Farewell HOzone
I’m totally late on this but it wasn’t until we actually drove down the King George about a week ago that I discovered that the Ozone Nightclub (and consequently, Delanie’s Show Lounge) have been razed. Now it’s nothing but a big gaping hole (no… pun… intended…)
While we were having a drink with J.J. from the Canucks Hockey Blog last night he and I talked about the ‘old days’ in Surrey. Oddly enough, 3 of 5 hosts of The Crazy Canucks Podcast grew up in Surrey, but I digress. This summer the city went through with plans to develop 7300 King George Highway and the Newton Inn, show lounge and club were no longer the right fit for the neighbourhood.
(Photo is property of DragonsMaw on Flickr)
As reported last year:
A Surrey landmark of sorts will soon move from strippers to strip mall… City council gave preliminary approval Monday to a proposal that would see the Newton Inn give way to a shopping centre anchored by Save-On-Foods. The redevelopment of the 2.5-hectare (6-acre) site on King George Highway near 72nd Avenue would see the hotel, Delanie’s Pub and the Ozone nightclub demolished [SurreyNow]
I think to get into the Ozone you had to be between 16 and 18 years old. Cheap high balls, strip club ‘exotic show lounge’ next door, dirty (and I mean dirty) acts on the dancefloor being encouraged by the DJ oh yes, it was quite the place.
You’d often hear about our favourite Canuck bad-boy, Gino Odjick getting in trouble outside the Ozone on a Saturday night. In recent years, the club attempted to become a venue for music acts in the heart of Surrey, hosting concerts from Bif Naked to Skid Row. Meanwhile the ‘lounge’ next door hosted the likes of Ron Jeremy and the Guinness World Record holder for the largest breast implants.
It was always a high school reunion on the dance floor and by the time that 20th shard of glass from the swampy sticky carpet made it into your shoe you’d remember why this was the place to go before you knew any better.
Even though I’m so late on the news, this allowed me (and any readers) to reminisce about creepy, sketchy, sleazy, stabby, shooty times at the club. Hey, at least it wasn’t pretentious and didn’t have drinks that would cost as much as a Yaletown mortgage. I just hope Maxi Mounds was able to find a new home.
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December 5th, 2006 at 12:52 pm
I’m pretty sure I only went there once after turning 19.. at that point was there really a reason to go there? Although we did always have a good time and man those were cheap drinks. A night there was always followed by a trip thru the Burger Drive thru on KG because, at the time it was the only drive thru open 24/7. Every drunken 17 year old needs some poutine at 3 am !
December 5th, 2006 at 12:59 pm
You forgot to mention the porno couches. :p
I wonder where the Frank Hurt kids go now.
December 5th, 2006 at 6:56 pm
Ah memories… Fare thee well HoZone, you will be missed by those who ne’er knew ye. I wonder if BK’s late-night drive thru take will go down now…?
December 6th, 2006 at 2:58 pm
Yay, I hated Delanies, the manager there was such a goof.
January 17th, 2007 at 2:02 pm
[...] The topic originated from a discussion about music played at certain clubs, which we don’t really patronize anymore but just the thought brings memories of more innocent days flooding back. Those songs that you’ve heard over the last decade while sharing pitchers, doing shots and getting your shoes all sticky on the disgusting dance floors of certain establishments. You know all the words, of course, you’ve heard the songs enough times and so has everyone else, and they make that quite evident by singing along at the top of their lungs. Because of these guilty pleasures, (come on, you know you sing along too) and the memories conjured just thinking about this post, I put together a little list. You don’t have to have feathered hair, wear tapered jeans or popeye pants to appreciate the pure cheese that follows: [...]
August 1st, 2007 at 2:30 pm
Hello there,
I was a doorman at Shooters Cabaret (1987-1990) and although people have developed a bad perspective after Loyd Latham sold the business in February of 1990, people seem to have forgotten the fun we all had there…
Steve Harris- general manager and the “host with the most.”
It was a privelege having worked with Steve who was “everyones friend” and ran the Newton Inn for many years. “Who loves ya!”
Frosst Graves, a true “class act” and the smoothest DJ to have graced any dance club in town!
Gilbert &Eddie, Delaney’s Pub managers and Ray, the spin doctor who kept the pub hopping and everyone smiling.
Although the dancers may have offended the community who had “outgrown” or simply become ashamed of their own “misconduct” during those fabulous days, you have to admit the place had a certain “magic.”
Aside from the usual trouble that involves running an establishment filled with over two hundred intoxicated people, if you behaved, we were only there to show you all a good time.
My memories of Steve Harris, the wild and crazy door staff, and the “Rootin Tootin Newton” are all good and if you think back, those of you who truly shared that time will be smiling when you read this.
The next time you hear ACDC singing Thunderstruck, smile because although the Newton Inn may be gone, the memories and good times that remain too many of us will live forever.
All my very best
Alex
October 11th, 2007 at 10:52 am
[...] Dave Babych and Gino Odjick. Did I say Dave “the moustache” Babych and Gino “Ozone” Odjick? You bet I [...]