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The Thornhill Cruisers Car Club Inc. was started in the spring of
1994 by a group of guys with modified cars who hung out at Mike
Hosking's engine rebuilding and racing shop. This group was
made up of Gord Maxey, with a 1923 T-bucket with 350 Chev. power;
Dave McNally driving a 1933 Chev. 3-window coupe with 350 Chev. power;
Mike Hosking and his much modified 1948 Thames panel truck with a 383
small-block Chev. in it; and Nate Salter, with his1933 Plymouth with
a Hosking-built 340 Mopar motor under the hood. We all commiserated
about the fact that we had to travel many miles to participate in
cruise nights, and we knew that there were lots of similar minded
people in the Thornhill/Richmond Hill area of Toronto who would most
likely be interested in a local event. Taking a page from the
old Andy Hardy movies, we said, "Let's have our own cruise
night here at the Thornhill Community Center."
The original plan was to have an event on the first Monday of
every month; and we got the word out to all our friends that it was
going to happen on Victoria Day [May 24th], which is a civic holiday
Monday here in the great frozen north. On that first day we
were encouraged when 35 cars showed up in the parking lot; and with
the excitement generated that afternoon, the decision was made to do
it on a weekly basis.
From that humble beginning, as the weeks progressed, our
attendance steadily climbed; and by the end of the 1994 summer we
would see upwards of 100 cars in the lot. Our attendees included
everything from the coolest of street rods, the wildest of customs,
to restored and original cars and just about anything else out of
the ordinary you could think of. That was the basis we used to
arrive at the entrance rules: "If it's your special set of
wheels and you love it, come on in and join us." |
As the years went by, the cruise night continued to grow; and then
we started something else that has become a tradition, now we kick
of f each season on Victoria Day, by asking each participant to
bring a can of food or other non-perishable food item as admission,
with the object of breaking the rear springs on Nate Salter's Ram
pickup. Thanks to the over 200 who attend the opening event,
we not only fill the back of the truck, but are able to make a
sizeable donation to the local food bank. To repay the
generous crowd, we have a live band playing some of those great old
tunes from the 50's and 60's.
By the 10th season, 2003, the Cruises kept getting better.
But towards the end of that season we got devastating news. We
would no longer be able to use the parking lot at the community
center because condominiums were going to be built there. With
everyone scrambling and a lot of effort by some members we were
introduced to Bayview Glen Church, after explaining to them what we
our about, they agreed to let us hold our cruise nights there. This
relationship has been better than we could ever have hoped for. The
folks at the church have added so much more to our cruise nights.
With their Higher Ground Grill doing the catering, folks can still
have their traditional burger or sausage, but for those watching
their waist line, chicken salads are now offered, along with ice
cream on the hot nights and coffee for those evenings that are not
so warm. We now have a beautiful location with trees for shade and
grass to sit and relax on. In 2005 our 50/50 draw (proceeds of
which go to our Participation House project) raised a record amount,
despite the weather not being terribly co-operative, so yes, we are
still getting better. In the second season at our new location we
now offering more family fun than ever. Why not come down and check
us out, remember there is no charge for cars or spectators.
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