Building restoration attracts attention from community

It wasn’t a typical job for Charlie Eckersley, but then again he may not be a typical stucco contractor.
The man who stuccoed the commercial building in downtown Duntroon said he received a huge amount of positive feedback and encouragement from people while the work was underway this past summer.
Eckersley said he didn’t have an exact plan for what he wanted to do with the building, and it continually evolved. He had been given carte blanche by the owner Steve Wroe, (whose only stipulation was that it be grey).
“The more people who stopped to say ‘thanks, good job’ and everyone who got out to shake my hand or give a thumb’s up, I was inspired to do more,” said Eckersley.
He said he was happy to do it for the community, so he went above and beyond, furnishing details that are inspired by the building’s original cross brickwork, which is typical of the area.
Going by the business name of Simply Stucco, Eckersley has been doing stucco in the area for almost 20 years and has worked on several buildings in Creemore. He said he combines his personal style with the traditional design – for instance there are the subtle impression of birds worked into the stucco, textured to look like stone.
The building has been newly renovated and has three commercial units on the lower level, with apartments upstairs.
Living in the house next to the building is Wayne and Marj Clute.
Back in the 1940s, Marj’s father Jack Swalm bought the building, which had been sitting idle. It was once a hotel called Bowmore House. Wayne said his late father-in-law said the hotel had 76 swinging doors and was a popular stopover for people travelling to and from Collingwood by horse and buggy. There was a coach house where the horses would be kept while the guests dined at the restaurant and rested for the night.
Wayne said there are some local legends about the building, some of the criminal nature. One story tells of a hotelier who was fond of the drink so her brother intervened by dumping the whisky barrels out into the street, where a bunch of pigs imbibed.
Swalm renovated the building and added the apartments. On the main floor he ran Swalm TV and Electric.
Marj said her father was getting into business at the end of wartime, when there was a growing demand for electricity in the rural areas so he made a good living wiring homes, selling household appliances and stereo equipment (she said hi-fi was all the rage).
Marj said she has fond memories of working in the store, along with her sister. Swalm also built the house next door, where the Clutes now live.
As the store changed hands it became Lageers Appliances and then Clearview Appliance. Later, it was home to Dreany’s Upholstery. The building currently has one store open, Arizona Blues.