There are no more snowballs in August at the Sandbanks
In the summer of 1904, Picton was the eagerly anticipated destination for a group of vacationers, who quickly decided it was not a happening place. A report from the Trenton Courier stated that when the Prince Edward County Old Boys arrived for their annual holiday expectations were high, but upon arrival they found Picton too tame. The Old Boys were a group of county men who had moved to the Toronto area to seek their fortunes, ever mindful of their roots. Each summer an excursion train was chartered to bring them back to their home county to spend several vacation days. Yet to become a destination, Picton proved somewhat of a disappointment 121 years ago. To relieve their boredom, most of the men decided to travel to the Sandbanks, in hopes of greater excitement. Only a few remained behind in town. This side trip took place after a welcoming address by Picton Mayor McMullen who spoke of the West Lake Sandbanks. In his remarks he called them “one of the historical spots of Prince Edward County” and “a curiosity where a large cedar swamp once stood.” He said this swamp had been obscured from view by thousands of tons of sand. Prompted by the mayor’s remarks the Old Boys decided to revisit the Sandbanks remembered from their boyhood and made an interesting discovery. A few of them, while digging in the sand, discovered ice and snow buried a few feet below the surface. Temptation was too strong to resist and the men engaged in a snowball fight in July, a far more exciting adventure that remaining in the tame town of Picton. Their adventure was reported in the August 4 edition of the Courier under the heading Snowballs in August. The Old Boys, a group formed near the turn of the last century, continued to return to the county until circa 1940. In 1937, the Old Boys published an official souvenir book marking Picton’s centennial, advertised as “an historical record of achievement”. Printed by the Picton Gazette the book sold for just 25 cents. Worn copies remain available to the present day. Perhaps the Old Boys are best remembered for the construction of the Old Boys Memorial Entrance at Picton fairgrounds. A ticket booth was built in memory of the young men from Prince Edward County who made the supreme sacrifice in World War 1. The booth remained in use for many years, but in time the entrance gate became too narrow for vehicular traffic. The small building fell into disuse and eventually was allowed to deteriorate to a state of near dereliction. This year, the county has approved finding for its restoration and the old roof has been replaced, along with exterior light fixtures and the front window. Recently, a public meeting was held to discuss possible future uses for the small building and several suggestions were put forward. Diane Kennedy of Picton’s Branch 78 Royal Canadian Legion proposed that it be used for storyboards relating to the historical significance of the memorial entrance. It should remain as a place of remembrance. The intention of the Old Boys was to honour the young men from Prince Edward County who fell in the Great War. It would seem that Kennedy’s suggestion best reflects the gateway’s original purpose and decidedly trumps the notion that it might be used as a change area, by brides whose nuptials were being celebrated in the adjacent Crystal Palace. Conceived as a war memorial, it should remain as such. The “too tame” town of Picton is now a destination and no snowball fights have been reported at the Sandbanks in the last century. Times have changed, but the small ticket booth and gateway erected in memory of the county men who gave their lives for freedom should remain in tribute to their sacrifice.
