Thursday June 9, 2023 5 Brooklin Town Crier #1 Realtor in Brooklin since 2012* 98 Montgamery Ave, Brooklin 16 Bradbury Cres, Ajax 10 Darren Ave, Whitby 18-221 Ormond Drive, Oshawa 63 Abbeywood Cres, Courtice 93 Raglan Rd W, Oshawa 14 Vallance Way, Brooklin 946 Kicking Horse Path, Oshawa 1271 Meath Drive, Oshawa Coming Soon! SOLD! 2195 Minsky Pl, Oshawa For Sale! Coming Soon! For Sale! For Sale! For Sale! 16 McFarlane Crt, Whitby Brooklin is Tanya Tierney Country! 15 Hadleigh Way, Brooklin For Sale! Call or Text: 905.706.3131 office@tanyatierneyteam.com 49 Baldwin St. Brooklin Sold Over Asking! *Based on RE Stats Inc. Data for Toronto MLS Units Sold Sold Over Asking! Sold Over Asking! Sold Over Asking! Once Brooklin teens heard the catchy song "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" on their transistor radios, summer had begun. Brian Hyland's 1960 hit was the cue to head to Pineridge Park on Coronation Road. The popular park stretched across 32 acres that extended from the Coronation Road entrance to the top of the old railway abutment overlooking Devils Den. Its name came from a huge pine tree perched on a ridge near where the park pool was built. A recreation spot Keith Lynde bought the property in 1935 with the aim to create a place where locals could enjoy an affordable day of fresh air and sunshine. Lynde was a descendant of Jabez Lynde, whose house is recognized as the oldest building in Whitby. Keith and his wife Viola originally planned to build a large swimming pool, however their first attempt encountered a setback when the sand-filled walls collapsed during the back-filling process. They excavated a second time with better results. The 50 x 100 ft pool was filled with water from a nearby spring that Keith had dammed for this purpose. Not surprisingly, swimmers complained the water was too cold. In the fall, when the pool was drained into a nearby ravine, many trees fell over because the sandy ground could not hold them up under the deluge. During the construction of the pool's sidewalk, a mischievous Canada Dry salesman etched the words "Drink Canada Dry" into the freshly poured concrete. The park officially opened on May 24, 1959, and welcomed visitors six days a week throughout the summer, closing when temperatures cooled in the autumn. The changing facilities were purchased from a trailer park on Dundas Street in Whitby while the picnic tables were built by Keith and his four sons, Warner, Gene, Jack and Allen, who bought the lumber from Mitchell Brothers Lumber on Church Street in Brooklin. Concession goodies To satisfy park-goers' appetites, a concession stand sold hot dogs, ice cream, chocolate bars, Mad Hatter potato chips and Canada Dry pop. Keith hired local boy Alvin "Sam" Stuart as the pool lifeguard, who also gave swimming lessons in his spare time. Pineridge became well known for its Sunday night jukebox music while teens showed off their groovy moves dancing to rock n roll songs of the era. Then, in 1964, Keith and Viola decided to sell the park. The Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) took over the property, keeping it as a campground for several years, though the pool and other park features were no longer in use. Today, the park has been absorbed into the Heber Down Conservation Area, seamlessly becoming a part of the natural landscape. But if you listen very carefully, you might catch this refrain whispering through the pine trees. "Now she's afraid to come out of the water..." Remembering Summers at Pineridge Park By Jennifer Hudgins