“The park was crowded with bathers, boaters, and picnickers who attested to the delights of the area and urges further development of the park."
- Marlene Stirett, "Boulevard Lake." August 31, 1982.
Location, Size and Uses
Created in 1914, Boulevard Lake is located on Lyon Boulevard and is approximately 650 acres large. The Park's is used mainly for passive recreation, including:
- swimming
- hiking
- boating
- golfing
- picnicking
Major Features
The original dam, constructed 1901-1902- The present dam, constructed 1906-1907
- Black Bay Bridge, constructed 1911
- Yacht club building, built 1914
- First concessions available at Black Bay Bridge, 1929
- Lyon Boulevard, park drive open 1936
- Boat house, constructed 1936
- Diving raft, tower, and Olympic Standard Diving Board, crib, and iconic lifeguard chair, installed ca. 1936-1940
- Dressing room and washroom, constructed 1938
- Boat rentals - rowboats, canoes, punts, available starting 1938
- Playground equipment - swings, slides, merry-go-round, jungle-gym, etc.
- Miniature golf course, opened 1969
- 50 light posts installed around Boulevard Lake, 1969
- Lakeside Beach, Sunny Side Beach, and Sandy Cove, established by 1971
- Disc Golf course, installed 2010
Land Acquisition
123 acres were acquired from James Lyon between 1893 and 1914.
Historical Highlights:
- In 1901-1902, a dam was constructed on the Current River, as a source of electric power. This dam resulted in the creation of the Boulevard Lake reservoir.
- In 1893, the town of Port Arthur purchased the first acres of land from Mr. James Lyon for $395. Port Arthur continued to acquire land from Lyon: 77.7 acres in 1901 for $521.26, 23.77 acres in 1911 for $2380, and 23 acres in 1914 for $51,000.
- Mr. Lyon attached a few conditions to the sale on June 23, 1914:
- That a public roadway be constructed and that it surrounds the reservoir, and that it is called "Lyon Boulevard"
- That the City is free to sell not more than one third of the land surrounding Lyon Boulevard
- That the City name the parkland "Lyon Park" and that it would be maintained as a public park
- By July 1914, the gravel road, Lyon Boulevard, was complete. On July 15, 1914, 61 cars ceremoniously paraded from the Whalen building around Lyon Boulevard to Current River Park.
- 1911, the City of Port Arthur constructed the Black Bay Bridge. It was the first single span concrete bridge in Canada.
- In 1936, the "Current River Reservoir" was renamed "Boulevard Lake." Also this year, Council decreed that pulpwood could no longer be kept in Boulevard Lake.
- A boathouse and dressing rooms were constructed in 1936.
- 1936 was also the first year that swimmers at Boulevard Lake Park were protected by a lifeguard.
- In 1937, a bathing beach opened.
- In 1939, a boat rental business opened, renting out 3 buckhorn rowing boats, 3 Lake Queen Canoes, and 3 punts.
- The picnic locations at Boulevard Lake Park were named in 1962. They became:
- Lakeview Park,
- Birch Point Park,
- Evergreen Park,
- River Bend Park,
- Current River Park.
- In 1963, Black Bay Bridge was widened.
- In 1975, a new Multi-Service Building was constructed. This building replaced one which was severely burned in a fire in 1967.
- Charles Henry Ritchie bequeathed 4.24 acres of land in 1979. The four parcels of land stretched from the Black Bay Bridge to the edge of the Lyon property.
- The 1981 Jeux Canada Games held waterskiing competitions at Boulevard Lake.
- As part of the Millenium Project, Birch Point Park was bestowed park status in 2000. It is home to walking paths, a number of public art installations, and Thunder Bay's first disk golf course
By-law and Indenture to Establish the Park and Roadway
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Title: City of Port Arthur - By-Law 855
Date: ca.1912
Creators: City of Port Arthur
Description: This By-law summarizes the agreement between the City of Port Arthur and James Lyon.
Series: 156, Thunder Bay Central Files
Location: TBA 5264-18
Title: Agreement between City of Port Arthur and James Lyon
Date: August 23, 1912
Creators: City Engineer's Office, City of Port Arthur
Description: The letter details the estimated cost of the work to be done around the reservoir, or Boulevard Lake.
Series: 156, Thunder Bay Central Files
Location: TBA 5264-18
Title: Agreement with J. W. Lyon
Date: August 23, 1912
Creators: Corporation of the City of Port Arthur, James W. Lyon
Description: The indenture records the transaction between James Lyon and the City of Port Arthur. Lyon also lists stipulations to be adhered to.
Series: 156, Thunder Bay Central Files
Location: TBA 5264-18
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Agreement Regarding the Boulevard Lake Dam, 1972
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Title: Agreement Between the City of Thunder Bay and The Lakehead Region Conservation Authority Re: Boulevard Lake Dam
Date: 1972
Creators: City of Thunder Bay, Lakehead Region Conservation Authority
Description: This bylaw outlines the agreement between the City of Thunder Bay and the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority. Ultimately, this mutual agreement benefits the Boulevard Lake watershed, as the Conservation Authority controls river channels, flood controls, river protection, erosion protection, etc.
Series: 156, Thunder Bay Central Files
Location: TBA 5264-18
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Parks Technician's Boulevard Lake Fact's, 1972
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Title: Notes on Current River Park, Boulevard Lake Park, Strathcona Park, and Trowbridge Falls, Centennial Park between 1880-1944
Date: 198-?
Creators: [Marlene Stirett?]
Description: The chronology shows the evolution of four different parks, in comparison to one another.
Series: 156, Thunder Bay Central Files
Location: TBA 5248-04
Title: Boulevard Lake Facts Re: Letter to Saul Laskin
Date: June 14, 1972
Creators: A.A. Salo, Parks Technician
Description: The letter to the Oakville Chamber of Commerce provides a brief chronology, lists available features, and references technical drawings related to Boulevard Lake Park.
Series: 156, Thunder Bay Central Files
Location: TBA 5248-08
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Document Regarding Park Concession, 1972
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Title: Drive-In Concessions Proposal
Date: January 12, 1972
Creators: [Unknown]
Description: This technical drawing shows the Boulevard Lake Park area. Note the location of the proposed Drive-In concession. In 2000, that Penninsula became Birch Point Park.
Series: 156, Thunder Bay Central Files
Location: TBA 5248-03
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Fountain Proposal for Boulevard Lake, 1967 and 1969
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Title: Section A-A of Fountain
Date: November 7, 1967
Creators: [Unknown]
Description: This technical drawing was a proposal for a fountain that was to be installed at Boulevard Lake Park.
Series: 156, Thunder Bay Central Files
Location: TBA 5264-18
Title: Fountain Design
Date: February 17, 1969
Creators: Kenneth Campbell
Description: This letter outlines the proposal for a fountain to be installed at Boulevard Lake Park. The correspondence is quite detailed in its listing of design preferences, the possibility of vandalism, and the awareness of nearby children at play.
Series: 156, Thunder Bay Central Files
Location: TBA 5264-18
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Documents Regarding Miniature Golf at the Park, 1969
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Title: Agreement between the Corporation of the City of Port Arthur and Gordon Hay
Date: 1969
Creators: City of Port Arthur, Gordon Hay
Description: This agreement with the City allowed Mr. Hay to operate a miniature golf business on the Boulevard Lake Park premises.
Series: 28, Port Arthur Parks and Recreation Files
Location: TBA 4742-44
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Park Lighting Project, 1967
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Title: [Draft of a Commemorative Plaque]
Date: 1967
Creators: City of Port Arthur
Description: This document is a draft of a plaque to commemorate Canada's centennial year with newly installed lighting at Boulevard Lake Park.
Series: 28, Port Arthur Parks and Recreation Files
Location: TBA 4742-39
Title: Public Utilities Commission - Boulevard Lake Park Lighting Project
Date: November 5, 1969
Creators: Public Utilities Commission
Description: . It also lists the companies involved in the Lighting Project installation.
Series: 28, Port Arthur Parks and Recreation Files
Location: TBA 4742-39
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Long-range Plan for Boulevard Lake Park Complex, 1966
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Title: Boulevard Lake Park Complex - Long Range Plan
Date: December 15, 1966
Creators: [Parks and Recreation Department, City of Port Arthur]
Description: These documents comprise part of the 1966 Long Range Plan for the Boulevard Lake Park Complex. Many of these ideas were implemented over the years. However, some of the proposals never came to fruition (eg. the Centennial Park planetarium or the Boulevard Lake Fairy Tale Village).
Series: 28, Port Arthur Parks and Recreation Files
Location: TBA 4742-26
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Maps Showing Boulevard Lake
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Title: Boulevard Lake Park
Date: April 1976
Creators: A. A. Salo, Thunder Bay Parks and Recreation Department
Description: This map identifies different mining locations around the Boulevard Lake Park area. It illustrates the parkland in detail listing the names of beaches, roads, and surrounding businesses.
Series: 363, Thunder Bay Parks Technicians' Files
Location: TBA 5248-10
Title: Boulevard Lake Picnic Areas
Date: February 2007
Creators: D.O., Parks Division, Community Services
Description: This map shows the picnic areas that are available for rent. However, the map also serves as a recent representation of what Boulevard Park looks like. Note the on site features of each picnic area.
Location: City of Thunder Bay Parks
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Newspaper Clipping, 1970
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Title: It's a Long Way Down Now!
Date: August 14, 1970
Creators: [Unknown]
Description: The newspaper clipping discusses a heat wave that captured the city in the summer of 1970. High temperatures for three weeks straight had caused the water level of Boulevard Lake to drop 18 inches.
Series: 156, Thunder Bay Central Files
Location: TBA 5248-10
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Boulevard Lake History Press Release, 1974
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Title: Boulevard Lake Park
Date: December 9, 1974
Creators: [Unknown]
Description: This brief press release outlines the history of Boulevard Park and its facilities.
Series: 156, Thunder Bay Central Files
Location: TBA 5248-04
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Ice Race, 1971, & Bathtub Derby, 1975
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Title: Thunder Bay Autosport Club
Date: [March] 1971
Creators: D.W. Scott, Thunder Bay Autosport Club
Description: This document highlights a race that took place at Boulevard Lake Park in March of 1971.
Series: 156, Thunder Bay Central Files
Location: TBA 5248-06
Title: Bathtub Derby - July 20, 1975 at Boulevard Lake
Date: June 23, 1975
Creators: Kiwanis Club of Westfort
Description: This is a letter from the Kiwanis Club to the City of Thunder Bay. The Kiwanis Club is asking to use Boulevard Lake Park for their Bathtub Derby.
Series: 156, Thunder Bay Central Files
Location: TBA 5248-18
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