Page 11 - CinemaRecord #76C

Registered for 720 cars, Dundas Skyline
was one of the largest drive-ins and was
built on a 15-acre site at a cost of £200,000.
It consisted of 14 parallel ramps, each 40
ft. wide which curved across its width to
form parking positions for the cars – 30
in the front row, expanding to 50 in the
last row.
The main amenities building was located
There was a holding area at the rear of the in the centre of the field. This housed the
field capable of holding 450 cars for extra snack bar, projection room and toilets. There
sessions. The builders were McFadden was an open patio with tables and chairs for
and Clementsons. outdoor dining

Because the Dundas field was situated on An attractive neon sign with changeable
a fairly steep slope it was suggested that letters was located at the entrance in Park
the screen be located on the high side. It Road. A wide entrance avenue capable of
was felt that if it were on the low side, accommodating at least four lanes of cars
cars passing on busy Park Road might approached the office/ticket box located
stop, park and view the screen, thus some distance in, which held two ticket
creating traffic problems. sellers with two attendants serving the cars
on both sides.
The giant screen, built of solid concrete,
weighed some 156 tons. It measured From here the cars proceeded to the entrance
110ft in width (capable of coping with all to the field located on the left.
screen formats) and was 48ft in height,
mounted on steel trusses and could stand First call for patrons after selecting a suitable
wind up to 130-mph in velocity. speaker post was to visit either the snack bar
or maybe the separate barbeque area located
The surface was coated with a composition to the right of the screen which provided
similar to that sprayed onto guns and steaks up until screening times. Children of
armaments when warships are taken out of course made a bee-line for the playground!
commission, it also intensifies light.The
entire field area was paved with bitumen, At least four ramp attendants guided cars
a costly process, to ensure no dust or mud to the various parking ramps; all wore
on rainy occasions. John Roberts and white overalls, with white gators and a
Associates were the architects. red beret.The projection staff of two also
wore overalls and all snack-bar staff were
Beneath the screen was the children’s suitably attired. The milk-bar was located
playground, with swings and other on the opposite side of the main food
amusements, including a merry-go- preparation area.
round - and as an added attraction for the
children, two ponies were provided with Terrazzo paving was laid throughout the
an attendant to take children around an snack bar and toilet areas with black skirting
adjacent paddock. around the walls.

Candy-striped café and projection building.

CINEM AREC ORD 2012 11