Boler Mountain: A Place One Family Called Home
For many, Boler Mountain, Byron’s iconic ski hill, is synonymous with year-round fun—skiing and snowboarding in the winter, and mountain biking and ziplining in the warmer months. For the Zimmer family, it was synonymous with home. Martin and Anneliese Zimmer immigrated to Canada in 1958. Coming from post-war Germany, the young couple initially struggled to feel at home in London. As they grew familiar with their new city, they discovered and fell in love
Anneliese and Martin celebrating at Boler Mountain.
Christine and her husband Mark at their wedding.
It was Anneliese, however, who anchored the family to Boler. Mamma Boler, as many knew her, volunteered with the London Track 3 Adaptive Snow School. She could be seen shepherding stragglers, helping students up the hill and picking them up when they fell, encouraging them with kind words and the occasional hot chocolate. Anneliese also kept time at championships and was actively involved with Boler’s social committee. A favourite event was “Beans in the Bush,” where she served chilli and hot dogs on the hill. She also brought home-cooked food for snowmakers and tow operators on cold nights, something she continued into her 80s. For her birthday on January 1, Anneliese delighted in seeing the torches gliding down the slopes and fireworks every New Year’s Eve, grateful for her “present.” The Zimmers celebrated many milestones at Boler: birthdays, anniversaries, and weddings. In 2024, the family hosted a celebration of life for Martin and Anneliese there. “It was a true celebration of the memories and joy my parents found there,” shares Christine. For Martin and Anneliese, Boler was more than a ski hill—it was their community, their family, and their home. “Leaving Germany after the war was hard,” reflects Christine. “The friendships my parents made at Boler Mountain were so important and stayed with them for the rest of their lives.” Anneliese Zimmer passed away on September 5, 2023, and Martin Zimmer followed four months later, on January 8, 2024. Source: Two hearts, one journey: Martin and Anneliese Zimmer. Christine Zimmer. www.livestold.com/story/martin-and-anneliese-zimmer-71 Photos courtesy of the Zimmer family
Anneliese and Martin walking in the Black Forest.
with Springbank Park and Boler Mountain. By the time their third child, Christine, arrived in 1971, the Zimmer’s had settled in Byron close to Boler. Visible from their kitchen window, Boler became the family’s backyard. Martin, Anneliese, and their kids spent nearly every day at the hill— skiing, hiking, jogging, exploring, and accompanying Martin on painting expeditions. All three children became ski instructors, and Martin sat on the Boler Mountain (formerly London Ski Club) Board of Directors.
(L to R): Natalie (granddaughter), Martin Jr., Christian (grandson), Terri (daughter-in-law), Anneliese and Martin Sr.
Laura Medina Agent Bus: 519-204-7277 laura@lauramedina.ca Laura Medina Insurance Agency Inc. 440 Boler Rd. Suite 208
London, ON N6K4L2 www.lauramedina.ca
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Byron Villager Jan/Feb 2026
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