Welland House Hotel

Welland House Hotel
Location within Ontario
General information
Town or city	St. Catharines
Country	Canada
Coordinates	43°09′23″N 79°14′52″W / 43.1563049°N 79.2478617°W / 43.1563049; -79.2478617Coordinates: 43°09′23″N 79°14′52″W / 43.1563049°N 79.2478617°W / 43.1563049; -79.2478617
Opened	1856 (1856)

The Welland House Hotel was a historic building located on the corner of King and Ontario Streets on the East sidein St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. As of 2020, the site was in the process of being designated as a heritage site to prevent future demolition.^[1] Its last use was as a student residence, and then sat vacant. On July 12, 2021; it was destroyed in an early morning fire and torn down.^[2]

History[]

In 1853, natural salt springs were found in downtown St. Catharines. A trio of men bought three lots at this corner and construction began on the Welland House Hotel.^{[citation needed]} The hotel was constructed using mostly Black workers and was the second spa hotel to be built in the area. The Welland House employed many black workers, but refused to serve black patrons.^[3]

The mineral waters opened in 1856 and pumped water from the main spring near the Twelve Mile Creek to the hotel. It was believed the waters had healing powers and could cure many ailments.

The Welland House was established as part of the local spa market, and was mainly a summer resort that catered to wealthy citizens in Canada and the United States. The hotel often boasted famous guests including actors, politicians, musicians and performers. The Encyclopædia Britannica even listed it as one of the world's best spas.

The hotel had a number of owners, including the Malcomson brothers who purchased it in 1893.^{[citation needed]} A private hospital named The Wellandra was established in a section of the Welland House by 1910.^[4] During the Spanish flu pandemic, the top floor of the Welland House was used for patients.^[5]

In November 1909, Mary Malcolmson started the first North American Girl Guide troop at the Welland House.^[a] The spa business in St. Catharines went into decline and Welland House closed its doors in 1993.^{[citation needed]}

The Hotel Bar, named the Alibi Room was known to be a meeting place for gays and lesbians in the area from 1968 until its closing.^{[citation needed]}

A fire destroyed the Welland House on July 12, 2021.^[6]

Recent use[]

Most recently, the building was home to a student residence and CFBU radio

The Welland House re-opened in 1994 as a restaurant (Average Joe's) and student residence. Although Average Joe's closed in 2002, the Welland House remained a student residence until 2015. Known as the Downtown Student Residence (DSR), many of the residents were students who attended Brock University or Niagara College. The building was also the temporary home of CFBU-FM, Brock University's campus radio station.

In 2007, major interior renovations were made in various rooms. Some rooms received new flooring, bathroom fixtures, ceiling lights, wet and dry kitchenettes, and new paint.

The vacant building was in the process of potentially being designated as a heritage site to prevent future demolition. However in the early hours of July 12, 2021, emergency crews were called out to the Welland House regarding a large fire. It took response from all six fire stations, eight EMS vehicles and aerial trucks from the Thorold and Pelham units just to contain the raging fire.^[7]

Sources[]