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N ( j v e m b k r ( > . 2 0 0 2 · \ w x c c :i Senior's bankbook surprises CIBC manager By Wilma Blokhuis O A K V IL L E B E A V E R S T A F F O n Oct. 10, 1931, at age nine, Ethel Winzer walked into the local branch of the old Canadian Bank of Commerce and proudly deposited $7, money she earned picking berries. Thus began 71 years of banking loyalty. Her little yellowed, hand written bankbook, listing her deposits totaling $62.69 to 1945, is among her most prized possessions. "I have two more of these," said Winzer, 80, acknowledg ing she was able to save money during the Great Depression and World War II. Winzer brought her prized bankbook into the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) at 197 Lakeshore Rd. E. at the northwest comer of George Street last Wednesday as Oakville's main branch celebrated the 50th anniversary of the former Imperial Bank of Canada's arrival in Oakville in 1952. "I worked at William Whitaker and Sons garage at Church Street and Trafalgar Road for 33 years to 1970 (when it was sold), and made my deposits here," she said. "I remember at one time they had only three tellers and I got to know all of them by name." It never occurred to Winzer to switch banks. When the Commerce, founded in 1867, amalgamated in 1961 with the Imperial, established in 1875, to form the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Winzer remained loyal. She remembers a succession of bank managers, of whom the late Lloyd Turnbull, the bank's longest serving manager, stands out as "my favourite." He was manager from 1962 to 1973. Her visit was brief - she came to show her first bankbook, enjoy a cup of coffee, and left without making a transaction. Winzer's visit literally made Nancy McKen's day. McKen, a 30-veteran with CIBC, is the first female man ager at the bank's main Oakville branch. She asked Winzer to consider donating her old bankbooks to the CIBC archives. The Imperial Bank of Canada opened on Colbome Street - now Lakeshore Road - on Oct. 31, 1952. It was located in part of the building now occupied by the RBC Royal Bank at Trafalgar and Lakeshore Roads. The Imperial's 1952 annual report made special mention of locating in town. "The Oakville branch was opened just a few weeks ago. This community, only some 20 miles from Toronto, is at the present time experiencing a very substantial industrial growth and our branch was established to service this rapidly developing industrial and business centre." After 1961. the CIBC took over operations of the Imperial "up the street" and moved into the old Commerce before the present-day building opened on June 1, 1965 at 197 Lakeshore Rd. Colbome Street had become Lakeshore Road in 1963. With assistance from the Oakville Historical Society, McKen learned the history of the land currently occupied by the CIBC. Before a bank was built on that property, it served as a cobbler's shop, barber, billiard hall, newspaper and tobacco stand. In the mid-1830s, the Crown sold the lot to Charles Davis, who erected a store and.dwelling. Aside from his attempt during the 1850s to run an unlicensed inn known as The Oakville Temperance House, Davis remained at the cob bler shop until his death in 1880, according to the society's June 2001 Newsletter. The buildings were sold to barber Charles Bradbury who in addition to cutting hair, installed pool tables, and sold Toronto newspapers and tobacco. After Bradbury's death in 1912, the buildings caught the attention of real estate developer and banker William Sinclair Davis - better known as W. S. Davis - and no relation to Charles Davis. He was the manager of the Oakville branch of the Bank of Hamilton, located inside the W. S. Davis Block built in 1903. In 1923, the Bank of Hamilton was taken over by the Commerce. All that remains of that bank is a safe, in the back of the basement of Garvey's Fine Men's Wear at 183 Lakeshore Rd. E. In 1922, Davis felt the neighbouring comer lot at Colbome and George Streets would be better suited for a bank, and decided the existing buildings had to go. But rather than destroy them, he moved the store to 225 William St., and the double house behind it to 186 and 188 William St. The buildings remain as private residences. . He sold the comer lot to the Commerce before it took over the Bank of Hamilton. Here is where Ethel Winzer made her first deposit 71 years ago. Peter C. McCusker · Oakville Beaver Ethel Winzer, 80, surprises Nancy McKen, branch manager of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC), with her first Canadian Bank of Commerce bankbook dating back to 1931. Below, the old Bank of Hamilton in the W. S. Davis Block photographed in 1914 with the present-day Starbuck's location to the right. The Bank of Hamilton was taken over by the Commerce in 1923. The present-day CIBC is to the right o f Starbuck's. Photo courtesy o f the CIBC Archives The Oakville branch of Imperial Bank of Canada that occupied part of the present-day site of the RBC Royal Bank at Lakeshore and Trafalgar Roads, opened on Oct. 31, 1952. The Imperial merged with the Canadian Bank of Commerce in June 1961 to form the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC). Photo courtesy o f the Oakville Historical Society e ,( \)(X & l U £ - { 'U y a x c d v jj / ( le w f a ll/ CC i C c c l t c i I I Your hra fitting expert, petite to full-figure from A-J Lejaby Fitting Days C om ing Soon! Call for details. U ltra ligh t w arm & cozy , Mens & Ladies Sheepskin by CHRIST German LeatherrasHion since-1954 HNE OUTERWEAR SINCE 1815 100 BRONTE RD. UNIT #3, OAKVILLE 905-847-1512 w w w.goodnightgoodm orning.com ,Located in Beautiful Dow ntow n Oakville 209 Lakeshore Road Hast. 905-845-203/ 1