Today I decided to go for a 4.7 km bike ride one-way and dip into Canada’s first urban natural swimming pier and deepest of Lake Ontario. Thanks to the donations provided by the City of Kingston and the $500,000 donation from The W. Garfield Weston Foundation to the Gord Edgar Downie Pier both were made possible at its current estate. I always like to ride my bike along its waterfront path and ended up near the pier where you can enjoy the upland sand beach which is always so live with many Queen’s University students playing games, families enjoying themselves. The park’s features include: Picnic amenities (tables, benches, and BBQs) Pathway lighting, Headlands and pebble beaches, and more according to a city source.
This year I saw for the first time a little kiosk selling food items, which was well needed, they also play music which really creates a better atmosphere. Also, there are portable flush washrooms ran by a Generator plant, and as we are currently on stage 3 it’s open for the public. I find this amenity comes really handy when like myself that rode my bike down there I get a chance to change my wet shorts after bathing.
I also notice this year they got new bike racks right across from the portable washrooms which I used to lock my bike up. I also brought a small backpack and just tide it beside my bike and thankfully was not stolen. Moreover, they’re cameras install on-site used by the City as vigilance which always provides a bit of extra comfort but overall it’s a very safe and friendly site.
The Pier was named after the famous Canadian musician and member of the rock band “The Tragically Hip” he used to live across the site was a board member and Swim Drink Fish ambassador. Swim Drink Fish is an organization that strives to sustain swimmable, drinkable, fishable water for everyone. So many years later the City of Kingston voted unanimously to name the renovated dock after Downie.
One sort of funny thing happened to me today meanwhile I was by the pier and was that this little boy asked me to do a front flip and out of generosity I did so and didn’t land properly and ended up banging my lower back against the water and hurt quite a lot, haha. But I’m still alive and okay thank God. I guess next time I would think it twice, although I did go back and perform my regular front forward diving and swimming right across the other end a few times. The water was just amazing, so refreshing.
Overall, the park has revived the downtown area of Kingston and it’s the spot to be during the summer months for sure. I personally had the chance to meet the City’s Mayor Bryan Paterson early this year and late last year and personally mentioned the noted-above. Nothing greater to see government policies reshaping the future of our cities and working for the good of all citizens and to me, this park is a great example of it.