KAWARTHA LAKES-For most of the twentieth century, much of what is today Garnet Graham Park was occupied by the Victoria Railway (CNR). The station was on the south side of the river (now the Station Gallery), so the train did not stop on the north shore of the Fenelon River, but there was a shelter for the bridge master, who had to swing the bridge to accommodate boats and trains. Sawdust Bottom (the end of Bond Street—so named because it was beside a former sawmill) and the canal were both popular swimming locations. Several hours frequently passed between trains, so many people walked along the rails and across the swing bridge. If a train came while kids were crossing the bridge, they would just jump into the river.
When automobiles began to appear in the area around 1910, many motorists enjoyed going for a drive, and it was fashionable to drive onto lawns and park to have a picnic or camp. In Fenelon Falls, many motorists crossed the tracks at the end of Francis Street to enjoy summer weather beside Cameron Lake. On the other side of the tracks, from 1913 until 1958, the Abbott Sisters operated Maryboro Lodge as a tourist lodge. Many visitors would sit on the verandah to enjoy tea. Guests could stay at Maryboro Lodge or a cabin, while many others tented beside the lake.
When automobiles first appeared they were a novelty, and people would be excited to see a car. By the second half of the twentieth century, practically everyone had a car, and if everyone was driving into the park it would kill the grass. It was no longer fashionable to sit around your car for a picnic. Barriers and bollards become common to stop cars from parking in the park. By the late 1970s, traffic was petering out on the railway, and in the 1990s it was repurposed as the Victoria Rail Trail. Maryboro Lodge became the community’s museum in 1963.
Into the early 2000s, the south end of Garnet Graham Park contained a railway berm, with chain link fence on either side. In 2009, Fenelon Falls’ Powerlinks committee redeveloped the park, making it open concept, with a swimming area and new pathways lined with pin oak trees. The Fenelon Falls Rotary Club added a splashpad in 2018. Today, the south end of Garnet Graham Park is a very busy place in summer and kids continue the age-old tradition of jumping off the train bridge.
This story is part of our partnership with Maryboro Lodge, The Fenelon Falls Museum and was written by Glenn Walker.
If you want to make a donation to the museum, you can e-transfer to: [email protected] or mail a cheque to :
Maryboro Lodge Museum
Box 179
50 Oak Street
Fenelon Falls, ON
K0M 1N0
