Historic Point Edward tavern demolished

Cathy Dobson/The Independent

Tyler Yates, co-owner of Point Edward’s historic Balmoral Tavern, says he takes the significance of the building seriously.

But it no longer met the village’s property standards and had to be demolished, he said.

“I understand a lot of people spent a lot of time there,” Yates said of the 160-year-old watering hole.  “A lot of couples met there and I realize people had a lot of ties to it.”

Even though “The Bal,” as it was affectionately called, was a community hub for well over a century, it could not be salvaged, restored or renovated, he said.

On Tuesday, Scholten Excavating moved heavy equipment on site and a small crowd gathered to watch the bricks and mortar tumble to the ground.

Yates and two other Sarnia investors purchased the shuttered tavern on the south side of Michigan Avenue in 2020 and had hoped to start redevelopment then. But the pandemic hit and plans were delayed.

The investors also own the adjacent land to the west along Michigan where the Bridge Tavern, another Point Edward landmark, was demolished in 2016. 

The plan always was to demolish The Bal and make room for commercial and residential development, said Yates.  It was just a question of when.

The investors had a tenant in the building that was helping pay the bills, he said, and they were in no rush to demolish it.

“Development will be long term,” he told The Independent this week.  “It’s likely three or so years away.”

But the building’s decay could not be ignored by the village’s property standards officials and an order was issued to replace broken windows and the large fire escape at the back. 

“The staircase was the big concern,” said Point Edward CAO Jim Burns.  “If there was a fire in there, we couldn’t let anyone use them to get into the building.”

If the owners didn’t address the building’s safety concerns, the village would make the required repairs and send them the bill.

So the investors expedited demolition plans to avoid pouring money into repairs, according to Yates.

As for protecting the building because of its historical significance, Burns and Yates said that was never a factor. 

Since the doors were permanently closed at The Bal in 2010, it was slowly falling into disrepair.  Besides, the interior and exterior had been renovated extensively over the years and there wasn’t anything left of historical value.

The building was construction in 1865 and opened as Holder’s Hotel. To this day, a roadway to the west is known as Holder’s Lane.  In the late 1800s, Holder’s Hotel was one on the premier hotels in the region.

Much later, under ownership of the Kowalyshyn family that operated it for 45 years, it remained a favourite meeting place for sports team, music lovers, locals and visitors looking for a friendly pint.

When The Bal closed 15 years ago, Darusia Kowalyshyn said several factors played into the decision including new smoking laws and changing attitudes towards drinking.