Idylwild Park, Recreation park on the Speed River in Cambridge, Ontario.
Idylwild Park is a recreation park located on both banks of the Speed River in Ontario. The grounds feature an islet connected to the main area by wooden footbridges that needed seasonal maintenance to remain usable.
The park was established in 1899 by the Galt, Preston & Hespeler Street Railway company to attract weekend visitors from surrounding areas. The railway company saw the destination as a way to increase passenger traffic on its rail line.
Dancing happened in different pavilions across the grounds, from formal quadrilles to popular two-steps and cake walks. These dance events drew people from across the region who came by train specifically to move and socialize in this riverside setting.
Access to the grounds was only available through the Preston-Hespeler railway line, and visitors wore identifying ribbons as park patrons. This meant that arriving at the park required planning a train journey as the sole transportation method.
Local residents called the park Mosquito Park because of the many insects living in the surrounding wetland. This characteristic became quite noticeable during warmer weather when visiting.
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