Ivor-McLeod Park (Dunes Lake)

We stumbled upon this beautiful beach and lake after we’d visited the Parc naturel de la Tourbière-du-Bordelais. Driving along Rue Yearling, I saw the big expanse of sand and a sparkling lake just down from the street.
“Oooooooh, THIS is Dunes Lake that I’ve been hearing about in the news!”
Officially renamed Ivor-McLeod Park on June 14, 2015, this now public park with picnic tables is covered by the By-Law regarding the use of parks.
Open from 7am-10pm (unless otherwise specified), there is NO swimming allowed at this man-made lake, which would make it tricky with my kiddos. “Look, but don’t touch!”. Apparently city council is studying the issues of allowing swimming…
While dogs are welcome, they must be leashed, but judging by the piles of dog poop scattered around, not many people are following this rule. I wouldn’t plan on building sand castles here. 
The lake is home to ducks, beavers and Canada Geese who travel to and from the neighbouring bog and surrounding woods. 

There are a pile of news articles (including this one) about the lake and the fight to preserve it. The Friends of Dunes Lake effort to save the land from development worked and a land deal was made to conserve the woods and the Bordelais Bog and luckily for residents, the lake was saved too!

2 Comments

  • Nicola says:

    Lots of memories of growing up in Saddlebrook and swimming in this lake. I wonder when they banned swimming? Or was it always banned and I was just a bad-ass 90s kid?

    • StrollerMom says:

      Anything with water over a certain depth requires a lifeguard, fencing etc… It was probably always banned, but not enforced. Rebel! I wonder if people still swim there now?

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