Iron man: John Pollet

Outside of the Greater Toronto area (GTA) on a country road in Caledon, the entrance to Gottscheer Park is distinguished by a tall, regal, wrought iron fence. The iron gate is about 6 feet high and the iron fence over 7 feet extends on either side of the driveway. GOTTSCHEE is spelled out in foot long letters in an arc over the entrance way. Driving into the park, not too much thought is ever given to this $7,000 blast from the Club’s past!

The fence was the craft of Gottscheer Club member John Pollet. John was the husband of Hilda Lobe, older sister of Mr. Henry Lobe one of the original founders of the Club in Toronto. John had been born in East Prussia. East Prussia remains on the maps of the world but not its name. Working in iron all of his life, John had the frame of a boxer, or a hard rock miner.

Josie Lobe, Henry’s daughter writes the following about her uncle, ”Uncle and a partner owned ‘Art Ornamental’ wrought iron metal fabricating shop.” And that “my uncle would not have been paid for (the) gate.”

He was a dignified communicator with a large heart for the Gottscheer club. Josie writes that “He (John) understood the dialect/language being around my (family) and socializing with all the Originals/Oldtimers such as your parents.” He built and installed the fence. The heavy lifting alone goes well beyond the capacity of the weight room at Fitness Clubs. Only the old Mack’s gym on Dundas St West comes close. It took enormous energy to curve and shape the iron letters of ‘Gottschee’, and create the 6, 7, and 8 foot lengths of the I inch square metal. A short internet search will show a cost of $6,000 to $7,000 for the fence. It now stands like a forlorn museum piece at the entrance to Gottscheer Park.

During the last 2 years, one of my Covid projects has been archiving my extensive comic book collection. John brings to mind a superhero of the Marvel world, “Iron Man” whose first appearance in a comic recently brought a price of $40,000 in a Chicago Auction. A very recent issue of a new Iron Man goes for $60.

The founders and early supporters of the club were not faultless but they were superheroes.