She sure was grand!
When the Brookdale Park Inn opened in June 1964, its arrival in the downtown scene was much anticipated. In a town trying to break somewhat free of its quaint market town vibe, this forward-thinking show piece designed locally by Paul Heskamp was very hip and modern at the time.
The lot on the north side of Dunlop Street West, across from the old Barrie Arena, had already been a source of great community interest for a number of years. The Stewart family ran a little private zoo, complete with bears named Sweetyface and Sugar Lips, raccoons, a monkey and assorted deer.
The Stewarts proudly opened their new 28-unit motel with an open house on Saturday, June 27.
‘Modern’ was the buzz word. All the latest mid-century motor hotels were beginning to offer kitchenettes, pull-out chesterfield beds, private bathrooms and snack services. The Brookdale boasted these and more.
Guests could enjoy billiards in the games room, take a dip in the heated kidney shaped swimming pool or make use of the picnic and barbecue area outside. Travelling salesman had been considered, too. A dedicated sample and show room with meeting space had been built just for them. Their suites were conveniently situated nearby.
The unique exterior décor still stands out today. The stonework on the outer walls was known as feather rock, an ultra lightweight lava rock specially imported from California.
As showy as the Brookdale was on opening day, the Stewarts excitedly shared some very lofty future plans with visitors. A second wing was already being designed, and the pool was expected to be enclosed in glass for year-round swimming, but a rather space age sounding dance hall was in the works as well.
Mr. Heskamp had dreamed up an aerial dance hall for 300 people with a glass dance floor, only the second of its kind in the world, to be placed over a fountain, and to include a multi-coloured, oval-shaped cocktail bar.
In 1965, the Stewart family applied for a liquor license for their dining lounge and also applied for their planned expansion.
The following year, more big plans were announced in the way of enclosing the swimming pool in a glass dome resembling Noah’s Ark, building a large cocktail lounge, a 250-seat convention hall and a 100-seat dining hall.
In those swinging 60s years, the newly minted Brookdale Park Inn was certainly a destination of choice for tourists and local folks alike. It was a place with class you might say, with live music, dancing, smorgasbord buffets, roast beef dinners for $1.25, civic club meetings of every stripe and the occasional mass baptism in the in-ground pool.
Each week, the Barrie Historical Archive provides BarrieToday readers with a glimpse of the city’s past. This unique column features photos and stories from years gone by and is sure to appeal to the historian in each of us.
