Tuesday 4 August 2009

Ontario drive-ins

The author of a book on vanishing ways of Canadian life recently told a Toronto radio talk show host drive-in movie theatres are among the casualties.

She must have been from another province because Ontario is the drive-in theatre capital of Canada, with 26 active outdoor theatres across the province.

And one of them, the Mustang Drive-In in Picton, is owned by Paul Peterson, who became a Sun Family member with the purchase of Osprey Media in 2007.

He writes about movies in four Sun Media papers: County Weekly News in Picton; Kingston This Week; the Gananoque Reporter and the Napanee Guide.

Paul and his wife, Nancy, have been keeping Picton-area drive-in fans in summertime movies for more than 20 years. His comedic pre-movie banter adds to the entertainment.

The drive-in caters to all ages, from babies to grandparents and judging by the summer numbers, the two screens will be humming for years to come.

Drive-ins would have become extinct in Ontario if not for owners going the extra mile for movie fans. They have made a strong comeback in recent years for various reasons, including cost and convenience.

Print newspapers could be in the same transition. Predicted by some to be down for the count, they could remain viable if there are enough believers.

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