Great family memories at park

Re: ‘Jewel of the city’ turns 125 — Aug. 13

Great memories came flooding back as I read this story. Our dad, Fred Walton, played with and managed the Waterloo Tigers baseball team while we were growing up, so Waterloo Park was a major part of our family life. On Sundays, Mom would pack a picnic lunch and a blanket onto my brother Greg’s wagon and we would all head to the park from our home on Herbert Street. Once past the awesome entrance gate we could run as fast as we could to claim our special spot at the top of the hill just below the huge cannon that stood there in those days.

The spot provided a great vantage point from which to survey all that was happening around us. Dad would stretch out on the blanket for a snooze and Mom would keep an eye on us as we waded into the lake among the many weeds that flourished there in those early days.

Then came the new pools. We called the smallest circular one the “baby pool.” Then there was the rectangular pool where the graduated floor allowed for a three- or four-foot depth that was great for learning to swim or for swimming lengths or widths or just having fun. But the pool that prompted the greatest screams of delight was the diving pool. Its depth enabled those brave enough to climb the mighty tower, make their way to the end of the diving board, and jump or maybe even dive to the applause of the many watchers.

I am looking forward to a stroll along the new three-kilometre interior perimeter walkway. I think I’ll invite my nieces and nephews to stroll with me. Maybe we’ll come up with a name for the walkway. Fran Walton

Waterloo