The North Sydney Forum passes into history now the ghost of Reg Allen will certainly have to find a new haunt. Its a modern oxymoron to state that change is the new constant. Living in these uncertain times there is sometimes an urge for some of us to consider changes, big or small, for no other reason then to move on to something else, something new. Of course, sometimes there is a necessity that has to be fulfilled by something more efficient, not so expensive to maintain. That was the case with the shutting down of the old forum on Pierce Street. It had served its purpose through the years and survived in hard times by the kindness of strangers, but in this age of balance sheets, operating budgets, tax write-offs there is no room for sentimentality. Cut, chop, whatever the catch phrase: the Allen family legacy has passed into history with no visual reminders; in years to come that location will be just an over grown weeded parking lot where something special once stood. Im embarrassed to admit that before I came to play music in North Sydney in 1965, I didnt know there was such a place as the North Sydney Forum even though it was the center for hockey and other winter activities on the Northside and surrounding area for many decades. The first few months I hung out in town while playing at the Kincenter, I did notice the strange looking building at the end of Pierce Street and Ike might have mentioned the band played there during Donnie Dolomonts tenure as bass player. But an eventful summer was approaching for me personally: I was graduating High School, it was my first summer of freedom, and I had a new “Old” car. This would be a summer I would always look back on as being pivotal for the rest of my life. That spring, Sam mentioned many times that the band would be playing at the forum all summer until the fall or it got too cold. So it was with a certain amount of trepidation that I awaited the dances at the forum to start. Sam finally gave us the first date the second Saturday in July. I was anxious to see what the interior of the forum looked like, even before we played that night. I drove up to the front of the building just after lunch and noticed all the doors were open. I left the car and walked in the old gray building and stood in the middle of the floor that served as the base for the ice surface. Gazing up to the rafters some 50 ft above me, I was suddenly brought back to the present by a booming voice. “Hey, what the hell are you doing in here. Get out now!” I looked up in the side bleachers to see where the voice came from; it was an old man with a brown fedora wearing a heavy knit cardigan . I answered, “Im in the band thats playing here tonight. I just wanted to see what the place looked like.” The older man walked down on the floor where I was standing, “Im not telling you again...get moving! In case youre too stupid to notice, it isnt tonight yet.” We stood toe to toe and I was going to talk back to him but for some reason just turned and walked away back to my car. I was fuming but I didnt know who he was and didnt want to stir up any trouble. That night , my stomach filled to capacity with butterflies, I arrived at the forum at 7:00PM. Walking inside I was first met by Sam Scott who was in a terrible state. “Reg canceled the dance. No notice no nothing just told me to get my shit out of here. He said he had a fight with one of the band guys this afternoon.” I asked the obvious question, for me anyway, “Who the f*#k is Reg?” Sam looked at me as if I just landed from outer-space, “Reg Allen, he runs the place for the Allen Family. He said one of you guys got lippy with him.” I turned red; I knew it was me so explained to Sam what had happened. Just at that moment Jimmy Hiscott arrived, “Jesus, Sam. Theres people lined up out side. You got someone collecting money?” Sam told Jimmy the story and I told Jimmy that I wandered in to see the inside of the forum and my altercation with this Reg Allen. Jimmy said that Sam should just tell Reg it was an innocent case where Gary didnt know who Reg was.” Sam went back to the ticket office and was gone for about 10 minutes and he came back to where we were standing. He wiped his brow with his red hanky. “Its OK. We can get started.” I went to the car and got my guitar. As I was walking in Reg Allen was standing in the doorway. I really was determined not to antagonize him again tonight. He stopped me with Sam hovering in the background. He said with the faintest of smiles, “So youre a Phillipo from Westmount? You would be Joey Phillipos relative. Great guy Joey; works for me at the farm and the Icehouse. Ill say his nephew was working for us at the forum.” Sam followed me to the stage area. He looked around to make sure we were alone and said, “I kissed his ass for almost 2 hours tonight because you caused a ruckus and then he ends up liking you and still treats me like the hired lackey. I cant believe it, cant believe it.” Sam turned away and returned to the entrance, I looked up at the 10 foot stage and noticed the butterflies had returned. This place looked big, real big.
Posted on: Mon, 29 Dec 2014 01:44:59 +0000
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