Mary Allen Stories...

At the end of World War II the returning veterans were settling down, getting married, starting families, and that created a housing shortage across Canada.     As mentioned earlier, 39 George Street was sold by the original owner (the Snyders) to a partnership of Harold and Shirley Bordman, and his parents, Edward and Sylvia, in 1946.  The mansion was turned into 5 apartments.  After a year of renovations, in 1946 Harold, Shirley and their young daughter, Heather, moved into the main floor apartment on the east side.  Harold’s parents, Edward and Sylvia and their daughter, Marnie, moved in above them, and the other 3 units were rented out.   Marnie recalls growing up on George Street.  She was 8 when she moved in, after living on both Herbert and John Streets.  The neighbourhood was full of children.  Here are some of her recollections. Four-year-old Marnie Bordman in front of one of the houses at the foot of Herbert St. (near ...

The Mary-Allen neighbourhood has several majestic houses, many of them on George Street.  You can download a walking tour of the neighbourhood at this link . One interesting house is 39 George Street.  It is a mirror image of a house at 50 Albert Street.  Both houses were constructed by Charles Moogk , Waterloo’s first Civic Engineer as well as an architect and a builder.   The Albert Street house was built in 1903 for Herbert Snyder of Snyder Brothers Company (furniture and upholstery), and 39 George was built for his brother, Alfred, in 1905.  (Their father, Simon Snyder, lived next door at 43 George Street).  Both houses are concrete wall construction, a new concept at the time.  Both cost around $7,000 to build.  39 George Street c.1940, constructed by Gharles Moogk and built for Alfred Snyder of Snyder Brothers Co. in 1905. In 1945 Edward Bordman and his son, Harold, bought 39 George Street.  Edward supplied the down pay...