HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1981-05-13, Page 17Charter member of many organizations
Grand Bend remembers
When Ella Eccleston
married Eric Mcllroy in
1932, little could she have
known of the impact her new
husband would have on the
village of Grand Bend. In
1937, Eric and Ella purchas-
ed the Lakeview Casino
from Mrs. Mcllroy's mother
•
Ida Eccleston. Mrs.
Mcllroy's father, George
Eccoleston had died in 1931,
and the operation of the busy
casino was proving too much
for Mrs. Eccleston.
Soon after the purchase of
the casino, Mr. Mcllroy
began showing his interest in
Ames -
Serving South Huron, Nath Middlesex
MAY 13, 1981 SPECIAL EDITION - ERIC McILROY MEMORIAL
and generosity to the little
village helhad adopted.
During the war years,
benefit dances were staged
each summer, and the
casino was donated for many
other fund raising activities.
When many Roman
Catholic immigrants from
ERIC AND ELLA McILROY
Memorial Day plans
June 6 will be Eric
McIlroy Day in Grand Bend.
A special ceremony has been
scheduied for 3:00 p.m. at
Centennial Park at the cor-
ner of highway 21 and 81. At
that time a brass plaque and
stone sarin honouring the
late Eric McIlroy will be un-
veiled by the former leiute-
nant governor of Ontario,
the honourable Pauline
McGibbon.
The stone cairn is being
erected in the park by local
stone mason Brad Page.
Special guests at the
ceremony will be member of
provincial parliament for
Lambton, Lorne Henderson,
and Grand Bend reeve,
Robert Sharen.
Master of Ceremonies will
be Lionel Thornton, and also
speaking will be Joe Burke
of the Ontario Harness
Horesemen's Association.
It is hoped that many
musicians who played at
Lakeview Casino will attend.
Among those expected are
Stan Patton, Bert Niosi and
"Boots" Klumpp.
Memorial Day Chairman
Mae Morenz stressed that
anyone who knew Eric is
welcome to attend the
ceremony.
A dance will be held to
wrap up the memorial day
activities. The dancing will
be on stage at Huron Coun-
try Playhouse, and music
will be by Lionel Thornton's
Casa Royal Orchestra under
the direction of Graydon
Hopkins, with vocals by
Dolores Gardner and
Graydon Hopkins.
A buffet will be served at
midnight. Tickets for the
dance are available at
Harwood Drugs, Toronto
Dominion Bank, The Christ-
mas Place and the Bank of
Montreal in Grand Bend.
Holland moved into the area,
Mr. Mcllroy gave them the
use of the'Casino on Sunday
mornings to hold Mass. Ser.
vices were held in the casino
during the summers of 1947,
'48 and '49. In the winter, the
Grand Bend area Catholics
travelled to St. Joseph.
Finally in 1952, they were
able to build their own
church.
Not only was Mr. Mcllroy
active in community
organizations, he usually
was the organizer. He was a
charter member in many
clubs, and the founder of
many boards.
In 1950 he helped set up the
Grand Bend Lions Club. Mr.
McIlroy was the first Lion's
president in 1950, and he held
. that office for one term, un-
til 1951.
In 1965, he was made a
member at large of the
Lions club. Mr. Mcllroy let
the Lions use the Lakeview
Casino for their annual ball,
and every year a "star" was
brought in for entertain-
ment. Our Pet Juliette, Joan
Fairfax. Sylvia Murray, and
many more were guests of
the Lions Club at Lakeview
Casino.
Before establishing a
Lions Club in Grand Bend,
Mr. McIlroy was a member
of the Exeter Lions.
In 1951, Mr. McIlroy Was
elected to the first village
council in Grand Bend. Until
that time, Grand Bend had
only been a police village,
with trustees representing
them in the townships of
Bosanquet in Lambton Coun-
ty and Stephen in Huron
County. In 1951, Grand Bend
Eric Mcllroy
voted to join Lambton coun-.- The Chamber also spon-
ty, and the village was incor- sored the "Top,Hat" award.
porated. _- - ----------- The skipper of the first boat
The first council was coming into Grand Bend's
elected in July of that year. harbour was honoured with a
The reeve was Herman Gill. top hat, -- and of course,
For the next six months, the media coverage.
new council was busy pass- George Noseworthy, •an
ing by-laws, and organizing avid photographer, took
themselves. many pictures around the
In January of '52, 'they village, which he and Mr.
came into their own", and Mcllroy submitted to area
the village was in business.
Naturally, those elected in
51 were returned to office,
and Mr. Mcllroy finished out
the 1952 term. At the end of
that year he stepped down.
Mr. McIlroy was re-
elected in the fall of 1957,
and took office again in '58
for the term.
In the mid -50s, Mr.
McIlroy, along with John
Aslestyne and Fred Walker,
became very concerned
about promoting Grand
Bend as a tourist spot. The
Grand Bend Promotion com-
mittee was formed. In 1956,
Mr. Mcllroywaschairman of
the promotion committee,
and secretary was George
Noseworthy of the Camera
Shop. Directors were Harold
Kropp of the Brenner Hotel,
Edward Brady of Brady
Cleaners and Jeff Vorheis of
Beach -O -Pines.
Later the Promotion Com-
mittee evolved into a
Chamber of Commerce, and
Mr. McIlroy became the
first president of the Grand
Bend and area Chamber of
Commerce.
A winter sports club was
set up, and it was actively
promoted by the chamber
— sleigh rides and skiing
were very popular.
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Lakeview Casino with the old dance hall at left, and Grand Bend's ever popular beach.
newspapers, promoting the
resort.
In 1958, as president of the
Chamber of Commerce, Mr.
McIlroy welcomed a navy
escort vessel into Grand
Bend.
Mr. McIlroy also worked
with Len Evans of CHLO
radio to bring a mobile radio
unit to Grand Bend.
Mr. McIlroy was once
again a charter member of
an organization, when the
South Huron Hospital board
was formed in Exeter. He
was on the original board
when the hospital opened in
1954, and served through and
including 1965. Meetings to
set up the hospital were held
starting in November of
1947, and Mr. McIlroy was
actively involved in these.
He was also a charter
member of Bluewater
Shriners, when that group
was set up in 1959. In the
1960's he was made a life
time member for his service
to the Shriners.
Mr. McIlroy had been a
mason since 1947. He was a
member of the Blue Lodge,
Doric 233 in Parkhill, and
was a Royal Arch Mason.
Minnewawa 78. also in
Parkhill.
In October of 1951, he was
made a noble of the Mocha
Temple Shrine. with
Richard Cour de Lion
number 4 preceptory in Lon-
don.
Then in 1959, the Fire
Brigade of the Bluewater
Shriners was established.
and Mr. McIlroy was a
charter member.
In 1964. he was again a
charter member. when the
Ontario Harness
Horsemen's Association was
formed. He served as a
director with the Harness
Horsemen from 1964 until
1968.
He was also on the
Medical Centre board in
1971. when the Grand Bend
Medical Centre was built.
The plans for the medical
centre were borrowed from
the Arkona Lions Club, and
the Grand Bend Lions
donated the land. Mr.
McIlroy served on the board
until his death.
The Grand Bend com-
munity lost an active worker
when Mr. McIlroy died
suddenly November 4, 1979.
Few people can list being a
charter member in so many
clubs and boards. as well as
being on the village's first
council.
cW. 'Eric 3•191roy "Tensorial Tund
Patroness
Honorable Pauline McGibbon
Aileen Taylor -Smith
Patrons
Honorable Lorne Henderson
fr Fred Doris
P.O. Box 220, Grand Bend, Ontario on Lake Huron, Canada NOM 1TO
Sponsored by Grand Bend Community and these supporting organizations:
• Municipality of Grand Bend • Optimist Club • Lions Club • Lioness Club • Huron Country Playhouse
• Btuewster Shriners • Ontario Harness Horsemen's Association • Grand Bend Chamber of Commerce
Nns's Advisory
Donald Johnston
Lionel Thornton
Donations and Funding
Lorne C. Campbell B/M
Jud Bumstead TD Bank,
Treasurer
Publicity — Communications
Mary Alderson
Lionel Thornton
Action Committee
Cheirlady
Mae Morenz
(Tel: 238-2943)
John Aselstyne
(Tel: 238-2023
Wm. Harwood
Elie Douglas,
Secretary
Jud Bumstead,
Treasurer