An Afternoon in Wonderland

On June 21, my friend Nick and I attended a concert at Springbank Gardens, where a variety of free jazz, R&B, country, and blues performances are being held this summer. The swing band we enjoyed, Ron Gilbert & The Music Makers, was excellent, playing a variety of big band hits. The music was appropriate for the occasion, a celebration of Wonderland's history.

Ron Gilbert & The Music Makers. Vocalist Gillian Laidlaw at left.

Yes, this was "Wonderland," founded in the big band era, back in 1935. It was on May 24th of that year that Charles and Wilf Jones first opened Wonderland Summer Gardens, the music that night provided by Mickey McDougall and his orchestra. The building had cost a whopping $18,000 to construct.* 

1940s postcard from Photogelatine Engraving Co., Toronto. While there are no humans in this view, a dog is stretched out in the right foreground! Author's collection.

The Jones family operated Wonderland right into the 21st century. The music changed, of course; acts included Alice Cooper, Frank Zappa, Deep Purple, and Emerson, Lake and Palmer. And it wasn't just a concert venue; it could be rented for gala occasions like my high school graduation. Yes, a teenage Jenny partied here, along with the rest of Westminster's Class of '89.  

Something happened in 2004, and I'm not clear what. After reading online articles, I suspect that the City of London wanted a bigger rent increase than long-time operator Chuck Jones could afford. It also sounds like the city considered updates were necessary if Wonderland was going to remain a competitive top-tier music venue. 

As so often happens with London's historic buildings, part of the complex burned down in 2005. It was redeveloped as Springbank Gardens in 2008 with an open-air pavilion beside the original outdoor bandshell. 

Now there's a long-overdue historic plaque on the nearby river path. It was unveiled just before Sunday afternoon's concert to much applause and a brief speech by Mayor Josh Morgan. Chuck and Don Jones, second-generation operators, were there to tell weepy-eyed stories about the good old days. 

For my friend Nick, the occasion was personal. His dad, Harold, played the drums in the Mickey McDougall band. Nick was taken to concerts by his father when he was only about four years old and tried to stay awake while the band played. All the girls thought he was a cutie.

Nick points at his dad in the photo of the Mickey McDougall Orchestra on the new Wonderland Gardens historical plaque. The plaque has been added by the City of London and the London Public Library Historic Sites Committee.

While it's sad that the original building was destroyed, it's great that "Wonderland" is still used for concerts, 91 years after the 1935 grand opening. 

Some other interesting facts:

The Guy Lombardo Museum opened nearby on May 19, 1984, for $90,000. This little museum closed in September 2007, due to poor attendance. Why? Perhaps a younger generation had forgotten London-born Guy Lombardo. Or perhaps the museum was mismanaged by an eccentric curator. 

Wonderland Road was named after Wonderland Gardens, not the other way around. The road started in the 1950s as a gravel driveway leading into the Gardens from Springbank Drive. When the nearby Guy Lombardo Bridge was built in 1978, it was dismissed as "the bridge to nowhere,** since all it did was connect Wonderland to the former Hutton Side Road. The result has become London's busiest north-south artery.

Londoners often think Guy Lombardo and The Royal Canadians played at Wonderland Gardens all the time. Actually, they only played at the Gardens twice, more than 30 years after they became famous.***

One of the attractions at Wonderland was a huge "Hollywood-style" outdoor swimming pool with sloping sides. The change rooms were old streetcars. **** Neighbourhood children could get a season pass for $5. ***** Sadly, by the time I arrived in London in the 1980s, the pool was abandoned, weeds growing through its cracks. Just another part of Wonderland's heyday that I missed. 

*Dan Brock, Fragments From The Forks. London, Ontario: London & Middlesex Historical Society, 2011, p, 233.

** Michael Baker & Hilary Bates Neary, eds., London Street Names. Toronto: James Lorimer & Co., 2026, p. 145.

*** Above, p. 146.

**** According to the new historical plaque.

***** Chuck Jones, speech, Wonderland Gardens, June 21, 2026.

Attic Books Turns 50!

My workplace just turned 50!

Yes, Attic Books, and its owner, Marvin Post, have been in business for 50 years. It was June 23, 1976, that Marvin established a used book shop on the second floor of the Premier Trust Building on Richmond Street. Customers had to climb the stairs to the "attic" - hence the name. After moving to Clarence Street and spending a 10-year stint in Parkhill, Marvin reestablished his business on Dundas Street, west of Wellington, in 1996. It's hard to believe he's been at 240 Dundas Street for 30 years now.*

Looking north on Clarence Street from King Street in the 1980s. Note the Attic Books sign on the building at right. The building many of us still call "Bud Gowan's" is across the street on the left.

240 Dundas Street is, of course, much older than Attic Books, being one of downtown London's late-Victorian red-brick commercial buildings. I've noticed yellow brick in the basement, but whether it's from an earlier structure or the builder used cheaper brick in a place no one would see, I can't say. The first structure was only one storey high and about 20 ft. long. 

An early map shows 240 Dundas Street before its rear was extended. The words "Hall Above" refer to Somerset Hall, home of the London Temperance League. Note that Clarence Street was once known as Park Avenue, since it led to Victoria Park.

240 Dundas before its rear extension was built. George Anderson and Mungo Nelles opened their drug store here in 1891. Pity no one saved those gorgeous glass display cases or wooden shelving.

The second and third floors were added in the 1880s. But a bigger renovation took place in 1909 when the rear was extended - massively - by London architect J. M. Moore.** Arts and Crafts elements were added to the facade, making it look a little different from those nearby. An elevator, made by Roelofsen Machine and Tool Co. of Galt, was installed. It still works. Most days. 

Large windows were installed in 1930 by McPhillips & Co., sellers of pianos, radios, and appliances. The original outer windows pivoted like doors, so that pianos could be hoisted to the upper floors for display. The newer replacements still allow lots of light into the upper storeys. 

A Free Press article from 1930 records the grand opening of W. McPhillips Ltd., highlighting the "striking effects" of its new windows. 

Marvin did a little renovating himself over the years, removing 35 lbs. of lead paint from inside the elevator, some wooden toilet tanks, and, most recently, the radiators associated with steam heating. But the store still has tin ceilings, hardwood floors, and a feeling of yesteryear. 

Roberts Holmes used 240 Dundas from 1965 to 1995, selling stationery as well as books. Many people will remember these paper exercise book covers, among other back-to-school supplies.

So why does Attic stay in business when other used bookstores close? Without revealing our business secrets or giving the competition any hints, it has to do with efficient inventory management, diverse revenue streams, and global sales through our website. 

Then there's Marvin, of course. As an entrepreneur, he has an eye for what will sell. And it's not all books. We also have a variety of unusual antiques, maps, prints, cameras, photos, bookends, postcards, pins and buttons, and general oddities. After 50 years, Marvin knows what intrigues customers. A visit to Attic is often like visiting a museum with the added bonus that the artifacts are for sale. 

I love this five-star review a shopper left on Google eight years ago: "Owner is a genuine and authentic bespectacled character with a sage, owlish gaze that is just as likely contemplating eternity as he might be you. One feels their IQ increased by walking into the store, conversing with the staff and being in close vicinity to the owner's aura." 

So there you go. Marvin - and his store - have an aura. And you can't find those just anywhere. 

* For the record, I've only been at Attic for 17 years. How time flies.

** John Mackenzie Moore is the same architect who designed Hotel London, London Life (now Canada Life) and University College at Western. He was also mayor from 1926 to 27. 

Day Trips: Kintore

Yes, I went to Kintore. On purpose. 

Why, you ask, would anyone go to Kintore? Well, I usually pass through this Oxford County community of about 150 people on my way to Stratford. Last time, I noticed a few things I wanted a closer look at but I didn't have time to stop. It occurred to me that one day I should actually go to Kintore and look around. 

This little place at the intersection of Oxford roads 16 and 119 was originally in a township called East Nissouri which in 1975 amalgamated with West Zorra and North Oxford townships to become Zorra Township.  Early pioneers such as the first postmaster, William Murray, were from Kintore, near Aberdeen, Scotland. Hence, the new community took on the name of the old. While the first post office is said to have been in a hotel half a mile north of the intersection, it moved into a store on the northeast corner in 1870. This is what's on the northeast corner now but I have no idea of it's that building.

Kintore was a typical nineteenth-century village with the usual assortment of services. Aside from the general store and post office, it had a blacksmith, shoemaker, flour mill, saw mill, and, according to an 1888 directory, Kintore Cheese Company. It's now typical of our former bustling villages, with numerous homes but few businesses left. 

First I visited the pioneers. They're to be found in two cemeteries on the west edge of "town," right across the road from one another. The Methodist Cemetery was founded on the south side of the road on land donated by Benjamin Swayze in 1861. Not surprisingly, there was once a Methodist church just to the east of the cemetery. 

Visitors must climb up a hill to see the graves of most individuals buried here:

One area, surrounded by trees, has a gate standing on its own, with no fence or hedge surrounding it. I assume the rest was damaged or fell down.

From the top, one can see Kintore Presbyterian Cemetery across the road:

The Presbyterian side of the road is larger, a bit better kept, and has its own website, complete with a short history, here. According to the story, the Bain family owned a farm here before the graveyard was founded. Mr. Bain was putting up the rafters in his log house when one of the timbers fell on him, breaking his neck. The poor fellow was buried here and that's how the spot became a cemetery. (One wonders how many pioneers met their ends in such a manner. In my own family, we have a story about an inept young Irishman who died when the tree he was chopping down fell on him.)

The highlight of Kintore Presbyterian Cemetery is undoubtedly this dignified war memorial:

In November 1920, East Nissouri Township Council (as it then was) met at their hall in Kintore and decided to raise a war memorial dedicated to local men who died in World War I. The statue, carved of Italian marble and mounted on Canadian granite, cost $1,200. Erected by Hayes Brothers of St. Marys, it was unveiled in October 1921. According to the London Free Press on October 29 of that year: "For the first time in the history of the Township of East Nissouri, the whole countryside turned out en masse to attend the unique and impressive celebration of the unveiling of the soldiers' monument at Kintore." The story records that four wounded soldiers stood, one at each corner, and were assisted by the township reeve in removing a flag to unveil the statue. A poignant occasion. 

I never list the names on war memorials, since Tim Laye's wonderful blog records the names from war memorials all across the province and I see no reason to duplicate. Tim's Kintore post includes pictures of every side of this monument, including one featuring the additional names from World War II. 

Kintore Presbyterian Cemetery, its gates, and war memorial, as seen from the road.

Not surprisingly, there was also a Presbyterian congregation in the Kintore neighbourhood. The history of the Methodist and Presbyterian congregations and their various buildings may be found on the website of Kintore Chalmers United Church which is east of the intersection on the north side (the church, I mean, not the website!) In case you think church history is invariably dull, think again. Trinity Methodist Church, built in 1862, came to a dramatic end in 1904 when Sunday School Superintendent W. J. Dunster stood at the front to speak to the children ... and the arch above his head came crashing down, covering the pulpit and platform with plaster, lath and dust. Fortunately, Mr. Dunster was uninjured but the congregation decided to build a new church. But the replacement Trinity, finished in 1906, is gone now too, its bricks used to build a home on a country road nearby.

Kintore Chalmers United Church (below) was built in 1914 as Chalmers Presbyterian. After United Church union Chalmers and Trinity combined to form this congregation, still in existence today. 

Oddly, a piece of the demolished Trinity Methodist is resting against Chalmers' west wall:

If ordinary churches aren't your cup of tea, you may find this intriguing little chapel east of Kintore more to your liking. Local resident Ross Calder built it in 1989 as a spot for quiet reflection. So small that it can only seat a few people at once, it does contain a pulpit, Bible, and several visitors books signed by folks from all over the continent. And yes, it's open.

And now for la pièce de résistance. Back at Kintore's main intersection, on the southeast corner, is McRatterson's Antiques & Oddities, a creepy collection of taxidermy, skulls, vintage medical instruments, ventriloquist dolls, and, um, whatever this is:

Some unusual individuals guard the door:

It just goes to show what you can do with an old variety store:

Now that I know what I was missing on those trips to Stratford, I'll likely stop at Kintore again.

Thanks to Rev. Pirie Mitchell and congregation member Barb Irvine of Chalmers Church. 

The Ontario Government Demolishes by Neglect

A letter I sent today:

April 20, 2026

The Hon. Rob Flack, MPP Elgin-Middlesex-London

Re: Proposed demolition of former St. Thomas Psychiatric Hospital, 467 Sunset Drive

Dear Minster:

Recently Infrastructure Ontario has given notice that it intends to demolish all the buildings of the former St. Thomas Psychiatric Hospital. I am writing to state my objection to this destruction of our local heritage.

Please note the following:

 ·         These buildings, constructed of Queenston limestone, were designed by noted architect William Lyon Somerville (1886-1965) who also designed the original McMaster University buildings in Hamilton, restored historic forts such as Fort Henry and Fort George, and designed other hospitals such as St. Joseph’s in Brantford.

·         The complex is designed in Art Deco, the twentieth-century style that emerged between the First and Second World Wars. The sculpture on the buildings’ exterior is by Jacobine Jones (1897-1976) and represents examples of Ontario wildlife.

·         Shortly after completion, the buildings became No. 1 Technical Training School, used by the RCAF as part of the Commonwealth Air Training Program in World War II. Note that another facility under the Commonwealth Air Training Plan, that in Fingal, Elgin County, has been demolished.

·         These buildings are a provincial Heritage Property of Historical Significance and St. Thomas has designated some of the buildings under the Ontario Heritage Act.

According to individuals interviewed by the media, the buildings are not reusable due to asbestos, lead paint, and mercury. No one wants tiny rooms and the concrete walls cannot be removed. Fire escapes and other modern safety features need to be added. I’m unclear as to whether these are “reasons” or “excuses” for demolition. I have asbestos in my own home, but it’s covered up and does no harm unless uncovered.

I understand some may say the cost of preservation and renovation is too high. However, I have been unable to find any numbers online. Is the public to take Infrastructure Ontario’s word for it that refurbishment is unaffordable?  Has I.O. determined if there are local developers or contractors who see a way to repurpose these architectural and historically significant buildings? Is the government aware that demolition is also expensive? Will the building materials go into a nearby landfill? According to Carl Elefante, former president of the American Institute of Architects, “The greenest building is the one that already exists.”

My suggestion is as follows:

The nine designated buildings on the west of the site, especially the administration building, are the most historically significant and should be preserved. The interiors may be antiquated but it should be possible to keep the outer shell and redevelop the insides. Undesignated buildings may be demolished and the rest of the property developed.

The designated buildings could be repurposed by corporate offices, the local tourist board, a community centre for the housing development, and a museum about the history of psychiatric treatment. Part of the site could provide temporary shelters for the homeless and/or mentally ill, doctors’ offices, or urgent care. This would be in keeping with the site’s medical history. However, these are my ideas and I’m sure there are many others.

Please use your position as an MPP to allow for public consultation on this demolition and to determine local interest in refurbishment and repurposing.

Sincerely

Jennifer Grainger, London

Update, April 22: Having performed a partial demolition by neglect, the Ontario Government intends to complete the rest of the demolition this spring. In other words, letters like the above don't mean much to them. An important part of Elgin history is about to disappear.

Save Beth Emmanuel Church

2022 photo

 A letter sent to London City Clerk's office last week:

Notice of Objection

RE: Request by Trustees of the London Congregation of the British Methodist Episcopal Church in Canada to Repeal the Heritage Designating By-law for the Property at 430 Grey Street (Beth Emmanuel British Methodist Episcopal Church).

I wish to voice my objection to the repeal of the heritage designation for the Beth Emmanuel Church located at 430 Grey Street, London.

As a general rule, when the owners of a building apply to have its heritage designation removed, it is because they wish to demolish the building. The demolition of this church would be a mistake for the City of London.

First, Beth Emmanuel Church dates to ca. 1868 and is one of Canada’s oldest “black churches.” The building has been a place of worship for London’s black community since its construction. Some of its first congregants escaped from slavery in the United States via the Underground Railroad.  Many of us are proud of the role our region played in providing a haven for the victims of American slavery. To allow this building to be demolished implies a lack of respect for its founders.

Currently, Beth Emmanuel is leased by a congregation of primarily African ethnicity. Arguably, the church still has important ties to London’s black community, which is as worthy of consideration today as it was in the nineteenth century. The SoHo neighbourhood is growing rapidly, with multi-storey towers either built or in the planning stages, so it is likely this congregation will grow.

Beth Emmanuel is also one of the most important landmark buildings in SoHo. Since the original Fugitive Slave Chapel has been preserved at Fanshawe Pioneer Village, it would be appropriate for its sister church to be saved in situ. Not all heritage buildings require moving to make way for “progress.”

While not the most important consideration, I would also point out that Beth Emmanuel is one of London’s traditional yellow brick buildings in the Gothic Revival style. The building’s name in stained glass over the front door is a charming aspect of its appearance.

In summary, the removal of this heritage designation is likely to lead to the demolition of a significant London landmark. Allowing the flattening of Beth Emmanuel would be a massive failure of the City of London and a huge loss for Londoners of every background, culture, and tradition.  

Sincerely,

Jennifer Grainger, London, Ontario

Update, June 3, 2026: The request to repeal the heritage designation by-law has been withdrawn. Thanks to everyone who supported the congregation and its building. Now, how can we help them preserve their church going forward?

Courthouse Concern

 

A  postcard printed by Middlesex County

The County of Middlesex will be moving out of the Old Courthouse at the end of 2026. After that, the fate of the old building is in limbo.

While that may sound dramatic, you have to remember that London's "castle" is now owned by York Developments. And that should make you nervous, considering what they did to Kent Brewery and what they intend to do here. What do they mean to do with our oldest, best building?

I have three main concerns:

1. York intends to build a 54-storey tower right next to this nearly 200-year-old beauty. The tower requires four storeys of underground parking extending to within 16 metres of the Old Courthouse. How will this impact an antique building? Will vibrations from the construction project destabilize it? 

2. This is a National Historic Site. But guess what? That designation has no legal force behind it, nothing to prevent it from being demolished or changed. While you might think a federal designation should carry some legal protection, that's not the case unless the site is actually owned by the federal government. And Canada is the only G7 country with no federal legislation to protect heritage sites. Fortunately, the building is protected by a 1981 conservation easement and Part 4 of the Ontario Heritage Act. I hope that's enough.

3. Even if the Old Courthouse is preserved, what changes may be made to its appearance? Window replacement? A tower erupting from its middle? I know! How about a nightclub with flashing neon lights? Before you decide I'm being ridiculous, bear in mind that I did contact York Developments a few years back when I was ACO President, requesting their plans for the Old Courthouse. No response. And when there's no response, I figure it's because they know heritage activists won't like it.

One thing is for certain. If this London building doesn't matter, no London building matters.

Apparently a coaster, but I wouldn't set a drink on it.

Front cover of a flyer published in 1981 by the Corporation of the County of Middlesex.
Sketch by Vickie Wallace. 

A flyer outlining the program of a Thanksgiving 1974 festival, complete with a map of the site and floor plans of the Old Courthouse interior. 

A 1964 London-area phone book features our best-known landmark on the cover.

A break for Bud's building?

 

Cento Commercial Inc. has purchased what some of us old-timers still call the "Bud Gowan building" at 387 Clarence Street. Starting in November 2026, they say they'll convert the structure into 12 apartments upstairs with a commercial space on the main floor. The renovation will cost about $2 million, but Cento has apparently completed many projects around Ontario. There's a good chance they'll get it done.  

It's about time this building was fixed up. Way back in 2012, I reported on John Fyfe-Millar's attempt at rejuvenating the structure. In 2017, lawyer Ian Jonstone purchased the building, hoping to turn it into a boutique hotel. Neither project gathered steam. 

Built in 1892 as the Featherbone Corset Company, this yellow-brick Victorian once had a theatre next to it, which became an Arcade, which was torn down to become a parking lot. The result is a gaunt, free-standing tower that looks a bit lost without neighbours.

In the 1970s, the old factory was taken over by Bud Gowan, who operated one of London's premier antique stores there until 2012. Mr. Gowan added ornamental wooden spindles and a stained-glass church window to add a touch of class. Not to mention his iconic mural on the south side, which Cento plans to preserve:

Bud Gowan's iconic mural at 387 Clarence Street.

I wouldn't mind if they also preserved the "ghost sign" on the north side: 

The battle-scarred north side.

This is great stuff. Not only do we need housing, but, as I've said before, it makes perfect sense to recycle vacant buildings into residential units. If this works out, maybe Cento will renovate a few more! Let's keep our fingers crossed. Downtown could use a break.