Grand Bend is a well-known summer destination. Years ago, a popular dance hall was one of the entertainment staples for tourists and cottagers. The Lakeview Casino was located on the Grand Bend beach at the end of Main Street. It was not a gambling casino but rather a dance hall and entertainment venue.
The official opening took place on July 29, 1917 with music by the Guy Lombardo Orchestra from London, Ontario. The popularity of the dance hall over the next two seasons warranted the construction of a larger, more permanent structure. The new building was completed in 1919.
The beach was a major attraction, but the Lakeview Casino also had ball games and a picnic area. Other amenities were rowboats, bathing suit rentals, and a diving platform.
The main draw was the music. Patrons purchased a general admission ticket for 15¢. This gave you entry to the promenade surrounding the dance floor. Once inside, a pay-as-you-go system known as jitney dancing was in effect. Individuals purchased additional tickets for 5¢ each, entitling them to just one dance. After every song, the floor was cleared of dancers. Once tickets were collected for the next tune and couples were assembled on the dance floor, the orchestra played the next song.
Big name musicians played at the Lakeview Casino over the years, including Louis Armstrong, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Gordie Tapp, the Haines Sisters, and Stan Patton.
During the 1960s, the popularity of old style dance floors from the big band era faded. A Windsor firm bought the Lakeview Casino in 1966. It became a pinball arcade and fast food restaurant until it was destroyed by fire in 1981. The grand old lady of the beach was no more, but her memory lives on for so many visitors that danced the nights away at the Lakeview Casino.
Lakeview Casino Artifacts and Document in our Museum Collection
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