Idylwild Park was opened in 1899 by operators of the
GP&H Street Railway. Their purpose for establishing it was to stimulate rail travel during the weekends. It was accessed exclusively via the Preston-Hespeler line, which was opened the same year. Park-goers were given ribbons to wear that identified them as patrons of the park and rail-line. "A wooded area with tall elms, maples and evergreens - a perfect setting for one of, if not the, most popular playground, picnic and recreational centres in the district. Popular dances of the time included quadrilles, waltzes, two-steps and the cake walk. It was not at all uncommon for the railway to shunt in from Preston Junction a train load of picnickers from as far away as Hamilton, bringing hundreds to enjoy the great out-of-doors in the wilds of Idylwild." - O.A. Kummer on the Speed River, Idylwild Park. A footbridge spanning the river is in the background. Straddling the Speed River within Hunt Club Valley, the park encompassed lands on both banks, as well as an
islet between them. Wooden
footbridges were erected to facilitate travel across the river and to the islet. The bridges were disassembled in the
autumn, to accommodate for ice and floods, and then reassembled in the
spring. Additionally, the park featured a refreshment booth, a
baseball diamond and a
spring, as well as two
pavilions, swings, boardwalks and docks. The
nickname "Mosquito Park" came to be assumed for the park, as
mosquitos thrived in the area due to the surrounding
wetlands. In 1916, Idylwild Park was closed permanently. It has been suggested that the growing usage of the
automobile, the
First World War and the establishment of Riverside Park in the nearby
Town of Preston contributed to the closure of the park. ==Present day==