On Operating a Garage: Through the Eyes of Aubrey Lyon

By Belinda Wilson

Originally published in the North Kawartha Times, circa 1985

“When we moved up here from Newmarket, I decided I was going to act like everyone else. I would talk like them, dress like them, everything. I was going to fit in with them, rather than expect them to be like me.” That was Aubrey Lyon’s decision when he and his family moved to Fenelon Falls in 1945. “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” was his motto, and no one who knows him today could say that Aub Lyon doesn’t belong in the village.

On September 11, 1945, Aub and his partner John Henderson took possession of the service station previously owned by W.J. Flett and Son. It was situated between the two bridges in Fenelon Falls, the site now occupied by the Lock Station. John died the next year, and Aub took over his share of the business.

Besides pumping British American Oil gasoline, Aubrey also had a Dodge-DeSoto dealership on the property. As well, he had an automotive repair shop, and Howard Akister, his mechanic made sure that every car that came in to be fixed left running like new. In the early days, Aub estimated that gas was around 23c a gallon and the cost to have a new muffler was about $9 ($7 for the muffler, and $2 for the labour).

Situated where he was, Aub had a perfect view of the Creamery behind him, and across the way, the Bell Tower, often mistaken by visitors as a light house, the building which had been a grist mill, and later became a spinning factory, and a collection of other buildings all of which have been taken down.

When Aub first took over the business, he tried to come up with an idea that would make him known to the tourists who frequented the village. Since he sold hunting and fishing licenses, and had addresses of all those who purchased them, he hit upon an idea. He sent road maps of the area to those Americans who had purchased licenses, and the response was so great, that he had people making special trips to Fenelon Falls just to thank him for the road map, which was a great help to them when travelling in Ontario.

British American Oil changed to Gulf [in 1969] and in 1954, Aub gave up the dealership, but the rest of his business remained the same, and people still stopped in at Lyon’s to “shoot the breeze” and put in an hour or two. It was a friendly place to visit, and Aub made everyone feel welcome.

In 1960, however, it seemed that all this was to end. The government sent him a letter stating that he had 6 months to move off the island, as they were planning to put up a lock station, and turn the area into a government park. Aub went to work for Gerry Armstrong, who owned the Esso Station and Ford Dealership where Jim Herrington’s business is now [more recently Bert’s Appliances/Highlands Propane]. He worked there for 2 ½ years, until it was brought to his attention that there was a possibility of a lot where he could reestablish his business.

On the corner of Lindsay Street and Highway 35a, there was a grocery store once operated by Harry McKendry, and at the time of this story, it was owned by Georgia and Brandt Phillips. They had decided to sell, and so Aub bought the lot, and put up a service station in 1964. He pumped the first gas at the new location of Lyon’s Garage in July of that year, and once again his business welcomed not only customers, but those who just dropped in to say hello. In 1974, Aubrey Lyon sold the business to Jim Armstrong who still owns it today [more recently Texas Burger].

Looking back over his years in business in Fenelon Falls, Aub doesn’t see any difference in the people he dealt with, or the manner in which business was done. He has, however, seen a great change in the Village of Fenelon Falls; much progress has been made in the development of the tourist industry, and Aub Lyon is one of the people responsible for making the summer visitors to this area welcome.

His goal to become part of Fenelon Falls has most certainly been attained. Ask anyone how long Aub and Lorine Lyon have been in the village, and the reply will probably be “always.”