Radio beer joint to award winning cocktail lounge.

[Victoriaradio]

Greetings from sleepy Victoria. The basement of the Hotel Douglas now crawling with spiders and long ago discarded Ruby Master's notes of reprimand, and bits of mikes and tubes and teletypes - all under the brand of the once mighty CKDA is hidden. BUT just above the old studios in this now fashionable hotel (Rialto) is a cocktail emporium that wins awards for its purveyors . There's also a very fine restaurant (Venito). $$$. BUT it used to be the watering hole for CKDA, just 25 steps and 45 seconds from the master control room. Hey - things change - (designer beer and single malt scotch where some famous jocks had their "coffee" breaks on the hour on the dark, damp towel- covered tables) even in our sleepy town of Victoria!

[Paul P]

Is there a story behind this commercial? The poster talks about awards, but then fails to mention any.
And how does he know the basement is crawling with spiders if it's hidden? And I want to know why it is hidden?
CKDA was a great brand!
C'mon, be a reporter and tell us the whole story please!

[Destro]

Another fun fact about the Veneto Lounge: I DJ there on Friday nights! Lots of oldies too friends, so drink there more. (In fact, I program all the canned music too)

AND, Bartender Josh recently won the "Best Bartender in the Pacific Northwest" Award at Art of the Cocktail. All the bartenders are routinely used in local papers when they get to talking about cocktails or booze.

[Dan Sys]

I must be getting old, but I remember the Douglas Hotel Pub as being one gigantic beer hall with the red terry cloth tables and the waiters in their white shirts (with bow ties) asking "what'll it be Mac?".

[Anotherwpgguy]

The Douglas Hotel .... now that brings back a few memories .... having a few brewskis with my room mate John Gryde before driving back to Brentwood Bay, long, long-term dating the lovely copy writer Charmaine, cutting my grass on New Years day just because I could. Flying a deHaviland Beaver on floats for Victoria Flying Services, working part-time at CKDA for the fun of maintaining contact with the business after a great run of 5 years cumulative at CKVN/CFUN .... wonderful times.

AWG

[kat]

long, long-term dating the lovely copy writer Charmaine

Is this the politically correct way of saying Charmaine was your main squeeze?

[tkd]

brings back lots of memories.....what happened to ..doug fletcher...ron chapman...des kearney...hart kirsch....roger harmston....bud mesher....bill pike...etc etc. I made those 25 steps many times.

[Anotherwpgguy]

long, long-term dating the lovely copy writer Charmaine

Is this the politically correct way of saying Charmaine was your main squeeze?

Indeed Kat, .... indeed. She really knocked me out .... speaking figuratively of course.

AWG

[hagopian]

I watched Bobby Orr score the "winner" in the Stanley Cup, 1970, at the Bar at the Douglas.
Enjoyed the company of the morning man, whose name, sadly, escapes me.

Opping at CKDA. (*Boy was I green - also was still at UVic Radio)

I got to work at CFMS for one Shift (Christmas - and I screwed it all up).

Wonderful memories of one of Radio's true sweet people, news Director - Art Simmonds.

I would go shoot pool, around the corner and down the stairs.

Ah, youth.

Ruby Masters, now there was a piece of work.

[Paul P]

Thanks to all that have added to this. I had no idea of the history there!!

[Charmb]

Well....I remember the upstairs, where they kept my brand of imported Russian vodka in the fridge, and it was a lounge. Hmm. That was the early 70's, with Gordie Tupper, et al working there. From op to Asst. Music Director, Creative Director, and more. It was a great lot of fun and learning! And Ruby was unique and much more than seen by us. Seems to me that I replaced a famous jock on the all nighters when I began my 5 year sojourn there. There are a few of us scattered across the country with CKDA roots...many continued in broadcasting (me included), or on to related careers. And heah, being prize girl, covering the stock car races...I had some very unique experiences and opportunities as a girl in the 70's in a MOR turned Top 40 radio station!!! Hiya Charlie, Skip and Milt if you are out there...just too darn many names! Gotta love it when I see Gord Tupper on TV nowadays. Sad that the old girl had to close.

Now here's real irony. I now live in Prince Albert Saskatchewan, and worked for Rawlco for a number of years...and Mr. Armstrong use to work at CKBI, the first of the Rawlco stations, as a salesman. Would imagine that was in the 50's if my memory of the late Frank Rawlinson's comments on him are right. And the Rawlco story is another great one, that is still continuing. I personally am now out of radio and on to other things...Managing a company here, plus am a professional appraiser, creative writer and well involved in the equestrian community provincially and nationally. Gotta love volunteering!

Hope some other CKDA'ers see this thread and hop on. Thanks for the compliments from our one poster. And funnier yet, when I was at the Warmblood Fall Classic Sale in Alberta 3 years ago, one of the trainers that now is in Alberta, apparently was a big CKDA fan as a teenager and remembered me well! It's kinda scary when I go there now...as the buzz is on, and I also announce horseshows....and find a few Victoria or lower mainland people who remember CKDA. Small, small world. And I also worked at CFUN...after leaving CKDA...another great team at the time. Chuck McCoy...where are you...and Vince Cownden??? How about Jeff Fidler???

Take care enjoy the air,
Charm

[Anotherwpgguy]

Charmer ... Vince, Chuck, and Jeff are all available on Facebook.

Excellent to see you add the background info to the thread.

AWG