When is an empty field not just an empty field? When it is the site of a Drive-In movie theatre - and when it opened in 1951, Waterdown had the best in the country
After a few forays into this type of business during the 1920s, the first patented drive-in opened in New Jersey in 1933. The concept was slow to catch on but by the late 1940s in-car speakers had solved the biggest issue and the post-war boom of families, cars and suburbs fueled the popularity of movies in a casual setting with the kids.
The Clappison Drive-In Theatre was built and operated by Windsor Drive-In Theatres, owned by the Dydzak brothers of Val- D’Or, Quebec. Located on Parkside Drive just east of Highway 6, it was within easy driving distance of Hamilton, Flamborough and Burlington. It opened on June 21, 1951 with a double feature of Daughter of Rosie O’Grady starring June Havers and Gordon MacRae, and Bull Fighters starring Laurel & Hardy, along with some cartoons. At the time, it was billed as the most modern theatre in Canada and the first to use Super High Intensity projection.
The 20-acre site had room for 1,000 cars and had individual speakers for each car. The screen was 70 feet high and the site was "attractively designed to give the approach to the actual theatre an air of distinctive elegance." There was a playground with a merry-go-round, swings, slides, a glider horse and teeter-totters.
The concession stand offered only the "highest quality foods" of popcorn, candy, hot dogs, coffee, ice cream and soft drinks, and patrons could watch the screen while they ordered, or sit in the outdoor eating area.
While initially billed as a great evening outing for families, it quickly became THE spot for teens to go and many Waterdown residents have fond memories of hiding in the car trunk to get in, sneaking over the fence, or "making out" with that special someone. It provided jobs for many teens and the manager lived on site in housing under the huge screen.
But times change and the evolution of home systems, VCRs and video rentals, cable TV and colour televisions meant a decline in going out to watch a movie. The energy crisis of the 1970s also limited the use of gasoline and the cars became smaller – and not as comfortable to sit in for hours to watch a movie. Front bench seats became a thing of the past.
By the 1980s, inflation and the cost of land meant it was very expensive to run a Drive-in. Some theatres operated only on the weekends and showed X-rated movies to try to bring in viewers, but the writing was on the wall.
The last movie at the Clappison Drive-In was shown in October 1986. Cineplex-Odeon was looking to divest the company of the drive-in theatre operations and the lease lapsed at the end of 1986. In 1988, Marcel Mongeon, chief operating office of John Dydzak Enterprises, told the Hamilton Spectator that someone had expressed interest in re-opening the theatre but despite various plans to revitalize it, the theatre never reopened.
The property slowly decayed over the next few years, with people liberating various pieces of playground equipment and other bits of memorabilia – some with permission of the owner, some not! In October 1991 the buildings were demolished to clear the land for future development.
While there is renewed interest in Drive-In theatres, it is unlikely that that Waterdown will ever be home to one again.
Today, Clappison Avenue runs through the site and parking spaces at a medical centre and industrial plants are the only reason cars park there.
