The Station Keepers MV launched their Month of Sundays (31 events during 2020) on January 19 with The Local, a series that will focus on local historic buildings and the families associated with them. “The first show deals with the glory days of the old Balmoral Hotel, something I know a bit about,” said Joanne Olsen, president of the non-profit Station Keepers and a member of the Billings family who originally build the hotel in 1894. The Local is hosted by well-known son of Barry’s Bay, Sean Conway, who was one of Olsen’s childhood neighbours. More than 30 people came to the Barry’s Bay Railway Station to learn about and share reminiscences of the Balmoral Hotel.
“The Local” guest Joanne Billings Olsen (left), host Sean Conway and emcee Kristin Marchand
Conway took Olsen through her memories of not just being born into the hospitality industry, but her experiences as an employee. She described the no-nonsense rules that a young hotel worker had to follow, family member or not, and her pride when she was “promoted” to waiting at table in the hotel dining room. Olsen described the “sample room” that travelling salesmen used to display their wares to local business people. Her reminiscences included not just family members and the people who worked in the hotel, but also the boarder who lived – and died – there. The two discussed the historical impact of liquor licensing laws in the region, a topic echoed by audience members.
Emcee Kristin Marchand then invited all present to share their Balmoral memories. The stories related the role the building and its people played in their lives from post-game celebrations, special events like family weddings, and the annual St. Paddy’s Day party to high school memories of when the drinking age was lowered to 18. The Balmoral was “the place to be” on Friday nights when you came home for the weekend, said Terry Recoskie.
Marie Villeneuve-Scott (right) tells how she and Mary Blank got the hotel to sponsor the first women’s hockey team as Kristin Marchand displays one of the jerseys.
After the event, Conway talked to The Current about the importance of the railroad: “There were much higher levels of social integration because … that’s how they moved around. Trains were much more social than cars, and when you got off the train you had to go someplace, either to eat or to stay. It’s hard for people to imagine today what these railway hotels were…. You didn’t have a car, you’d go to the hotel because the papers, the mail and everything, people were coming. Lawyers, judges, businessmen, they dined at the hotel. And the food! Joanne is absolutely right, the food was excellent.”
Glory Days of the Balmoral was audio-recorded in front of a live audience and is digitally preserved as part of a regular Sunday podcast, The Opeongo Line, by producer Barry Conway. Search for The Opeongo Line logo (inset) in your favourite podcast player app.
