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A second generation Westonâ€" lan born of Irish stock, 89â€"yearâ€" eld Tom Kavanaugh gave the Central Restaurant a call and inâ€" formed proprietor Lou Bunda that he clearly recalls the "old days" when a big glass of beer a foot high was five cents. When Local Option forced the hotels to close up their taverns, the drinkers were forced to visit hoâ€" tels in Thistletown or West Torâ€" entor or order a $1.25 keg of beer from Paddy Harris who opâ€" erated a horse and wagon delivâ€" ery service. Thoy mX Several weeks ago the Weston ‘Times asked if there was a man or woman alive who had bought a drink in Weston before the 60â€"year drought. At 12:01 noon Friday, April 19, the Central Resâ€" taurant Tavern will offiâ€" cially open the first licenâ€" ced bar after a dry spell that lasted more than half a century. In 1908, the three hotels in the Town of Weston, tral and Burk‘s, were closed by Local Option when "Wets" because there was too much drinking going grand population of 400 men, women and children. Tom Kavanaugh, 89, had last draught before Local Option 1010 Weston Rd. PE y SERVING THE AREA FOR 65 YEARs ’.uâ€"mwmourmsâ€"mnay,mn. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW CENTRAL RESTAURANT TAVERN 602 King St. W., Toronte PEOPLES PRODUCE CO. LTD. TORONTO Best Wishes To The Central 1 M‘“‘ Delivered Daily For Your Enjoyment Congratulations to management and staff of the new Central Restaurant. Best Wishes To The Central RESTAURANT & HOTEL SUPPLIES LTD. Enjoy all your SALADA tea breaks at the new CENTRAL RESTAURANT TAVERN C. H. WiILES & soNs Good Luck SUPERIOR MAYPOLE CENTRAL CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW DAIRY LTD. 694â€"3484 ENJOY ICE CREAM OFTEN ! 60â€"Year Dry Spell Ends 12.01 Noon Fri. April 19 FROM WESTON BECOMES "MOIST" 1140 Dupont St. WHOLESALE GROCERS picks you up and never lets you down." HOT To Tthg Valley View Dairy FROM FROM FROM _ Mr. Kavanaugh recalls that the drys won in 1908 because of the occasional brawl in front of the Gentral Hotel and because the ! wets were too lazy to get out and vote to protect the status quo. "Sometimes it was more than your life was worth to walk through town when the Brampâ€" ton or Orangeville bunch came into town to play lacrosse. There was many a fight 1 watched and many a fight I kept away from on the streets." LADIES DIDN‘T DRINK Women were never seen in the pubs in those days â€" they were a refuge for the men. The last "legal drimk" Mr. Kavanaugh DRYS & WETS WIN In 1966, after the third or fourth vote in 58 years, two parts of a fourâ€"part ballot eeked out the necessary 60 per cent maâ€" jority _ authorizing _ government controlled beer and liquor stores and tavern dining lounges. By Just a few votes however. townsâ€" people rejected â€" beer parlours and cocktail bars. SALADA 363â€"5761 FRESH MILK FROM WONDER ; BAKERIES 462 Eastern Ave Toronte 534â€"6308 769â€"1175 TEA the Eagle House, the Cenâ€" the *"Drys" won over the on in a community with a Metro government has receivâ€" ed a builder‘s proposal for a $2,550,000 low rental apartment project for elderly citizens which would be located on a three acre site on the west side of Keele St. in North York north of Shep: pard Ave. The proposal by Nortanne Conâ€" struction Ltd. would provide 240 apartment suites and will include a recreation area off from the central lobby. A Central Mortâ€" gage and Housing Corporation 50â€"year mortgage for $2â€"million would finance the bulk of the project with the province proâ€" viding a $120,000 grant and Metâ€" ro a 50â€"year $430.000 loan. The proposal is being studied by Metro officials . Mr. Kavanaugh clearly recolâ€" lects the owners of the three hotels. John Eagle built and owned the Eagle House shortly before Confederation. He died in the early 1900‘s. James Little (no relation to Bob Little of Little Bros. Weston Ltd.) owned the Central and Burk‘s Hotel was owned and operated by John Burk. In those days there were only a few industries ‘hat provided jobs. There was the Willoughby Woollen Mills behind* Wilby Cres. by the Humber River, Cruickshank _ Carriage _ Works, Wadsworth Flour Mill near St. Phillip‘s Rd. bridge and Ed May‘s saw mill at Elm and King Streets. MARRIED IN 1912 Mr. Kavanaugh and his wife were married. June 25. 1912 in ever had was at Burk‘s Hotel (later renamed the Shamrock) which is situated at the "upper end" of town. It will be torn down in a month or two to make way for new St. Phillip‘s bridge over the Humber River between Weston and Etobicoke. The sinâ€" gleâ€"lane horseâ€"andâ€"buggy bridge presently spanning the river simâ€" ply isn‘t capable of coping with modern traffic conditions. GOING, GOING . . .. The Eagle House (Weston Rd. and Lawrence Ave.) will be torn down later this year to make way for a 25â€"storey apartment tower. and commercial complex and the Central, which sat where the present Steinberg‘s grocery store now stands, was demolishâ€" ed years ago. Builder offers to erect 240 low rent suites Official Opening ' of their New Dining Lounge Chreston Wholesale Ltd. BONDA FAMILY 1559 Keele St Best wishes to all of you at the Central from all of us at . . . 21 ESSEX $T DOES IT LIKE ... CANADA PACKERS LTD. All NOTHING CENTRAL RESTAURANT TAVERN SERVING YOU, FOR YOUR PATRONS THE CgOKFST OF MEATS SINCE YOUR FIR&T OPENING IN 1932 SEVEN UP ONT LTD to the Management and Staff of the the best wishes to the Toronte FROM The Kavanaughs‘ family . of three children and six grandchil dren are all within blocks of their 212 Wright Ave. home opâ€" posite the Moffat Plant. Leo Kaâ€" vanaugh is on Queenslea. Mrs. Loretta Jones resides on Gratâ€" tan St. and Mrs. Gordon MeFadâ€" den lives on Queens Dr Mr. Kavanaugh boasted that he rarely missed a trick or any of the significant news during all his years in Weston. Why back in 1888 he recalls when George Kennedy from the ‘lower end‘ of town came to a council meeting and. pulling a picce of wire out of his pocket. told the reeve _ and _ four councilment: In his early years. Mr. Kavan augh worked in the old woollen mill. Later he worked on the CNR section out of West Torâ€" onto and his last job before reâ€" tirement at 85 was as a grader, packer and bailer at the Canaâ€" dian Corporated Wool Growers on Jane St. FAMILY LIVES IN WEsTON the former St. John‘s Roman Catholi¢e Church, The couple enâ€" joy excellent health and attend Mass every Sunday at St. Berâ€" nard‘s Church on Lawrence Ave. near Jane St. Tom‘s father was born on a farm at Lawrence and the third concession of York which is now Lawrence and Dufâ€" [eriny\\here the present Qnroy Hotel is located. IT‘S BEEN A LONG be the Central‘s first tomorrow (April 19) after the old Central Local Option in 1908 tral‘s partners. TORONTO TIME BETWEEN DRINKS: customer to purchase a drink when the ribbon is cut at noon. Yesterday he inspected Weston‘s first tavern Burks and the Eagle House hotels were closed by Behind the bar is Tom Bunda, one of "new" (Cenâ€" Pinafore and the Pirates of Penâ€" zance at Westminster. 1959, Her hobby? Collecting costumes and stage props. Her sister, Mrs. Connie Singleâ€" ton, also helped produce a few let and others, as well as interâ€"| Bruce Chapman, Wadsworth mission entertainment. Blvd., Weston, is a teacher at The church choir, sponsors of|Tumpane St. public school in the event, would like the three|North York. He joined the producers to step forward and|church choir in 1959 and is a take a public bow newcomer to Happy Harmonies. Miss Florence Shaw, William|Over the past five vears he has St.. Weston. is a legal secretary | produced _ oneâ€"aâ€"year operettas who works in a Bay St. office.|with his school choirs. and pre Her flare for musical presentaâ€"|sented two musical evenings for tions include a production of the | parents and friends of the stie skating carnival at Weston Arena: / dents. stage seltings for Portraits of the Mr. Chapman. conductor of the Past (a centenmial fashion show. / Junior Choir at Westminster. din project of Richview Women‘s In ;P('IPd this season‘s Happy Har stitute. 1967); Happy Harmonies ; monies. from the beginning. 1949â€"1957.| Tickets may be purchased from with costumes and stage pmper-lchoir members or at the door (69 ties. and Gilbert & Sullivan‘s HMS | William St.) the night of the nerâ€" Miss Florence Shaw, William St.. Weston. is a legal secretary who works in a Bay St. office. Her flare for musical presenta tions include a production of the skating carnival at Weston Arena: Old Red Barn: Dance Contrasts: Gilbert & Sullivan Revue: ‘Tale of Three Cities; Duck Pond Balâ€" let and others, as well as interâ€" mission entertainment. The church choir, sponsors of the event, would like the three producers to step forward and take a public bow Producers Betty McMaster, Floâ€" rence Shaw and Bruce Chapman offer the same spectacular sets and solid musicianship as in the previous two . performances. a month ago: The fun starls at 8:30 p.m. when the lights go down and the curtains part on a fastâ€"paced festiâ€" val of frivolous frolics Back by popular demand! That‘s the story behind the encore perâ€" formance of Happy Harmonies at Westminster United Church, Wesâ€" ton, to take place Friday, April 26. "Everyone‘ including â€" myself thought Mr. Kennedy was crazy at the time," said Mr. Kavanaugh, "but the town was wired for elecâ€" "Someday, this will light you all up." Westminster music festival is back by popular demand 67 Tobermory Dr., Downsview 1770 Albion Road ON YOUR NEW OUTLOOK FROM ALBION GLASS LTD. By . . . GORDON CLARK NEON C j\ @j\ JOHN 5. VARTY Central Restaurant Tavern 749â€"2777 2. . AND A NEW SIGN IN WESTON! May your grand opening join 36 years of past friendâ€" ships to 36 years and more in the future. Tom Kavanaugh, 89. will For further information call the church office at 241â€"3261 beâ€" tween 9 a.m. and 12 noon. or Mrs. A. J. Chapman, 2415594 during the day. Tickets may be purchased from | choir members or at the door (69 | William St.) the night of the perâ€" I’ formance. Miss â€" Betty â€"McMaster, Fenn Ave., Willowdale. is an estate acâ€" countant in a Torontoâ€"Dominion Centre office. As chief soloist in the church choir. she has been associated with all versions of Happy Harmonies. and has played the lead in a number of Westâ€" minsters Gilbert & Sullivan operâ€" etfas. Miss McMaster has also won several medals in South Peel Kiwanis music festival competi tions This season‘s production of Happy Harmonies is her first coâ€" producing effort. season‘s worth of Happy Harmonâ€" ies and plans to return from Panâ€" ama in time for the April 26 extravaganza. tric light in about 1904." What will Mr. Kavanaugh‘s first drink bought legitimately after 60 years be? "I don‘t know yet, I‘ll have to see what the new "Central" has to offer." 249â€"0338 LOOK a: Westen 633â€"5866 ELECTRIC LTD 229 Bridgland Ave. To the new 111 Gerrard St. East ©® MENUS © PLACE MATS Before the interview ended, Tom Bundas had the last word. "Tell those that voted ‘no‘ on the liquor plebiscite that we want to get along with them will you? We still sell coffee and good food in the main restaurant." Donna believes that it is no coincidence that the Central would expand and eventually acquire a dining lounge licence. The restaurant was remodelled for $10,000 in 1936, again in 1948, and in 1958 when $50,000 was spent. Leasing dress shop next door and renovating it as a dining lounge entailed a $60.000 investment. Another member of the family. Pando Bunda. an uncle. is also associated with the business. Al Papayanis. who the Bundas claim can prepare the best spread in town has been the cook at Central for the past 25 years. Donna says the family, particularly the parents, would work from six in the morning until one the next morning. "Work was all they knew and the only way to make ends meet during the depression," she said. Why are so many Macedonians restauranteurs? In the early days, they weren‘t skilled or educated enough to do anything e‘se, said Mrs. Donna Adams. Besides that they were and still are independent people who like to be their own bosses. And like the Chinese, they get tired washing someone elses dishes when they could start their own business and wash their own dishes. Steve Bunda, who passed away May 1960, was the first of the family to immigrate to Canada. He worked in a restaurant at St. Clair and Silverthorne in 1926, a few years later brought over his family and purchased the Central which is on the west side of Weston Rd., north of Lawrence Ave. He was in partners with brother Chris until 1955 when Chris Bunda retived‘ The Bundas, like the owners of the other four largest restaurants in Weston are Macedonianâ€"Greeks. The brothers and sisters who all got their high school education at Weston Collegiate Institute, were taught by their father Steve how to run a restaurant at an early age. "There was one thing about it,‘ said Tom this week, "We kids never had to Iook for a summer job â€" it was always there waiting for us. Weekends and after school, the four brothers and sisters all worked for their parents at the Central Restaurant too. She doesn‘t believe that plebiscite permitting government liquor and beer stores and licenced dining lounges will result in any increase in drunkenness. "I remember Toronto Juneâ€" tion a few years ago when it was the dryest place around. I saw more drunks stumbling around down there than I have ever seen before. Those that wanted to booze got it one way or another. Recalling the 1966 liquor plebiscite, Donna said a few words about those who fought so hard to keep Weston dry. In the old days, Westonians did not want taverns and dining lqounges and so the town had none. But as the population increased with many new citizens coming from Europe, Weston grew up and things just had to change as can be seen by comparing the local skyline to what it was 10 years ago. A Weston restaurant that was purchased durin the early years of the Great Depression (1982{ for $1,500 will open its plush dining room lounge at noon tomorrow marking the first time in 60 years that an Ontario licence has been issued to sell wine, beer and spirits in town. _ _ 15 A family of five own and operate the Central Restaurant (and now Tavern), the mother Mrs. Anne Bunda who is president, brothers Tom and Low who are partners and sisters Mrs. Donna Adams and Mrs. Vicki Marshall who Donna calls "the pushers." CENTRAL RESTAURANT TAVERN ART PRINTING CO. Ham on a Kaiser . . . Cheese on a Kaiser Bacon and Tomato on a Kaiser A They‘ll all good on Kaisers from ST. LAWRENCE FISH MKT. LIMITED Market St. Tore wishing you many future years of success. DOWNTOWN . = and Fresh Deliveries Fresh Caught BEST WISHES TO THE NEW CENTRAL CENTRAL to the new Central started on a shoe string from the FOR PIE AND PIE CRUST FROM Toronto 270 Parliament St CENTRAL RESTAURANT TAVERN Home Bread Bakery Ltd. That‘s A Treat To Eat .. Enjoy Them Daily MAPLE LEAF LINEN SUPPLY CO. CONGRATULATIONS ©244â€"4224 All the best to all of you at the Central ! Best Wishes from HONEYCRUST PIE CO. LTD 7 Parnell Ave 1247 Lawrence Ave. W. CENTRAL to the new from 781â€"5677 at Scarbore Toronte