‘It takes me six months to do a story. I think it out and then write it sentence by sentence—no first draft. I can’t write five words but that I change seven.’
How do you name your characters?
‘The telephone book and from the obituary columns.’
Do you keep a notebook?
‘I tried to keep one, but I never could remember where I put the damn thing. I always say I’m going to keep one tomorrow.’
How do you get the story down on paper?
‘I wrote in longhand at first, but I’ve lost it. I use two fingers on the typewriter. I think it’s unkind of you to ask. I know so little about the typewriter that once I bought a new one because I couldn’t change the ribbon on the one I had.’
How about the novel? Have you ever tried that form?
‘I wish to God I could do one, but I haven’t got the nerve.’
Do you think economic security an advantage to the writer?
‘Yes. Being in a garret doesn’t do you any good unless you’re some sort of a Keats. The people who lived and wrote well in the twenties were comfortable and easy living. They were able to find stories and novels, and good ones, in conflicts that came out of two million dollars a year, not a garret. As for me, I’d like to have money. And I’d like to be a good writer. These two can come together, and I hope they will, but if that’s too adorable, I’d rather have money. I hate almost all rich people, but I think I’d be darling at it.’
Mention the name Wonderland Gardens today, and most Londoners will probably respond, “Wonderland what”?
The site of the legendary dance hall, which burned down in 2005, is now called Springbank Gardens, and all that remains of the original venue is the outdoor bandshell.
The story of Wonderland Gardens begins in the early 1930s, when Charles Jones signed a long-term lease for a small lot of land in Westminster Township adjacent to the Thames River. His plan was to build a series of gardens, fountains, woods, ponds, and footpaths, including a luxurious swimming pool, all surrounding a 550-square-metre, open-air dance floor with a bandstand and Spanish Colonial-style pavilion.
Wonderland Summer Gardens opened on May 24, 1935, and it quickly became one of the city’s hot spots. Big Bands like Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians and those led by Glenn Miller, the Dorsey brothers, and local musicians like Johnny Downs and Lionel Thornton all graced the venue’s bandshell. Generations of Londoners danced and canoodled under the stars on the venue’s open-air dance floor.
As the decades passed and musical tastes changed, the venerable dance hall changed with the times. By the 1960s, Wonderland was London’s favourite concert/dance hall for the thousands of London area Boomers who flocked there to see major acts like Sly and the Family Stone, Deep Purple, The Mandala, Grant Smith and the Power, and many others too numerous to list.
Wonderland was also a jumping-off point for local bands like The Bluesmen Revue, A Small Experience, and The New Set, who mostly opened for the headliners.
For the late John Sharpe, The New Set’s former drummer, Wonderland holds a special place in his musical career.
“A group could play any number of teen towns or private events, but everyone knew you had not really ‘made it’ until you played Wonderland,” recalled John. “It was a magical place that attracted hundreds of teens to its weekly rock ‘n’ roll shows, so every group in the area wanted in on the action.”
Jim Chapman, former bassist for The Bluesmen Revue, a very popular London R&B group, remembers headlining at Wonderland many times.
“The room had excellent acoustics both on the stage and in the hall. In those days, that was the exception rather than the norm,” Jim recalls. “And it had one of the smallest dressing rooms I ever saw in a venue that size. How the multi-person big bands ever managed to get their people dressed for a gig I cannot imagine!”
Ken Thorne, of A Small Experience, another London band that regularly played Wonderland, remembers the venue’s dressing rooms, too.
“The original dressing room walls were scrawled with the signatures of many of the artists who performed there. Whenever we played there, we used to try and find the new additions while waiting to go on stage,” says Ken.
On August 13 – 14, 1969, Wonderland hosted a two-day Pop Festival featuring Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, Alice Cooper, Cat Mother & The All Night News Boys, George Olliver & The Natural Gas, and others for the whopping price of $7.00! The event preceded the much larger Woodstock Music Festival that took place in New York State, August 15 – 18.
Apparently, Zappa was asked why he wasn’t playing Woodstock. His reply? “Because we don’t want to.”
Rumour has it that after his set, Zappa waterskied on the heavily polluted Thames River, which flowed behind Wonderland! The rumour was recently confirmed during an interview I did with Chuck Jones.
As the years progressed, touring acts moved to other venues in town and Wonderland became more of a location for special events like company parties, conventions, rallies, and receptions.
“In its final days, the City of London had an active interest in Wonderland, but the council would not invest the money needed to refurbish it and keep it a top live performance venue,” Jim laments. “When Wonderland burned down, there was a lot of talk that something political and fishy had gone on, though I have no way of knowing if that was the case. Like many people, when I heard news of the fire, I shed a tear for all the great days and memories gone by.”
So next time you pedal or walk through Springbank Gardens, take a pause to see if you can hear some of the strains of great music that was once played on the site.
Author’s Note: Since this story was published in The Byron Villager a few years back, I was commissioned by the City of London Culture Office to prepare an Interpretive Sign that visually tells the history of Wonderland Gardens from 1935 to its rebirth as Springbank Gardens. The plaque will be unveiled on Sunday, June 21, at 1:30 pm at The Guy Lombardo Pavilion in Springbank Gardens.
Most people reach a stage or point in their lives when circumstances, often beyond their control, necessitate major lifestyle changes.
In my case, it was a recent, unexpected diagnosis of Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease as a result of the Type 2 Diabetes I have lived with for over a decade. Although I have managed it reasonably well, keeping my A1C at 7.0 (3-month blood sugar average) or under, it has taken an unavoidable toll on my kidneys.
During a three-hour consultation at London’s Kidney Care Centre, I was informed that unless I make major changes to my diet, especially curtailing my intake of sodium (salt) and foods high in potassium and phosphorus, and adopting a more rigorous exercise regimen, I will be looking at the prospect of dialysis within two years.
Now, that is a sobering thought!
In addition to diet and exercise changes, they recommended that I avoid any undue stress in my life. Hmm….
Since retiring from my thirty-year high school teaching career in 2008, I have lived my life using the motto: “Retired, not Expired!”
Hence, I have pursued various activities and interests to keep myself active and engaged.
In 2009, a group of my fellow freelance writers and artists launched The Beat Magazine, a monthly independent arts and culture magazine. I assumed the combined roles of Publisher and Managing Editor, while my good friend, Nicole Laidler, became the Editor, responsible for gathering and editing the magazine’s content. Somewhat arrogantly, we called ourselves “London’s premier independent arts print magazine and leading source of informed local arts news.”
Despite bleeding money for most of our existence (publishing a profitable arts magazine in London is no easy task), it was a great ride, and we lasted until 2013 before the money finally ran out. Today, I maintain The Beat Magazine 2009 as a website and Facebook page.
After The Beat folded, I began freelance writing for other local publications, including, at one time or another, Lifestyle, Business London, London Inc., Scene, and the Villager Publications group of community magazines.
I also took on a casual part-time copywriting position at Marketing Strategies & Solutions, an advertising house that specialized in promoting heavy industrial equipment and services. Now, that was a learning curve!
In 2023, at the invitation of my former teaching colleague, Art Fidler, who had just founded Silver Spotlight Theatre, a community theatre group for people 55+, I agreed to put together a profitable performance Program for the group’s first production, Babes In Arms. The role expanded to publicizing the show in the local mainstream media and social media platforms.
I did the program and publicity for Silver Spotlight Theatre’s production of Into The Woods in November 2024.
I also publicized the highly successful variety show, Groovin’ for Good, a fundraiser for the London Food Bank in May 2025.
I had planned on doing the publicity and program for Silver Spotlight Theatre’s next production, Showtune, in December 2025. But the several factors that had caused me undue stress in my SST role, combined with my unexpected CKD diagnosis, prompted me to step away from the role late in July.
However, I’m not throwing in the towel altogether on my love of the local arts and culture scene, especially community theatre.
It’s the main reason I have reactivated The Beat Magazine 2009 website after an eleven-year hiatus!
It will give me the autonomy to do what I want, when I want, and how I want.
The Beat Magazine 2009 website needs content. London area creative workers and arts and culture venues, do you have a gig, exhibit, play, or special event coming up? Let us know about it. Would you like us to prepare a Profile of you and your work? We do that, too. Contact Content Manager and Publisher, Richard Young, with the details at richardyoung@thebeatmagazine2009.ca
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