T:5"
4 - Southpoint Sun
Wednesday, March 31, 2021
Recreating the Mettawas Hotel: By Mark Ribble KINGSVILLE — If you were to take a walk through Jim Loop’s collection of model buildings and sailing vessels, you’d be taking a walk through Jim’s childhood, growing up in Kingsville. Jim now lives in Michigan and his brother, Bob, still lives in Kingsville. Bob recently spoke to the Sun about Jim’s incredibly-built models — in particular, the one he recently completed of the iconic Mettawas Hotel. “He’s an engineer,” said Jim about his younger brother. “He made every one of these from photographs.” The Loops grew up along the harbourfront in Kingsville, where they lived in the big white house at the top of the hill overlooking the Kingsville dock. They played in the remnants of the old Mettawas Hotel when they were children. “We climbed on that stone retaining
Former Kingsville resident, Jim Loop, poses with his replica of Kingsville’s famous Mettawas Hotel. His brother Bob is in the inset. Photos submitted T:14"
A harmless coffee break can do more harm than you think.
wall that sat at the very end of Lansdowne,” said Bob. “That’s all that was left of the building back then.” The Mettawas Hotel was torn down in 1903 or 1904, depending on which accounts you read. It was designed and built by Mason and Rice Architects of Detroit, for Hiram Walker, in 1890, at a cost of about $250,000. Walker died in 1899 and the hotel was eventually purchased by W.P. Beyer, who promptly got into a tax dispute with the town and ordered it torn down. Jim Loop remembers a story his grandfather told him. “My grandfather was a commercial fisherman, and he told us of seeing a bunch of men on the roof of the hotel back then,” said Jim. “He thought they were re-roofing, but in fact, they were tearing it down.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
AT ROSEWOOD ERIE GLEN
SPRING SPECIAL
Move in before May 31st, 2021 and receive 3 months rent FREE *ask for details
Welcoming New Residents Wear a mask, wash your hands and physically distance to stop the spread of COVID-19. Learn more at ontario.ca/covid-19 Paid for by the Government of Ontario
Rosewood Senior Living Erie Glen @Rosewooderieglen
