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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1999-11-03, Page 14Crossroads BEST G.LC, RATES Your►estment 2368 1 year 5.7% 5year 6.55% (subject to change) Exeter 235-3368 rs 14 Exeter Times Advocate New book chronicles Grand Bend's Lakeview Casino Grand Bend author Norm Tufts is hoping for a national distributor for his recent- ly -released book, Meet Me at the Lakeview Casino, a history of Grand Bend's famous dance hall. By Scott Nixon TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF GRAND BEND — It took over eight years of researching, interviewing, writing and editing for Norm Tufts to finish what he calls a unique book. Tufts recently released Meet Me at the Lakeview Casino, a history of the dance hall in Grand Bend that attract- ed some of the biggest names in music during the big band era. Tufts, a musician, composer and self -described "old school writer" in the tradition of Gershwin and Porter, started writing music in the early 1950s in Grand Bend. Meet Me at the Lakeview Casino, Tufts' first book, is not only a history of the Lakeview, but a history of the Village of Grand Bend, Tufts claims. The Lakeview Casino was born in 1919 by George Eccleston, three years after he. bought 45 acres of the land that now makes up the main portion of Grand Bend. Tufts calls Eccleston "the architect of Grand Bend." Eccleston wanted to keep Grand Bend a family-oriented resort, accord- ing to Tufts. He refused to sell any of his 45 acres of land, preferring to lease it so he could have control over the area and ensure it remained a classy place. While Eccleston died in 1931, Tufts said the village remained in Eccleston's vision until the 1960s. After, Eccleston's death, his son-in- law, Eric McIlroy took over. Mcilroy was influential in the growth of Grand Bend and helped start the first village council, the Lions Club and the med- ical centre. According to Tufts, McIlroy put a lot of his own money into community projects. The Lakeview was special, said Tufts in an interview at his Southcott Pines home. It was built well, unlike most of the other dance halls on the Lake Huron shores, he says. The Lakeview was the centre of the village in its heyday and attracted many of the biggest names Meet Me at the of the big band era: Louis Lakeview Casino, Armstrong, the Glenn . Miller Orchestra, Stan Tufts' first book, is Kenton, Guy Lombardo and not only a history the Tommy w Dorsey of the Lakeview, but Orchestra are just some of the many bands to play in a history of the Grand Bend. Village of Grand In telling his story on the Bend,Tufts claims. history of the Lakeview Casino, Tufts includes separate chap- ters on the vocalists, composers and arrangers.. Tufts says arrangers are the unsung heros-of the big band era and said the -ciiap1er in his book tries to give them some overdue credit. Tufts also includes many historical photographs from many different sources throughout the book Of all the dance halls on Lake Huron during the big band era, the Lakeview Casino hired the most Canadian orchestras, 53. "That appears to be a record," Tufts says of the. Lakeview's ability to attract many. acts. It succeeded because Eccleston was willing to take risks, something necessary to be suc- cessful in the music business, Tufts explains. Things did not end well with the Lakeview. According! to Tufts, the growing popularity of rock and roll in the 1960s led to the decline of big band music and to the closing or "sus- picious fires" of many dame halls. Fire destroyed the Lakeview in 1981 and while arson was never proven, it was never ruled out, Tufts said. Two other fires also took place at the Lakeview before the final fire and the grand piano at the Lakeview had been stolen. The fire was a blow to.the village, with Tufts saying many people were saddened because "so many memo- ries went up in smoke." Many of those memories were Tufts', who learned to write music at the Lakeview. More than 40 years after first writing music, Tufts is still in the music scene, leading the Can -Am Orchestra. In speaking of the demise of big band music Tufts can't resist a' swipe at rock music. Quoting "Backbeat" author Tony Scherman, the book states "The lyrics of Bob Dylan may ;.have given pop music—the resonance of literature, but compared to the harmonies of an earlier generation of com- posers, Dylan's three cord progressions are crude and boring." , Big band music hasn't recovered, Tufts says, adding that Harry Connick Jr. is the only modern big band per- former who really performs big band music properly. He calls the demise of the big band era "aa legacy lost." Tufts says he has been getting a good reaction from readers about Meet Me at the Lakeview Casino. Published by his own company, Grand Bend Music, Tufts is hoping for a national distributor. He said the Toronto Star and Globe and Mail have shown interest in his book. Meet Me it the Lakeview Casino won't be Tufts' last book. For the last few years he has been working on a book on the history of Kirkton, where his father lived. Tufts, who also worked at Ford and GM and taught secondary school, says he hopes the book will be out sometime in 2000, although the project is a big one and he's still trying to hunt down some old Kirkton pictures. 1 School custodian will miss the people EXETER — Bob Clark retired from his second career last week. Clark, 60, worked his last day as an Exeter school custodian on Oct. 26 after 22 years on the job. "I really enjoyed the kids and the staff is grdat," he said. As a custodian, Clark spent the first 10 years at South Huron District High School, the next seven at Exeter Public School and then the remain- ing years ba,c_k at SHDHS. Clark noted this is his second retirement. Before becoming a custodian Clark served 23 years in the Royal Canadian Air Force Airborne. While with the armed forces, Clark was sta- tioned in Germany for three years and did three tours of peace- keeping in Cyprus and one in Egypt. "I really en kids and th great," Clark said the high- light of his two careers was parachuting with the Airborne. "(They are) great people," he said about h i s Airborne cohorts. "You learn a lot of trust." Clark said he'd love to fly the skies again but can't parachute any longer due to bad legs. joyed the e staff is BOB CLARK Sorry to see you go. South Huron District High School students Meaghan O'Rourke, left, Dan Snell, retiring custodian Bob Clark and students Aran Beattie and Julie Godbolt have some fun by a custodian's room at the school on Monday. Clark retired after 22 years as an Exeter school custodian. His last day was Oct. . 6. (photo/Craig Bradford)