andrew king: aladdin drive-in remnant of bygone era in ottawa - projector

In old family cars, childhood summer memories usually revolve around a road trip, visiting a distant relative, or transporting tents and supplies to some remote camps.
As a child who grew up in his 1970 s and 80 s, I was excited about the prospect of packing our little Volkswagen Beetle and going on the road to unknown destinations.
Of course, another 1970-year-old childhood memory is to take the family car to a place under the stars, where magic unfolds through the windshield --the drive-
In the cinema
At the home of American chemical giant Richard hollinchide, the first drive was created on the driveway-
The theater opened in 1933 in a small town in New Jersey.
This new form of outdoor entertainment spread rapidly in the United States and Canada, reaching its peak in 1960s and 1950, when suburbs and restaurants were taking advantage of their fascination with cars.
First Drive in Ottawa-
In the theater that opened in 1949 with Britannia and the motor company.
The Sky eventually led to a total of six drives-
Theater in the whole city.
I'm sure a lot of us remember driving secretly-
In his teens, hide in the trunk of a friend's car, or lie under a folded blanket in your pajamas --down seat.
Or it could be the first date dad borrowed from Chrysler.
Whatever it is, the driver
The theater is part of the car culture and is no longer with us, and the viewer chooses the convenience of the large indoor cinema and our own home theater.
The first six Ottawa Boulevard
Ins, no now.
Almost all buildings have been converted into parking lots, suburban development projects or industrial parks.
There's a drive-
In the theater, however, it has not developed and is still a weedy land south of Ottawa.
Aladdin opens at Third Avenue Ottawa on 1951
In the theater behind Britannia and cars
Both cities are serving the growing suburbs of West Ottawa. The 500-
Aladdin is located in the south of Ottawa, near the Highland airport on the research Road, and then set off again.
Called Albion Road.
According to a citizen article in July 13, 1951, this new attraction is "the latest and best Drive in Canada --
"In the theater" has many amenities and is superior to other lanes in Ottawa --ins.
These features include Canada's first projector specifically designed for outdoor use, 60 more powerful than any other projector.
Of particular interest is "artificial moonlight lighting", which lights up the entire parking lot but does not affect the film so that people can easily travel to and from the franchise booth.
Aladdin was also "scientifically designed" to ease traffic congestion at the beginning and end of the movie, as well as food delivery services and a regulated playground.
Research on aerial images from 1965
76, you can find and identify all six Ottawa drives-ins.
Britannia, AutoSky, airport, StarTop and Queensway drive-
Ins are gone, Aladdin is the last on Ottawa Avenue --
The property remains relatively unchanged.
Today, at the original Aladdin site, the original entrance and exit gates are still on the Albion Road, leading to a field full of weeds.
Walking around the site, you can see what is now empty, with the stands and screens of the theater, but there are few other remains of this once-popular Ottawa destination.
The movie Aladdin treats Ottawa
For nearly 50 years until its lights finally darken in the middle1990s.
When the screen, the projection booth and the concession booth are all removed, the smell of popcorn and the sound of the window speakers are over.
Escape the growing Aladdin Avenue in Ottawa
In an era when a family car was our theater, restaurant, and even sometimes our romantic place, it was still a blank memory.