From the May 2020 Beach Banner
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Our Neighbourhood – A Walk with Robert Fraser
Parks on the Beach
On such a short stretch of land (4 mile long) we are blessed with 7 named parks. Some of them have interpretive panels while others do not.
Jimmy Howard Park (80 Beach Blvd) is the first one. It is worth Googling this "iconic Canadian stock car driver, inducted into Motorsport Hall of Fame 1994 and Flamborough Speedway Hall of Fame 2012 " He passed in 2015. His former home at 147 Beach Blvd has an outdoor mural depicting his life – thanks to Chris and Terry.
The second park (189 Beach Blvd) is named after Reg Wheeler, a former city alderman (28 yrs ) and a professional football player. He lived on Beach Blvd for most of his life.
Park number 3 is the Kinsman Playground which began life as the Fresh Air camp.
Further along the lakeside is the Dieppe Veterans Memorial Park. Historical plaques describe the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry raid on Dieppe 1942.
Just kitty corner to the Dieppe Park is the Jimmy Lomax Park which does have an interpretive panel.
Park 6 is the Windermere East Park (105 Eastport Drive) with an interpretive panel and great view of the areas natural inhabitants.
The last named park is the Hamilton Recreational Beach Trail (8 Km long section of the 3,000 km Waterfront Trail.
Honourable mention needs to go to the Lighthouse and Keepers Cottage at the canal.
Lastly in a what appears to be a preserved area is the "Woman and the Bay – Tersilla Komac" interpretive panel, located across from the store. She was the first woman to run the Around the Bay Road Race in 1975!
The city of Hamilton has Commemorative plaques, Heritage Recognition plaques and the Designated Property plaques. Personally, I do find it odd that we name a park but give no history of that person.
I read that the 2020 Heritage Plaque theme is Planes, Trains and Automobiles: Transportation. Maybe it is time for Jimmy Howard.
Enjoy and help preserve these areas of peace and pleasure