Shea Heights: Some Good!
Over the years, there has been a lot of media coverage based on the small community of Shea Heights, some of it very positive indeed. As a new feature to this website, I have researched through various articles at Memorial University's Newfoundland Collection. Amongst my personal favorites is a video entitled "Shea Heights: Some Good!" and I have personally transcribed it from its original format. I believe this is a recent production, independently produced by the residents (or resident) of Shea Heights.
And now, it is my pleasure to bring you (unfortunately, without ANY permission whatsoever)...
Shea Heights: Some Good!
A Documentary on Shea Heights
(transcribed by Sammonella)
[SOUND: The breaking of the waves. Theme from Land & Sea Plays, performed on accordion and glochenspeil]
[VIDEO: Text "Shea Heights... Some Good!" Camera pans view of the narrows.]
NARRATOR: For over one hundred years, the island of Newfoundland has seen inhabitants. Among them lived people intrigued by the sheer beauty of its rugged coastline, those who admire the fresh smell of saltwater air, and those who were killed off by the Europeans. However, we are now about to embark on one particular area of Newfoundland, just on the outskirts of St. John's City. The beautiful community of Shea Heights.
[VIDEO: Camera is held out of window of moving vehicle as it drives under Trans-Canada Highway Overpass.]
NARRATOR: Passing under the overpass, the first to greet residents and visitors alike are the multi-coloured pigeons. One cannot help but admire the multi-coloured droppings cascading down the concrete, and spattering the sidewalk, the most colourful "Hello" one could ever ask for. And this is just the beginning of the hospitality of Shea Heights, for visitors are in for much, much more than this.
[VIDEO: A beautiful drainage pipe "waterfall" just past the overpass, and images of sheer blasted rock.]
NARRATOR: Nor has this small community always showed such rare, natural beauty. For once, unbeknownst to newcomers to the community, not so long ago, Shea Heights was slightly less beautiful.
[VIDEO: File footage of early Shea Heights, circa. 1969. Shown are rudimentary shacks, happy mothers wearing bell-bottoms with crying babies in their arms, who are not wearing any pants.]
NARRATOR: Shea Heights, 1960s, many many years before Urban Renewal brought by the 1970s. The residents of Shea Heights were a graceful, proud collection of Newfoundlanders. Indoor plumbing was considered chiefly for the "City Slickers" of St. John's City, and thus frowned upon by residents. They did not ask for much in life, a trait shown by their willingness to buy the cheapest land they could find. Back then, the community was affectionately called "The Brow" by "City Slickers" in St. John's, who in turn were lovingly named "South Side Baymen." As a friendly gesture, the residents of "The Brow" were referred to as "Hillbilly Hayshakers."
[VIDEO: An elderly lady, identified as Mrs. McMurphey, speaks to an interviewer in her flower garden as children wave nonchalantly into the camera, making monkey faces.]
Mrs. McMurphey: Oh yes, I remembers (sic) the days when them crowd would go outside in their gardens and bawl out to us. They said, "Hillbillies! Hillbillies," they said. And we said "Go away, ye (sic) South Side Baymen," we said. And they said, "Shut up, ye (sic) Hillbillies," they said, and my mother used to come out and shout "Come on up here, ye (sic) (expletive) crowd of potato-sack wearing bastards, and I'll beat the goddamn arses off of ye (sic) and ye (sic) won't be able to sit for a week!"
Interviewer: So you have fond memories of the residents of the South Side Hills?
Mrs. McMurphey: Yes, and that I do. We used to have a grand time throwing rocks at one another, until someone struck a youngfella (sic) in the temple and he died that same night. We had some fun back then.
[AUDIO: Ukelale music is playing, pioneer-style.]
[VIDEO: File footage of Shea Heights, circa. 1969. Shown are unpavel gravel roads, and many trees.]
NARRATOR: And so Shea Heights was, with the children entertaining themselves with such simple childhood activities, which very rarely ended in fatality. No phone, no lights, no motor cars, not a single luxury. Like in Robinson Cruesoe, it was as primitive as can be. Almost. With the 1970s came the infamous Urban Renewal Scheme, a plan designed to improve conditions on Shea Heights, headed by Memorial University as a part of a healthy community program. But all was not well.
[VIDEO: File footage of a meeting, circa. 1971. A speaker is onstage, as camera pans audience sitting in folding chairs.]
NARRATOR: The residents of Shea Heights were unhappy with this idea. Indoor plumbing was to be introduced, as well as paved roads and a small health clinic: measures to generally improve the conditions at the time and to boost morale. Yet the residents were upset, as this plan also inconveniently wished to destroy their homes in the process. This was the beginning of a long battle with the government, a dispute that still today shows no sign of abating.
[AUDIO: Male member of the audience in file footage is speaking.]
[VIDEO: An unidentified man, 40ish, stands up, sporting white shirt and ridiculous sideburns.]
Man: I won't let no one (sic) come in, I mean up here, and take over this place. I defends (sic) this place like a teef (sic) in the night! Ah, shit... I mean, I defends (sic) my house like if I was a teef (sic) in the night, no. Like, if I was at my house right now I'd be staying awake watching for a teef (sic) in the night to come to try to sneak in like a teef (sic) in the night. But there's no teeves (sic) in this here room. Except for what they sent up (sic) from MUN (Menorial University of Newfoundland).
[VIDEO: Audience applauds.]
[VIDEO: Still photos of Shea Heights, taken during Urban Renewal Scheme.]
[AUDIO: Tragic music, played on kazoo (?)]
NARRATOR: Although the residents were deeply opposed to the idea, the 1970s Urban Renewal Scheme went into play. Deep trenches were dug to install sewer lines, gravel roads were dug up, pavement was laid, homes were demolished. Unfortunately for everyone involved, these efforts took place simultaneously, on top of each other, leading to much worse conditions than previously experienced. People were discontented.
[VIDEO: Booklets published by Memorial University of Newfoundland, entitled "The Urban Renewal Scheme."]
NARRATOR: According to this public publication, the Urban Renewal Sceme uncovered vastly impoverished conditions within Shea Heights, and commenced to make these conditions worse.
[VIDEO: A man identified as Mr. Drewkun talks to interviewer. He is sporting a white shirt and ridiculous sideburns.]
Mr. Drewkun: I tell you, they done (sic) some poor job on the place. Shocking, it was. You couldn't look nowhere (sic) where there wasn't nothing (sic) there. Like a bunch of fellas they let out of the Mental (Waterford Hospital) for the weekend got a hold of some heavy equipment and tore the (expletive) out of the Hill (Shea Heights).
[VIDEO: Photograph of Father Shea smiling at elderly parishoner, circa. early 1970s.]
NARRATOR: But all was not grim. At least, not for the Roman Catholics of this community. Father Leo Shea, the first Parish priest of St. John Bosco Church, came into the lives of the residents. He touched the lives of many people there.
[VIDEO: An elderly couple, identified as Mr. and Mrs. Willicombe speaks to an interviewer.]
Mrs. Willicombe: Father Shea was some man. I remember he'd come in here and say "What do you got (sic) in that pot on the stove?" he'd say, and I'd say "Baked beans, boy," I'd say, and he'd say "I wants (sic) a handful of them," he'd say.
Mr. Willicombe: He never said a handful, did he? He said a bowl or something, you can't...
Mrs. Willicombe: What, no, he said what?
Mr. Willicombe: ... You, you, you can't go giving a priest a handful of baked beans. He'd scald the hands off (sic) himself, girl.
Mrs. Willicombe: Yes, and that's you're right (?), he wanted a bowl. Then he'd take it home and I never heard tell (sic) of it again because he died or something and they never give (sic) it back to me. I remembers (sic) it had my name on it on the bottom because I wanted it back when he was done. But he was a good man.
Mr. Willicombe: He wasn't like one of the priests you hears (sic) about on the news all the time, this was a nice fella. If we were Catholic he would have had us in Church every week, that's for sure.
[VIDEO: Close-up shot of St. John Bosco Church exterior. Glass door shows a piece of wood at the bottom covering broken glass.]
NARRATOR: But, to everyone's great and immense sadness, Father Leo Shea went to the airport to purchase an airline ticket, and died on the spot. The sad news came as quite a shock to the community, as he was only in his thirties when he keeled over. He never got to see the outcome of the Urban Renewal Scheme, which he worked so dilligently to ensure was done properly and promptly.
[VIDEO: File Photo of Father Leo Shea's funeral march down the uprooted main street of community.]
NARRATOR: Out of mutual respect from all of the residents of this community, the residents named the place "Shea Heights," in memory of Father Shea, in 1975, the year of his death. But it is still called "The Brow" by "The Potato-Sack Wearing Bastards" of greater St. John's City. *(see note at bottom of page) Finally, by the late 1970s, the Urban Renewal Scheme had run its course - properly, this time - and life on Shea Heights began improving vastly.
[VIDEO: In series, camera shows St. John Bosco School, old Medical Clinic, and "Capt'n Qwik" Strip Mall on Linegar Avenue, circa. 1988.]
NARRATOR: With these improvements came the restructured St. John Bosco School, the first Family Medical Health Clinic, and a building which can be nothing else but a nuclear fallout shelter, a precautionary measure found only in such places as Buckmaster's Circle and Mundy Pond, also small communities within St. John's.
[VIDEO: A woman identified as Doctor Beth talks with an interviewer inside her old office.]
NARRATOR: Doctor Beth, representative of Memorial University's Medical School.
Dr. Beth: That first Clinic was really something else, I can tell you! It was a very small place. It was efficient, but it was so stiflingly small that once, back in 1983 I believe, a young boy vomitted Scary-O's (tm) on the waiting room carpet, and ten years later, the smell still permeated the building. The smell was something terrible! I never want to go in that old building again. I think I just might throw up myself just thinking about it. We tried everything to get that smell out of the building, to no success, and the stink was enough to...
[VIDEO: A deep orange stain is shown on a pale orange carpet.]
NARRATOR: This was not all that was in store for the community, however. While Memorial University never intended to forget its humble roots as the "Honey Well" Clinic, the 1990s brought plans for a larger clinic, with more medical doctors on staff. This new Medical Centre was anxiously awaited by Memorial University Medical students and to residents of Shea Heights alike. With this new building came new hopes.
[VIDEO: Outside of new Medical Centre. Several people standing around building dressed in winter clothing smoke cigarettes.]
NARRATOR: Newly implemented were weekly house calls to ill patients, greater facilities, such as room to perform minor surgeries such as cutting odd lumps off of people's bodies, as well as a newly formed committee dedicated to overseeing the beneficial treatment and improvement of the community, called the Shea Heights Healthy Community Organization Committee Staff Incorporated Limited trademark Copyright 1994.
[VIDEO: Doctor Beth is talking with an interviewer inside of her new office.]
Dr. Beth: This new building really had many exciting new prospects. For instance, when they decorated the waiting room, they used a brand new blue carpet, and we had it Scotch-Guarded immediately. Then we cut it down so that the chairs are nowhere near the carpet. So, if you were to lean over to vomit, like this, you'd miss the carpet entirely. You'd hit the floor tile. The worst thing is the sound of wet vomit splattering on the cold tile early on, say, Monday morning. But I can handle it. That's why I am a doctor.
[VIDEO: Exterior of Recreational Centre.]
NARRATOR: With the new image of Shea Heights came the Recreational Centre, featuring line dancing for old people, dances for the adults in the community, as well as a place to hold wedding receptions and adult parties, complete with liquor license. This building is seen as an oasis of sorts for the youth of Shea Heights. President of the Neighbourhood Improvement Association, Mr. Yatmoores.
[VIDEO: A man identified as Mr. Yatmoores speaks to an interviewer inside his office.]
Mr. Yatmoores: It's best kind (?).
[VIDEO: Camera pans the Irving Oil Tank Farm.]
NARRATOR: Shea Heights has blossomed to maturity in a matter of decades. The scenic views, the colourful disused cars, the people, and the dogs all make up just a small fraction of what the community has to offer. As you can easily see, it is also rich in history. That is what leads dozens upon dozens of Shea Heights residents to say:
[VIDEO: Camera shot of dozens upon dozens of people, young and old, standing in a field, looking directly at the camera.]
PEOPLE: (in unison) Some Good! (laughter)
[AUDIO: Reprieve of theme from Land & Sea.]
[VIDEO: Text "Do not duplicate, spin, fold, mutilate, or transcribe without express written permission." Closing Credits.]
THE END
NOTES:
* The term "greater" simply means "larger," not an expression of superiority in any sense of the word.