By Joe Barkovich, Scribbler-at-large

Take a walk down memory lane via Places That Were, by the City of Welland Heritage Advisory Committee and chances are you may not want to leave.

The 24-page book was released Saturday, September 21 during a program at city hall. If for sale, I’d say the committee would have a “best seller” on its hands, but lucky us, it’s available for free.

Contents include 40 images of “places that were” in Welland but for one reason or another no longer are with us. Some examples: Olympia Restaurant, Station Hotel, Welland High School, Aqueduct Swimming Pool, Merritt Park Bandshell, Dain City Railway Station, Atlas Steels and A&W Drive In. The images are accompanied by descriptive text about each.

Then there’s the cover photo. What a great choice by those who spent so much time putting this book, truly a labour of love, together!

“The cover shows a young boy looking eagerly at the posters on the ticket gate at the old Welland County Fairgrounds on Denistoun Street,” a short introduction explains. It was from Welland Fair’s 100th anniversary year, 1953.

I could relate to that scene, being a kid myself in 1953 although not as old as the boy in the photo. And I still remember the ticket booth and waiting near by as  dad – or mom some years – bought our tickets. I find this classic photo, well, so Rockwell-esque!

Rose Dzugan, chair of the Welland Historical Museum board, spoke about Places That Were during the program in city hall’s community room.

She said the choice of properties profiled was made after consultation with Wellanders of many age groups.

She said: “Most people had personal and fond memories of these places and were saddened that they no longer existed.

“Some recounted memories of waving to their uncles at Atlas Steels while the men sat on outdoor benches while enjoying their sandwiches out of their metal lunch buckets, another was dazzled by the shiny blue glass tiles on the front of the Olympia Restaurant, buying a hammer and nails with dad at Morwood’s Hardware, winning at bingo at the Slovak Hall, taking piano lessons from the nuns at Grey Gables, waiting for the horse-drawn wagon from Sunnyside Dairy so we could get some cold chocolate milk, watching our favourite guys play basketball at Welland High, and so it goes…..”

Dzugan said many photos in Places That Were originated from the Welland Historical Museum, Welland Public Library historical collections and the Heritage Committee historical places collection.

Other speakers on the program were Mayor Frank Campion and Ward 3 councillors John Chiocchio and Sharmilla Setaram.

Places That Were is now available in the book racks in the lobby at Civic Square (city hall) and at Welland LIbrary. It will also be available at Welland Historical Museum, Downtown BIA, Chamber of Commerce, local hotels and Flatwater Centre.

The heritage committee will be glad to distribute to any group or organization who would like copies. They can contact Nora Reid at the Heritage Committee email:  info@wellandheritage.ca or nora.reid@wellandheritage.ca

The booklet in digital form will be posted this week on the Committee’s website: https://www.welland.ca/Heritage/aboutHeritageWelland.asp