Before the Arch | Mark J. Strople

Readers may be surprised to learn that Victoria Beach (often promoted as “The Childrens’ Beach”) was once home to an Air Station or had a magnificent hotel near the Pier. The dominant feature of the townsite was a Railway Station, complete with sidings, bunkhouses, water and coal towers, and visited by some of the most powerful steam locomotives in service with the Canadian National Railway.

Much-loved traditions (the Annual Snow Trains, Sunday evening sing-songs at the Clubhouse, the red water pumps on every corner, slides on the beaches) are now but a distant memory. The Golf Course, Tennis Courts, the Parking Lot, and townsite businesses and vehicle restrictions that gave Victoria Beach its unique character, had their genesis during the Beach’s formative years.

"Before the Arch" is Mark Strople’s first book. Mark is a retired educator who has always had an interest in local history. Often rightly accused by those who know him best of frequently ‘living in the past’, he first visited Victoria Beach in 1963. He and his family have owned their cottage at Victoria Beach since 1998.  

Looking for more Victoria Beach history? See Mark Strople's latest release After the Arch: Traditions & Transitions (A Visual History 1960-2000) here!