Tears shed as Reeta Hotel comes down.

Removal of prominent landmark will salvage downtown core: mayor

By Brad Moscato

[Welland Tribune, 1997]

Francis Cutuia, 83, who owned the Reeta Hotel from 1955 to 1962 and now lives at the Rose City Seniors Centre, sheds a tear as demolition begins Thursday on the Hellems Street landmark.

“It breaks my heart to see it go.”

An icon of the past had its moment of glory Thursday.

Once a prominent fixture in the city’s downtown core, the former Reeta Hotel was bid an official farewell by about 250 onlookers. The building has stood in the heart of Welland since 1922.

“It breaks my heart to see it go,” said Francis Cutuia, who owned the hotel from 1955-62.

“There was a lot of activity and a lot of action here during those times,” the 83 year old said. “My coffee shop was filled every day.”

Indeed the 75-year old Reeta brought back a lot of memories too many city folks.

Sixty-three–old Ron Lasovich worked as a waiter at the hotel for two years during the 1970s.

It was time, he said, when draft beer was sold for 20 cents and hourly wages for a waiter were a mere $1.35.

“The Reeta was great in its day” Lasovich said. “But things change.”

According to city officials, such change is intended to salvage the downtown core.

Mayor Dick Reuter delivered an unequivocal endorsement of the project to onlookers gathered outside the building.

This sends a message that we are doing something with the downtown area”, said Reuter. “We want to encourage businesses to come back into the community.”

But Reuter didn’t forget to mention the important role the hotel played in the community for years.

“It was a fine establishment,” he said. “A lot of people are going to miss it.”

Options for the hotel’s replacement are being examined but officials suggest a parkette stands out as the best choice.

“Certainly downtown is vital to the community. We’re trying to make it alive and well,” said Dolores Fabiano, manager of the city’s Chamber of Commerce.

Although the mood at the event was mostly celebratory, with banks playing in the background and free food and drinks being served, the decision grew considerable criticism.

One man, who asked not to be identified, conveyed disappointment about the building being torn down.

“Whoever made this decision should be shamed,” he said. “This is part of Welland’s history.”

And he threw cold water on city officials’ rosy predictions of steamy growth for the downtown core.

Fabiano’s response was that the the building needed to be put out of its misery” and predicts its removal will be a key driver in the change of attitude in business downtown.

“Change is a good thing,” she said. “This is a step in the right direction for the revitalization of downtown Welland.”

In any case it was the old Reeta’s day. One hundred of the structure’s bricks were being sold to raise money for the downtown and some had the chance to spray paint slogans on the side of the building.

Messages ranged from “So long old girl” to “My cousin was made here” and “Finally gone” to Farewell.”