The grand opening of the Erie Beach section of the Friendship Trail on May 31 was a grand event. Dubbed Picnic in the Park, more than 100 people came out to check out the festivities, which featured a carousel, several displays and a barbecue, along with the usual parade of dignitaries. Jane Davies of the Fort Erie Historical Museum recounted the history of Fort Erie Grove and the old amusement park which stood on the site until 1930.
A quick look at the nearly finished Erie Beach section of the Friendship Trail in Fort Erie. On a windy fall day.
Not much progress on the Friendship Trail this week; possibly a delay in pouring cement as the weather wasn't too co-operative. But one can see how the final product will look and note those nice finishing touches with the old posts from the original promenade.
The preparation is nearly done on the east end of the Erie Beach section of the Friendship Trail. The base has been built up from truckloads of gravel, slabs of the broken, busted-up concrete from the original promenade are being used along the edge and the cement will probably be poured during the next week. At the west end, the boardwalk is installed and there is new concrete all the way past the old dance hall to the spot you see at the very end of this video.
A friend of the family has some old video, circa 1960, of their time living in the Waverly Beach area. This short section shows the dance hall, long after it had closed but while it was still standing.
For those who have never seen it before, this is what your parents are talking about. For those who remember it, enjoy!
Brought my video camera down to the old park yesterday to show the progress of the trail being constructed along the path of the old promenade (wish I would have captured video of the site earlier this year ... or many years ago). The first scene shows the Bardol Road end of the promenade, where a lookout point is being installed at the very west end of the trail before it turns up toward the end of Lakeshore Road. The second part of the clip shows the Waverly Beach end and the foundation of the boardwalk laid down so far. (Notice the decaying motor boat pier, or baby pier, and giant swimming pool in the background).
The trail, with three lookout points in total, should be complete in October.
Have never seen this before. No idea any footage from Erie Beach Amusement Park existed, let alone a ride on the Wildcat. Amazing.
