A big thanks to reader AB. who sent along these current photos of Boblo, he figured the readers of this site would be interested in seeing the current state of the island.
This is the building that was labeled as the “Souvenir Hall” in the 1920 photos.
Aaron figured it’s final use was as a restaurant. I for the life of me can’t remember what it was used for. I moved to the area in the summer of 1989, and went to Boblo only once or twice before it closed.
Lots of damage inside this building.
This is taken from the porch looking towards where the car ride was.
The three photos above are the ruins of the old block houses on the island.
This building was last used as a theatre.
The theatre was at first used as the “Merry-go-round Hall”, as seen in the 1920 photos.
The old church on the island. It looks to me like some structural issues have popped up on the steeple/chimney.
A view of the front facade.
Inside the church all is neat and clean. According to A., his previous visit saw the interior full of broken glass, and other garbage. Obviously someone on the island is caretaking and keeping an eye on the church.
Tomorrow, Part II…
Sad to see the history represented by buildings like the Block Houses and Church wasting away.
Did we really expect a bunch of well-heeled absentee McMansion owners from another country to care for our local heritage?
“Souvenir Hall” was a restaurant in its final incarnation, though I don’t remember its name. It was the only sit-down service restaurant on the island while I worked there in high school.
Jamie is correct, it was a restaurant and had very cold air conditioning.
What a sad site to see the blockhouse (one of 3, I believe on the island. With one being a part of a house) in that shape. I can’t believe that they are not designated! Only in this area would such things be tolerated. The owner of the island should be ashamed! But I digress. John Oram was also a rat for allowing the historic home on the Bob-lo parking lot to be torn down.
The old church used to be the “haunted house” with crooked floors and weird rooms. When I was little I was afraid to go into it until my brothers gave me the courage to go in. Subsequently, they scared the crap out of me once I was in.
Does anyone remember if the theatre was the building where they put in the roller coaster at the very end of the amusement parks life?
I would love to scan the grassy areas around those buildings with my metal detector, and contribute the old coins to a museum.
Why didn’t we turn Boblo Island into a National Park before the greed heads got their hands on it? Oh well, at least we finally have a nice riverfront to make up for the loss of Boblo Island.
The indoor roller coaster (“Nightmare”) was in the dance pavillion.
Nightmare was never in the dance pavillion, it was in the theater. The theater had many uses, it was an attraction called “Amaze Amaze” like described above with crooked floors and spinning tubes, then it was where the magic show was held, and in 1988 Nightmare was installed. I was inside the dace pavillion this October and there are no signs of any rollercoaster ever being in there. I looked all over the floor for bolt holes or broken off studs in the floor, ther is nothing like that there.
How sad to see such a fun place go to ruins.
The “OLD CHURCH” is not a church .It was a coal fired power house .Look inside at the chimney and structure.(not shown in the picture) The building was the launch pad for the antique car rides.
The restaurant was airconditioned and other than the theater that had enetertainment was the only place to get away from the heat. It’s name was The Island House. I worked there. 🙂 The theater was on the south side of the island near Fort Fun.
The church was indeed not a church but a power house, later it was a gift shop and the exit to the antique cars.
The dance hall housed the roller coaster the Nightmare. It was on the north side of the island. I was on grounds crew and weeded the flower beds around the building.
Thank-you and I loved the pictures.
Aren’t the blockhouses Canadian registered historic sites? As such shouldn’t they be restored and maintained by Parks Canada? I find it very disturbing that the blockhouses are allowed to deteriorate and eventually disappear.
~ As a frequent visitor to BobLo Island Amusement Park with my sons…all I can say is it’s a DAMN SHAME !!
~ As a frequent visitor with my sons, to BobLo Island when it was an Amusement Park …all I can say is it’s a DAMN SHAME !!
It was just reported on CBC radio that the remaining block house is going to be restored. The ferry will be taking it back to the mainland timber by timber beginning tomorrow I think.
I hate to dis-allusion Mr. Holt, but not every “Well-heeled McMansion owner” on the island is an American. Yes Chris, believe it or not we have thoughtless, wealthy (and not so wealthy) inconsiderate individuals in this glorious country of Canada too!!! For example, the owner (former owner possibly) John Oram.
Was the restaurant at one time called the Hoffbrau house ? Seems to me I remember being able to get a beer inside there. Air conditioning and cold beer was enough for my Dad to let us kids roam freely on the Island all day and meet him back there at 6PM for the ride home.Oh have the times changed !
He was not the only Dad with that idea either !
So the blockhouse was restored, but it was given a blue roof.
Anyone know why? Looks ridiculous.
yep, that building you call the souvenir building was named the hofbrau tavern. in the photos you can see the “h” figurals in the steel gate. the church you refer to was a power house for the original carousel. the suvenir building was torn down. however a half dozen or so buildings still remain and besides the overgrowth they are beautiful. i never believed in ghosts but when you walk through that place you really do feel someone is watching you. very eary, but pleasant.
whats truly amazing is that in my hobby of collecting old postcards from the island, the original 1910 or so rock garden on the west side of the dance hall is still there!!! its about 3 boulders high mortared together. looks like some old cast iron irrigation fed it. truly wonderful when i was there cuz it matched up on the postcard exactly.!! the developer of this island is criminal if he aint a historian of this place or doesnt aspire to be. only then can you balance development (inevitable) with preservation.
I remember Boblo Island like the back of my hand and still have various items from it. I used to visit Boblo about 3-4 times per summer when growing up, the last visit I made was in August of 1992.
The Souvenir Hall was indeed a sit down |Menus| restaurant .. I ate there many times and loved the Fried Chicken .. Today that building is gone with only the base left behind {and a few brown tiles}
The Nightmare was in the basement of the Dance Pavilion … Entrance to the ride on the South Side. I still have a brochure when this ride was the newest attraction. As it was in the basement, a former comment (John/2007) is answered; No signs of a Roller Coaster in the hall itself, it was underneath it … re: john on December 3, 2007 at 2:59 am
The theatre was a roller rink for a long long time.My Mother used to skate there back in the 1930s and it remained a roller rink until the 1970s.
I was on Boblo Island in May of this year, the only buildings remaining are the dance hall a covered picnic shelter near it, the old powerhouse that looks like a church, and one tower ride that looks like you rode up and spiraled down. From the ferry landing all you see is housing and some apartment or condo buildings. I think the island is only open to residents or perspective buyers. I was part of a trip organized by Elder College, for people fifty five and older.
I have a 1907 photo with the title of “Power House” for the same building you were calling a church. Would someone be interested in this photo?