HISTORIC LONDON... Wonderland Road West. Runs north/south from Highway 7 to Elgin County Road 22. In May 1935, the Wonderland Summer Gardens opened and quickly became a popular place for indoor and outdoor dancing, swimming, and fine dining. Run by brothers Charles and Wilford Jones, some of the biggest acts in music appeared on its stage. By 1956, the gravel driveway leading into the Gardens from Springbank Drive had evolved into Wonderland Side Road, which led south into Westminster Township. Following annexation of the area in 1961, this rural road was gradually enveloped by urban sprawl. The nature of Wonderland changed forever with the opening of the Guy Lombardo Bridge in November 1978. Dismissed by contemporary critics as “the bridge to nowhere,” this four-lane span over the Thames River linked Wonderland to the former Hutton Side Road, causing the Hutton name to almost disappear and creating one of the busiest north-south arteries in London. Ironically, the decision to name the bridge after London’s most famous musical son was based on the myth that Lombardo and his band, The Royal Canadians, played many of their first engagements at Wonderland Gardens. In truth, Lombardo only performed at the Gardens twice — more than thirty years after he became famous.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Jul 2013 16:00:01 +0000
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