They Said Come Dancing...My Sister Always Did.

I was driving (on the Neck) when a song by the 'Kinks' came on the radio. 'Come Dancing' was a hit for them in 1983. As I was listening to the lyrics I was reminded of West Island. I'm sure some people would think that i can make a relation between any subject and West Island, but I think this one hit the mark.



Back in the 1960's I remember the Community House at the top of the Hill on Causeway road looking a little different that it does today. First of all there was a telephone booth at the front of the building. Younger readers may have heard of, but never seen one. They were glass and aluminum and just large enough to take temporary in refuge during a rain storm. Of course there were times when we tried to fit as many people as we could in one.

The entry was different then too. There was no vestibule as there is now, there was an alcove we called the 'Way'. That was a good spot to huddle into during a windy or rainy day or just when we couldn't decide what to do next. As for the inside of the building, sparse is the word that comes to mind. There were bare rafters above and a bare concrete floor below. On certain nights when nothing was going on teenagers were permitted to use the hall for playing records and dancing. Everybody would grab their LP's and 45's and head up to the Hill and get together.

I was only about 8 or 9 but since the only was my sister could get out of the house on a school night was to drag me along. And so I went. Since I was less that 4 feet tall then, Roberta Snook, the tallest girl there would pick me up in her arms and dance with me. For the boys of the day one of the definitions of being 'cool' was to be able to play 'Wipeout' , with or with out a drum set. Pencils and hands were good enough, if you were good enough. Check that out here. I can't remember what the girls were doing to be cool, I was too busy trying to emulate the big guys, Dave Viera, Kevin Gilchrist and Sparky Barnett to name a few. My sister once manged to somehow talk my parents into having a party at my parents house featuring a live band! Quite a memorable event, indeed. Must have been her birthday. I do remember getting on the drum kit the next morning trying my hand at the skins. That may have been why there was never another live band at one of my sisters parties.

In later years I remember Kevin Gilchrist playing his folk guitar in front of the store and at least once an extension cord was run out for electric guitars.

Very laid back and fun days. Hmmm, now where did I put that box of pencils?