Gilmour Park was an impromptu lunch stop for us. Louise had purchased a chicken pot pie at the BP Connect Station where I fueled the campervan. While she fixed the rest of our lunch, I took a walk around the park. It turned out to be a delightful park with a nice lake, with paths around the lake and boardwalks over wetlands and a children’s playground, it was a really pleasant stop. In gathering information for this entry, I learned that the park also had hidden beauty that I didn’t appreciate when we walked the grounds. It never ceases to amaze me, all the information on the internet. You can read the whole story at Gilmour Reserve.

This beautiful lake and park are located on abandoned gold mining ground. Abandoned in 1952 when the mining operation shut down, the city eventually rehabilitated the grounds. Supported by the present gold mining operation who contributed to the project as an offset for land that would be taken by the new mining operation, the park was constructed. Now it serves as a thriving resource for a community. The park continues to improve with plans to honor miners who lost their lives, WW I veterans who participated in underground assaults on the enemy lines and more.

We saw model boaters sailing their remote control sailboats on the lake, families picnicking on the grounds and people just out for a walk in the park. They had restrooms unlike any I have seen anywhere other than on the news. These restrooms have an electronic door that closes when you press a button. An announcement tells you how much time you have before the door opens automatically. Then the music starts! The facilities are all stainless steel and were quite clean. Ready to leave? Press a button and the door opens. Outside a light system lets you know if the restroom is open or in use. Way too cool! For us it was just a lunch stop. It turned out to be so much more. In preparing to write this for you I developed a much deeper appreciation for this gem of a park and the community that took waste land and turned it into a real asset for the entire community.