Woolnough’s Pleasure Ground

Woolnough’s Pleasure Ground

After the phenomenal success of the Mechanics Institute picnic of 1846, Peter McNab gave permission for various other groups to hold outings and picnics on his land. McNabs Island soon became a very popular recreation destination.

Charles Woolnough, a Crimean war veteran who had previously owned several restaurants, recognized the potential for a permanent Pleasure Ground site on the Island. After the death of Peter McNab III, he acquired some of the land at the northern end of the island and established his Pleasure Grounds on what is now the current site of the Davis-Conrad House.

On July 8, 1873, the Woolnough Pleasure Grounds were officially opened for business. Situated on a beautifully wooded, highland site about half a mile from shore, they consisted of two large pavilions for dancing and dining, areas for quoits and football, and trails for customers to enjoy the natural beauty of the area. The season went from mid-June to late September.

Woolnough's Pleasure Grounds quickly made McNabs Island the most popular venue in the area. The golden age of recreation on McNabs had begun. Every summer, thousands of fun-seekers from the mainland flocked over to the island to escape the dust and heat of the city. There were grand civic parties like the one attended by the Governor General and Lady Dufferin, band concerts, group picnics and many private outings. A new paddleboat steamer named The Micmac soon became a familiar sight in the harbour, ferrying party-goers to their favourite spots on McNabs Island.