Photo from the Havelock Facebook page

The Havelock Family Drive-In just west of Havelock ON was always a labor of love for Gordon Henderson, a part-time gig that he hoped would grow into a full-sized retirement. Last month, that hope expired when Henderson announced on Facebook, “Well it’s official. The Havelock Family Drive In is officially closed. The property has sold.” Apparently the buyer won’t be operating a drive-in there.

Henderson built the Havelock in 2010, and said he had wanted to do that ever since he was a teenager. I mentioned that plus a lot more when I stopped by during my virtual drive-in-a-day odyssey in 2017. In retrospect, that was just before things started going south.

According to Kawartha Now, Henderson launched a GoFundMe campaign that fall seeking $75,000, stating that he was “in a very hard situation” and “faced with the devastating news that I am in jeopardy of losing my lifelong dream my beloved drive-in.” It raised less than $5,000. The Havelock was dark for most of 2018, eventually opening for a few weekends in the fall. And now it’s gone for good.

Let these drive-in closures remind you to seize the opportunity whenever you get a chance to take in a night under the stars. Buy some popcorn and sodas, and thank the proprietors for being there. Like everything else, it’s always temporary, and you never really know how long you’ve got.