Doug Grant
1968 This aerial photograph was taken in the year that the Golden Hawks F86 Sabre Jet was delivered to Blockhouse Island. You can see it sitting there in the grass with a temporary fence surrounding it. Some of our readers may remember more details about that event. This former aerobatic jet was acquired through the efforts a small number of ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION members. It was mounted on a tall concrete pedestal that year and remains in place now. The new plaque near to it, tells the story of the Golden Hawks team and their activities from 1959 to 1964 performing all across Canada and the U.S. The grounds of the western spit of Blockhouse Island was relatively undeveloped. None of the trees were planted yet, but the floral landscaped sigh spelling out “BROCKVILLE” was growing on a raised mount of soil to the left of the Sabre. The small Customs Building was in place at the eastern end. But the most interesting part of this picture is the many buildings which formed the ST. LAWRENCE MARINA on the
mainland. A large storage building on the left would have stored a lot of equipment and boats. The fuelling depot is in the centre in the position still being operated by the “Fuller” marina now. It is located in one of the older buildings. On the right is the quonset hut used for covered in-water boat storage. Over on Broad St. can be seen a number of older buildings which no longer exist there. To the north of the boat dockage on the left, I can see the SMITH’S DAIRY property. Sweet memories. The rest of the town looks much the same in the background.
Source: This photograph can be found on the City of Brockville “Facebook”pages assembled by Stephanie Dunbar on the Internet. I believe it is from the picture collection of the Brockville Museum. © copyright -
September 2009
This photo was taken about the same time.