Thames (River Steamer), London, Ontario

This was probably on the south bank a 100 feet or so west of where the entrance to Storybook gardens was in the 1960's. Our family used to have have yearly family picnics in the picnic pavilion that was there in the mid and late 40's. On different occasions my grandad and I used to walk along various sections of the the path on the south-side shoreline. The path ran between Wonderland and the old iron bridge crossing the river at Byron. It passed the suspension bridge that crossed the Thames to the Thames Valley Golf course. I never went more than a mile or so west of the Byron bridge on the path, but I certainly walked and biked the entire path from east of the Wharnclife Rd. bridge near the Thames North South intersection, west past the Coves, the Riverside boat club, past the site of the Steamboat disaster, and behind the Cemetery (where we used to hill climb and race our bikes down the paths to the river before any of the houses were built in the subdivision), all the way to Springbank. All along the path there were remnants of the old street car line and rail beds. I distinctly remember him telling me of boats you could take from the foot of Dundas St. to Springbank before the Streetcars. I both saw and walked around the post caps and remains of the old dock. These were removed sometime in the 60's to make use of this almost natural and desirable launch area for paddle boats and canoes you could rent.