Lake Wilcox on a Sunny Afternoon

Courtesy of Richmond Hill Then and Now

In the image motorists make their way to park at the water's edge at Lake Wilcox for an afternoon of swimming and an afternoon picnic. Perhaps this is what a Friday afternoon would have looked like in the 1930’s or 1940's...

The speed limit to get there was 35 miles per hour to all motorists 18 years of age or older. Hwy 27 and Hwy 11 were among the most common routes to cottage, through Richmond Hill and without proper markers those who took Hwy 11 in general were instructed to stay to the right of the road, give one-half of the road when meeting other vehicles, and permit other vehicles to pass when drivers sounded the horn...

The Tourist Guidebook of Ontario invited motorists to take in Canada’s splendor and enjoy the many amenities that Ontario had to offer, and Oak Ridges was definitely a country retreat described as a thriving community at a time when small parcels of land were being bought quickly..

Since Lake Wilcox was so close in proximity to the city, those wanting to escape the stuffiness did so easily by car, and with roller skating and dancing in line for the evening events, who could ask for anything more?