Day 26 - Saturday, October 12

It was minus 4 feeling like minus 6 when we headed out on our exploratory journey of Sylvan Lake. Sylvan Lake is a town (and a lake) with a population of approximately 16,000 about 25 kilometres west of Red Deer. It's a pretty little town on the lake; the beaches are probably a busy, happy spot through the summer. It reminded me of an upscale version of what I remember about Wasaga Beach. That may be very different now as my memories of Wasaga Beach are a few decades old now.

There were a number of things we wanted to see and do in Sylvan Lake and we got to them all but one. More on that in a moment. The Sylvan Beach lighthouse was my top priority, it being one of a very few inland lighthouses in Canada, the one in Cochin, Saskatchewan comes to mind as another. The lighthouse gracing Sylvan Lake's shore was modelled after the famous Peggy's Cove structure and completed in 1988. By 2011 the structure had to be demolished as it was in disrepair.

Using duplicate blueprints for the original Peggy's Cove lighthouse, donated by the Premier of Nova Scotia, the new structure was completed in June 2016. Nowhere near as big as the one at Peggy's Cove the Sylvan Lake model is a pleasant sight.

Of the many murals in town we did find a couple that were of particular interest to us. The CREATE mural sits somewhat obscurely in a downtown pocket park; a quiet spot (at least today it was) to rest and reflect. Also downtown, the Here Comes the Sun mural celebrates Sylvan Lake throughout the seasons. The perfect place for a photo, the artist Jaimie Cooney hopes that's true and people will take their photo then post it on social media for all to see.

The Lakeshore Drive along the beach front is gorgeous. Starting at The Letters, it seemed a good place to have lunch as well. By the way, lunch for us when on a road trip is nothing glorious but hopefully nutritious and satisfying. Gavin and Adam may disagree having endured many of these in past travels with us instead of enjoying a stop at McDonald's or some such place. The setting often makes a difference.

Continuing the drive treated us to the dwindling fall colour, some empty beaches (that's the only way I like them) and a look into the past at some re-sided old cottages flanked by new local versions of super homes, an interesting then and now. It came fast and furious so we parked the car and covered a few kilometres walking the promenade. 

The area has an interesting history which added to the enjoyment of yet another gorgeous day, the temperature ultimately hitting about 15 degrees. A sign board recites the tale of an original settler returning after 100 years. Though fictional it rings so true...The Sylvan Lake of 1913 appears to have been completely swallowed by progress. The busy traffic, coming and going, so fast so soon. Main Street could never again be used as the tobogganing run it used to be, the children enjoying it hours on end. Such a shame. And the ball diamonds, soccer pitches and playgrounds are built just for children. Do they not play anywhere else? Oh how a century has changed the village. Is there anything left of their labours? Is there anything familiar? Though the heart of 1913 Sylvan Lake still beats, its lifeblood was, and continues to be, its citizens.

Sadly tomorrow we return to Edmonton for three nights to end our vacation. Hang in there - we'll do what we can to find something of interest.

😎