Crystal Beach Amusement Park
Crystal Ballroom
May 17, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
Crystal Beach was home to one of the world’s most famous dance halls: THE CRYSTAL BALLROOM. During it’s heyday, people would flock to the Crystal Ballroom just for the dancing, sometimes without bothering to check out the rest of the park.
The plans for the Crystal Ballroom were first approved in October of 1924, designed by Brantford, Ontario’s Schultz Brothers. Construction began in November of the same year, and was complete the following April. The Crystal Ballroom opened its doors on May 1st, 1925. In total, the hall cost $80,790 to build, although it was advertised as “The Quarter-Million Dollar” Hall.
The hall could hold 3000 dancers at one time, and it was often quite full. Musicians and Orchestras performed on a stage built directly in the center of the hall so that the music would sound out to all corners. A huge mirrorball dangled from the ceiling above the stage to add some glitz.
In later years, the stage was move to one end of the floor, and a modern audio system was installed.
In the later 1970′s the hall was converted into the ‘Big Top’ Restaurant, but was converted back into a dance hall in the year 1984.
