Sunshine Roller Skates

around 1950

No need to change your shoes to go roller skating. With your Sunshine Waterloo-made metal roller skates, just clamp them to your shoes. Sunshine roller skates fit any pair of shoes by simply sliding the two skate sections apart. A special key is actually the mini wrench used to tighten the front clamps. Fasten the leather straps around your ankle and off you go. These skates belonged to a Harriston, Ontario teen. She saved her babysitting money to buy the roller skates for $10.00 through the mail. Roller skating has been around since the late 1800s, but the baby boom generation took it to a whole other level. Roller skating became a much-loved pastime in the streets of every suburban neighbourhood.

In 1930, Waterloo Manufacturing Limited and Australian H.V. McKay Limited merged to become The Sunshine Waterloo Company. They sold innovative self-propelled grain combines throughout North America and Argentina. The Depression forced the company to manufacture more affordable items like electric ranges, baby carriages, roller skates and metal shelving. During WWII, Sunshine employed many local women to build bombs, landmines, gun mounts and nose assemblies for the Mosquito fighter-bomber. After the war, tricycles and bicycles rolled off the line until 1954. Until they closed in 1990, modern steel office furniture production was their focus.