Memories live on
Folks reflect on Main Street ‘Pond’ location after Bible Hill building comes down
Piece by piece, a building which contained countless memories came down late last week..
From moments of comedy to music, game celebrations and drowning of sorrows, first-time meetings and get togethers after years apart, and so many more; such are the nostalgic recollections held by patrons of the former Pond Classic Grill location on Main Street in Bible Hill.
In many earlier years, the iconic site was known as the Ponderosa Tavern, fondly referred to as simply "the Pond".
“I had my first legal beer there when I turned 21, back in 1965,” wrote Bill Withers, one of numerous people who commented on Facebook, including some that were shared with the Truro News, after seeing a picture of the gutted building being demolished.
Withers also recalled the Hub Beverages pop company also being tenants of the building in the lower, rear portion of the building in its early days.
“Back then it was men only allowed … times sure have changed for the better,” he said.
The establishment opened July 22, 1963 under ownership of the late Harold Bates, a local businessman who constructed the tavern over his existing Hub Beverages operation. The Bible Hill Free Press at the time trumpeted the arrival of this much anticipated - and appreciated - establishment on its July 17, 1963 front page.
“This is the first public tavern in the Truro-bible Hill area in a long time and the only one in Colchester County,” the article said.
Janice Terry recalled a similar setup where there was a women’s section out back, separated from the men out front.
“The men could come back to the women’s section but not vice versa,” she said.
Beverly Peterson said she wasn’t one to go to bars, but accompanied a friend who really “needed” a beer and to talk.
“She told me you have to order food, so I ate the sandwich while she drank the beer,” Peterson said.
Jim Peterson remembers the Pond being part of a routine for he and his cheese factory co-workers in the early '70s.
“We got paid on Tuesdays and around seven of us would go to the Pond for supper, consume several pitchers of beer and play shuffleboard,” he said. “Great place.”
Derek Crowell noted the Pond hosting the Jamie Shephard Memorial event each Boxing Day which, quickly became an unofficial holiday reunion.
“It was always a highlight of going home for Christmas and reuniting with old friends,” he said.
A couple of former Nova Scotia Agriculture College (now Dal AC) students chimed in, their old school being a close neighbour to the building.
“When I was a student at the NSAC, Thursday night was meatloaf night at the cafeteria, so a bunch of us would always go to the Pond for a steak dinner,” non-meatloaf fan Glen Sampson said.
“The Pond was one of the places the ‘aggies’ used to party at,” Nicole Morrison said. “We went to have fun and relax from the NSAC.”
“I held the title of limbo queen one summer, ’92 or ’93. I’m pretty sure none of my memories should be in print,” joked Karyn Mackinnon Schmitt. “A place that is definitely missed.”
Brian Hayden also shared a summer memory.
“I recall playing beach volleyball around the back at least one summer, as odd as that sounds,” he said.
It’s a Christmas Eve memory Blair Terry Weber reflected on.
“Listening to Garrett Mason, I went every year until I had children,” she said. “I went with close friends and family but also saw people I didn’t any other time of the year. It was nice because it brought many generations together, those of us who had grown up with Garrett and those who had grown up listening to Dutch Mason."
Mike Macdonald described it as the 'Bible Hill boys' meeting place.'
“We enjoyed a lot of crazy times in the back room over the years; knew every waiter very well, and Marshall, Big Al, and owners Peter and George were the best,” he said. “If you didn’t get there at supper time on a Friday night, you might not get in … it would be a packed house.”
Christina Bonnell had the image of the long wooden tables, lined up the middle with pitchers of beer.
“Do I ever want a draft right now,” she quipped.
Colchester County Coun. Wade Parker, who represents Bible Hill and Valley, described the now departed building as a Bible Hill “icon.” “I hate to see it go,” he said. “My grandfather was a farmer and I used to go over to the cattle market with him, and they all went there. Back then, around dinner time, it was full of farmers,” Parker said, adding he played hockey for Ponderosa Tavern-sponsored teams.
Terry Cullen talked about a few celebrities he remembers.
“Doug and the Slugs and wrestling’s Wayne ‘Mad Dog’ Macdonald were a couple of my highlights. And no, I didn’t get a ‘W’ in my wrestling debut … (my) short career,” he kidded.
The building was demolished by the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal, which purchased the site in 2019 as one of a number of property acquisitions in the immediate area for potential use as a proposed long-term plan to construct a round-about at the end of Pictou Road.