Summer is a time to get outside and enjoy life. Parks become increasingly popular during this season. From June until September, they are brimming with activities. Conversely, they provide a quiet place to enjoy the sun and nature.

Guelph is home to many parks. They serve different purposes for the community in which they are located. Many of them are neighbourhood parks. Some transcend this purpose. In the past, Exhibition Park was the scene of horse races, gatherings of large crowds for baseball games and political assemblies, and both the starting point and end point of the Labour Day Parade. Riverside Park also falls into this broader category.

An Idea Forms

Created in 1905 by James Walter Lyon, an entrepreneur, it was initially to serve two purposes:

1. To provide picnic spaces for larger groups – including those from out-of-town
2. To help boost the ridership and viability of the Guelph Radial Railway.

Lyon set the matter in motion by purchasing Alfred Lace’s farm on Woolwich Street. This was the outskirts of Guelph. The only other “draw” to this particular part of this area was Woodlawn Cemetery. In an editorial to the citizens of Guelph, Lyon wrote:

“A park …would create an attraction on an underperforming route and lure picnickers, especially Sunday school children, as passengers into the system. The new park could help put the streetcar in the black.”

As to how to boost the ridership when people had access to buggies, horses and even cars? The solution was simple. You prohibited the entry of any such vehicles into the park. This limited the means of getting there to walking and taking the streetcar.

Attractions and Amenities

The 14.8-acre space, as envisioned by Lyon and the City was to boast a little of everything that made a park not just good but great. It had several natural amenities and added attractions to draw people to the park. Among the most popular were:

1. Swimming: The dam for Pipe’s later Simpson’s Mill provided opportunities for boating and bathing. Although Simpson owned the water rights, the city made a rental agreement giving them unlimited access. Simpson even removed some of the natural barriers to deepen the water.
2. A Zoo: The zoo at Riverside Park became quite an attraction. Situated near the entrance, it began with the purchase of a box of monkeys by Mayor George Sleeman. Six monkeys—four ringtails and two rhesus —arrived from New York on 22 June 1905. They were to be fed bread, fruits and nuts, but no meat. They were kept in their shipping box until their cage was completed. The monkeys were the beginning of the zoo near the Woolwich Street entrance. They became quite an attraction, especially after someone had taught one of them how to smoke.

In 1913, Mr. Connie Pearson, the then caretaker of Riverside Park, purchased two coyotes, or prairie wolves, who had been captured in Saskatchewan. These were added to the menagerie, which at its height had lynxes, coyotes, raccoons, monkeys, pheasants, deer, bears, and goats.

The deer had their own run. Local deer often came up to the fenced-in area. At one time, the “free” deer seemed to have increased extensively. One not-so-brilliant individual suggested that hunters be allowed into the park to cull them.

At its opening, Riverside Park also had a cookhouse with tables and trestles, an ice-cream building, a bandstand, a museum, a shooting gallery, swings and a merry-go-round. There were places to stroll named “Lover’s Lane”, rustic bridges and a well to drink from.

Concerts were well attended, including the initial one given by the Guelph Musical Society in July 1905. The Guelph Mercury noted that attendance that day was over 2,000 people. As Lyon had hoped for, the streetcars were packed.

A Site for Picnics

The Park continued to be successful. It became a favourite spot for picnics by different groups. Not only did Churches hold their annual summer picnic there, but so, too, did various Guelph industries. Northern Rubber (1920), Malleable Iron (1943, 1944), Guelph Lumber Company Picnic (1922), Standard Brands (1932), and Guelph Carpet & Worsted Spinning Mill (1946).

During the earliest days, a certain minister from out of town complained that while the setting was perfect, other issues existed. He said other parks of this kind had cutlery,  crockery and other related items available. This removed the difficulty of people hauling them to the park. Nevertheless, this comment did not seem to be a deterrent.  People continued to visit and picnic – bringing their own cutlery, plates, glasses and cups.

Family reunions were also held in Riverside Park over the years. They, like church,  school and family picnics, continue to this day. 

The Olde Swimming Hole

The city did not own the river that flows alongside Riverside. The nearby mill was given all water rights. The city rented them from the owner for, initially, $50 and then $100 a year.

When it opened, the mill was owned by Mr. Simpson. He was helpful. He rebuilt and increased the size of his dam. This created a deeper reservoir for better boating and bathing. However, this mutually favourable arrangement did not last.

In 1932, the agreement fell apart. The Simpson mill house had burnt down after two fires – one in 1931, the other in 1932. Simpson first tried to sell his plot of land to the city. It looked like a mutually beneficial exchange for both parties. They thought about it but did nothing.

The Separation of Park and River

Simpson grew tired of waiting. He then told the city that the annual rent for the use of the dam was going to increase to $150. The city refused to pay the extra cash.

On June 2, 1932, Simpson put this notice in the Mercury:

“There will be no river at Riverside Park this year … Visitors to Riverside Park who wish to see the water this year will be compelled to do so while looking through a fence.”

Simpson was not going to prevent people from enjoying the waters. He was introducing a new option, one that cut out the city.

Simpson built what was a form of water or amusement park. It included: a dance hall on the main floor and a restaurant on the top floor.

He also dug two swimming pools:

1. One for children
2. One for adults,

To allow nighttime swimming, Simpson added a tower illuminated by electric lights. Later, a picnic area and small cabins became part of this park.

The “Old Swimming Hole” quickly became very popular. The city swimming championships were held there in August 1933 (Thirteen-year-old Kathleen Sinclair won the girls’ title while “Peewee” Brandon won the men’s.)

The Olde Swimming Hole had another advantage. It had changing facilities. This had long been a complaint of those who decided to take a dip in the Speed River.

In 1944, Mr. James Simpson died, and the Old Mill became the property of Wilbert Nisbet. After Mr. Nisbet died in 1956, the city finally completed the purchase of the property. By this time, things had changed. Public pools, such as Lyon, were built in 1952. The structures were no longer viable. These, and other reasons, led to the tearing down of the Old Mill Pond structures in 1963

Later Additions

Yet, the Park survived and has never stopped growing. Physically, it is now over 80 acres. Additions over the years have included:

• Large Picnic Shelter (1961)
• Sports And Recreation Area (1962)
• Replica Model of John Galt’s Priory (1965)
• John Galt Garden (1967)
• Kiwanis Concert Shell (1972)
• The windmill (1977): It was built to commemorate the city’s 150th anniversary. It was constructed by Oeds Jonkman, a master builder. The money for the structure was donated by the Dutch community.
• The Enabling Garden (2002): In warm weather, it is home to the Guelph Storytelling Guild. They host their Tea and Tales here every Thursday.
• Disc Golf Course
• Blind Square (2024)

The Train and the Carousel

No description of Riverside Park is complete without mentioning the Carousel and the Train. They have become an integral component of any visit to Riverside Park during the summer months.

Carousel

The carousel dates to 1919 and was designed by Allan Herschall. It was purchased by the City of Guelph from Conklin & Garrett Limited of Brantford in 1970 for $6000. The company shipped their hand-carved horses, swans and other animal figures worldwide.  

When it was placed in the park, the covering was totally ineffective in addressing the destructive forces of rain and winter weather. This resulted in severe damage to an already aged carousel. The city decided to close the carousel and remove it permanently from service in 1976.

Fortunately, John Valeriote and others led a campaign to save it. Local artist Ken Danby painted an iconic portrait of a local boy riding the carousel. It was sold as part of the efforts to raise money. The total sum of $10,000 and a Wintario grant for $10,000 helped the campaign reach its goal. The inmates of the Guelph Correctional Centre also helped. They rebuilt and repainted the horses, chariots, and scenery using a colour scheme suggested by Ken Danby. As a result, the Carousel reopened in 1979 and, with a proper covering, has remained active into the present.

The Train

The train was added at the same time as the Carousel. Little is noted about its origins. It is said, however, that the now-named Riverside Express was constructed about 1964 as a replica of a 1950s train. In 2020, the engine was changed from gas-powered to diesel. In 2026, this engine will be replaced as it opts for a more environmentally friendly form of fuel – electricity.

The Floral Clock

One characteristic of Riverside Park has always received attention. It is beloved by photographers of all types. It has been a site for wedding pictures ever since it was created by Jock Clark in 1949.  Moreover, every year, the celebrated Floral Clock marks some aspect of Guelph’s cultural or historic past or present. 

 Clark made the clock tell time in 1955. Unfortunately, the mechanism that dictated this feature was of his own design. This made it difficult to repair after he had passed. It ceased to function during the pandemic.

But now, in 2025, after years of being only a floral clock, the mechanism was repaired. It is currently being tested for its functionality as an actual timepiece. 

Since the 1990s, it has sat peacefully in a  Grotto. This feature has slowly increased in size and features, becoming more lush and decorative as time has passed.

Today

Riverside continues to remain a popular picnic spot. It is still a place where families can come and, even if it no longer has a swimming pool or a zoo, have a picnic, ride the merry-go-round or the train, catch a performance at the bandshell or grab an ice cream cone. It is where such large-scale community events as the Multi-cultural Festival, Canada Day and Rib Fest take place. Even in the winter, the outdoor skating trail attracts visitors and locals alike. Christmas lights and displays sparkle in winter while the carnival spins around and around, and the floral clock (unfortunately, no longer telling time) is a sight for photos in summer.

Unlike many of the parks in Guelph, Riverside is an international park. It is visited and utilized by people of all nationalities and religions. It also reflects the changing makeup of the city.

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