up and down the main street and discover a treasure in an antique store. But not on a Sunday or Monday. Many Cloverdale businesses are closed on those days.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Langley Cruise In on Saturday September 12
This weekend in Cloverdale's next door neighbour Langley is hosting the Cruise In on Saturday September 12.
It's held on the Fraser Highway, approximately from Glover Road to 206th Street and a couple of nearby streets. A good place to stroll and check out vintage cars, muscle cars, and motorbikes.
The weather should hold out - expected to be sunny and in the mid-20's.
For more information http://www.langleycruise-in.com/home.html
It's held on the Fraser Highway, approximately from Glover Road to 206th Street and a couple of nearby streets. A good place to stroll and check out vintage cars, muscle cars, and motorbikes.
The weather should hold out - expected to be sunny and in the mid-20's.
For more information http://www.langleycruise-in.com/home.html
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Recycling
When I was a kid I was recycling pop cans and bottles. Not so much as to pick up garbage and help the environment, but to go buy junk food at Loxtercamp's corner store.
Back in those days pop cans were two cents apiece to return and bottles five cents each. That would be of the ten ounce variety. Metric didn't come into Canada until the late seventies. And if we were lucky enough to find a twenty-six ounce pop bottle that brought in ten cents.
My friend and I patrolled the ditches around our neighborhood. If we found five cans that equalled a chocolate bar or a popsicle. We never asked for cash for returning the cans and bottles. This was strictly a straight exchange for goodies.
As the years passed bottles change from glass to plastic and a large two litre pop bottle was introduced. The deposit on the pop also increased and then decreased. Water bottles and juice boxes next were hit with deposits. Now when we purchase pop we also pay a recycling fee in addition to the deposit. Also as the years passed our recycling changed from pop to water and juice bottles.
Grocery stores and corner stores still recycle the items they sell in their store. No such luck if you go to a corner store with a name brand from Save-On Foods or the Real Canadian Superstore. They'll just tell you to take it back where you bought it for your refund.
Then recycling depots became more common. Locally we use the Cloverdale Bottle Depot located at unit 6 - 177918 - 55th Avenue. Its down that no exit street behind Stampede Tack. They take back all refundable containers and pay out in cash. Staff is friendly and the owners hire on a lot of special needs staff which is nice to see a business owner giving back to the community.
I was surprised that my father puts his empty pop and juice containers into Surrey's recycling blue box for weekly pick up. I'm sure someone is out patrolling the neighborhood and removing all the cash recyclables from the boxes. So now he saves them in a bag and gives them to me when I come over to visit.
Yesterday I took two garbage sized bags of empties to the Cloverdale Bottle Depot and came away with $11.60! Whoo hoo. That would have been a jackpot when I was a kid. I'd have bought 116 chocolate bars with that cache!
One of the largest recycling depots around is in South Surrey - the Semiahmoo Bottle Depot - located at unit 28 - 15515 - 24th Avenue. This is in an industrial complex, lot of warehouse type buildings, and they are toward the north end of the complex, about a block in when you come off 24th Avenue. They have several units for their recycling depot, including pop cans and bottles. At this depot you have to sort your empties into various plastic trays they provide. They also provide dollies for transporting them, say you've come in with a year's worth of recyling or had a big party. They also recycle old paint cans and have electronics recycling. This is where we dropped off our old TV. The dolly came in pretty useful for transporting that heavy, old thing!
Back in those days pop cans were two cents apiece to return and bottles five cents each. That would be of the ten ounce variety. Metric didn't come into Canada until the late seventies. And if we were lucky enough to find a twenty-six ounce pop bottle that brought in ten cents.
My friend and I patrolled the ditches around our neighborhood. If we found five cans that equalled a chocolate bar or a popsicle. We never asked for cash for returning the cans and bottles. This was strictly a straight exchange for goodies.
As the years passed bottles change from glass to plastic and a large two litre pop bottle was introduced. The deposit on the pop also increased and then decreased. Water bottles and juice boxes next were hit with deposits. Now when we purchase pop we also pay a recycling fee in addition to the deposit. Also as the years passed our recycling changed from pop to water and juice bottles.
Grocery stores and corner stores still recycle the items they sell in their store. No such luck if you go to a corner store with a name brand from Save-On Foods or the Real Canadian Superstore. They'll just tell you to take it back where you bought it for your refund.
Then recycling depots became more common. Locally we use the Cloverdale Bottle Depot located at unit 6 - 177918 - 55th Avenue. Its down that no exit street behind Stampede Tack. They take back all refundable containers and pay out in cash. Staff is friendly and the owners hire on a lot of special needs staff which is nice to see a business owner giving back to the community.
I was surprised that my father puts his empty pop and juice containers into Surrey's recycling blue box for weekly pick up. I'm sure someone is out patrolling the neighborhood and removing all the cash recyclables from the boxes. So now he saves them in a bag and gives them to me when I come over to visit.
Yesterday I took two garbage sized bags of empties to the Cloverdale Bottle Depot and came away with $11.60! Whoo hoo. That would have been a jackpot when I was a kid. I'd have bought 116 chocolate bars with that cache!
One of the largest recycling depots around is in South Surrey - the Semiahmoo Bottle Depot - located at unit 28 - 15515 - 24th Avenue. This is in an industrial complex, lot of warehouse type buildings, and they are toward the north end of the complex, about a block in when you come off 24th Avenue. They have several units for their recycling depot, including pop cans and bottles. At this depot you have to sort your empties into various plastic trays they provide. They also provide dollies for transporting them, say you've come in with a year's worth of recyling or had a big party. They also recycle old paint cans and have electronics recycling. This is where we dropped off our old TV. The dolly came in pretty useful for transporting that heavy, old thing!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
What's happening in Cloverdale in September 2009
So what is happening around Cloverdale this month?
As far as I can figure out, not too much.
Of course, there is the annual Terry Fox run starting at 10am on Sunday Sept 13 at the Cloverdale Rec Centre - 6220 184 Street. Registration starts at 9am.
Usually the Legion's Saturday pancake breakfast donates their profits and collects donations.
Will update through the month if I hear of anything else.
As far as I can figure out, not too much.
Of course, there is the annual Terry Fox run starting at 10am on Sunday Sept 13 at the Cloverdale Rec Centre - 6220 184 Street. Registration starts at 9am.
Usually the Legion's Saturday pancake breakfast donates their profits and collects donations.
Will update through the month if I hear of anything else.
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