Sunburst Drive-In
140 15th Street E,
Brooks,
AB
T1R 1C4
140 15th Street E,
Brooks,
AB
T1R 1C4
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Ray Romans was the owner in 1973 according to his obituary.
With the distinctive contours of Johnson Lake in the background of the photo, the drive-in must have been at about 140 15 St E, Brooks, AB T1R 1C4, although there is no trace, just businesses, there today.
The Jan. 7, 1956 issue of Boxoffice ran a two-page story, with photos, dealing with the way Peter Umbertino and his son Robert built the Brooks “two miles north of town” even after the Trans-Canada Highway cut through the middle of the site. The story implied that the drive-in had one season under its belt, which would mean that it opened in 1955.
The Motion Picture Almanac included Canadian drive-ins in its annual drive-in lists through 1976. The first appearance of a drive-in for Brooks AB was “Drive-In” in the 1960 edition. As with all future editions, its capacity was 250 and its owner was P. Ubertino. It stayed “Drive-In” through 1962, then was listed as “Brooks” (yes, under Brooks AB) through the last Canadian-inclusive list in 1976.
That was probably Peter Ubertino, who owned the “new motion picture theatre” that opened in Brooks in April 1943, per the Calgary Herald. Don’t be confused; that one was a “large stucco and tile building”.
A Facebook post for the company Essential Coil in Brooks wrote: “Before working at Essential Energy Services, Maura started working at the Brooks Drive-In Movie Theatre at age 14. ‘I can remember the line up in town when ET was just released. I’m sure the whole entire town was in line waiting to get in.’” That would mean the Brooks was still active in 1982.
The Yellow Pages for 1985 through 1988 had a tiny ad “For Family Entertainment” for the Sunburst Drive-In under Theatres – Motion Picture. The address was just a box number. The listing remained, without the ad, in the 1991 and 1992 Yellow Pages.