Water, Bridges and Rails

At this end of the bridge  the Five Roses Flour Mill once stood. It was a good location because of the abundant water power and its proximity to the wheat fields of the prairies in the west.

The water flowed under the bridge and off to the right where the water wheel was. It was an old mill and the power from the wheel was connected to the various machines by very long canvas belts which turned the wooden pulley on each machine.

The sunset pictures from the previous post were taken from the corner of the parking lot in the upper left.

When the mill was in operation, CPR trains brought boxcars of grain to the mill and took the packaged flour away to Winnipeg in the west and off to Terminals on the great lakes and on to the cities in the east.  There was a train station to the left of the lower picture.

The trains still use this track but there is no stop near by. There is no passenger traffic on these rails, only freight.

In the winter the lake freezes and boats are replaced by snow mobiles. It is pretty cold playing hockey outdoors, and those who want to throw rocks in the winter, want a more controlled ice surface. The building below replaces two separate buildings that used to sit side by side. The left entrance is for those interested in the game of curling. The right doors are for the hockey and figure skating fans.

This unique bridge was built to allow people to park at the arena to the left and cross to the baseball diamond on the right. Unfortunately the insects know when the baseball games are on and love to feast on the players and spectators. That puts a new meaning on hitting a fly.

– where do you want to go today? –

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