In the late ‘30s this blackboard sign stood at the corner of Wilson and Colborne St. (Lakeshore Rd.) in front of the White Rose gas station (now a Tim Horton parking lot). It was operated by Al Johnston, later by Eddie Rowe. I left high school half way through Grade IX to work there at $5.00 a week! I dispensed gas from the tall gas pumps with their glass cylinders on top and collected cash from the motorist (no credit cards in those days). Then I would manually replace the gas in the glass cylinder using the large lever on the side. Every mid-morning and mid-afternoon I would peddle my bike to Mr. Pullen’s “Air Coils” factory (back half of the Dr. Chase building) with a child’s wagon in tow. My load was a breadbasket full of soft drinks, chocolate bars, etc. for the hard-working factory workers on their break. They must have thought I did a good job since they offered me a position of Machinist Apprentice at $13.50 a week (that’s a 270% raise!) I first apprenticed under Hubert Litchfield until he joined the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corp. I then apprenticed to his brother Howard, but in a Managerial position, he didn't have a lot of time to instruct me. I spent many hours just threading steel rods by hand.I lasted exactly one year then decided to return to finish High School.

One block East on Colborne St. (Lakeshore Rd.) at the Corner of Chisholm St.(kitty-corner from Mayor J.M. Campbell's grocery store)were gas pumps of a different stripe; a B.A. Service Station run by Mr. Shipley. It had the town’s only slot machine which took our hard earned nickels

Next door to that (towards town) was the Flying Horse sign designating a repair garage owned by Dave Smith. His son Vern was my close friend at Westwood Elementary School.

Bob Hughes