After the last train...

A park in the sky
St. Thomas, ON
July 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

If you live in or near St. Thomas, Ontario, you're likely familiar with the giant rail trestle that dominates the intersection of Sunset Drive and Fingal Line.

This iconic structure was built in 1930, and when the railway disappeared, forward-thinking patrons of the community stepped in to turn it into one of the most innovative parks in the country.

We've been wanting to come to the St. Thomas Elevated Park for what seems like forever, and we finally shook off pandemic fear - it's a thing - and pointed the car south. We're glad we did.

There's something cathartic about standing on a bridge that's been lovingly converted into parkland, the landscape spreading out below you, offering up surprises every way you turn. It's a simple thing, really, this ability to be wowed by height.

But there's more to it. It's a resonant spot, a perfect place to plunk down on a bench and idly watch small clumps of intermittent visitors take it all in. I'm already planning to return here with a laptop, as it would be an awesome place to write from - and maybe even dial into a videoconference or two.

Pandemic life means we aren't exploring as much as we'd like to. We deliberately separate ourselves from others, and venture out only when we need to - as opposed to when we simply want to.

Time for that to change, even if it’s only tentative for now. I think we'll start with this place.

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