"Papa, what was it like, when you were a lifeguard at Grand Beach in the 1940's."

      They know that their "Papa" was one the Lifeguards at Grand Beach (1941 - 1944), during the wonderful "Golden Days" of Grand Beach,  when it was owned and operated by the Canadian National Railways (CNR).

     Grand Beach was certainly very different than it is now.

     It was exciting and vibrant.  They truly were the Golden Days of Grand Beach. Thousands of people walked the boardwalk in the evenings until after midnight.  The busiest section was from the Railway station to the large, wonderful Dance Hall.  The live music from the orchestra could be heard throughout the area.

      I was hired by Mr. Phillip Jones, Superintendent of Grand Beach, for the Canadian National Railways, as their Head Lifeguard in 1941.  I had previously worked as a Lifeguard at Minaki Lodge for the CNR, during the summer of 1940, at their famous their fabulous 'Minaki Lodge" on the Winnipeg River.  (That will be the subject of another story).

     I began my lifeguard duties on May 15th., 1941, while ice was still floating on the lake.  It disappeared within a few days, and by the May 24th., Victoria Day, we had our first visitor at the pier.  It was Captain Walter Thomas on "THE VALTANNIS", from Victoria Beach.

      Our Beach Superintendent, Mr. Phillip Jones) had Mr. Lawton, the CNR station agent at Grand Beach telegraph the station agent at Victoria Beach to arrange for the Captain Walter Thomas and 
The Valtannis to come to Grand Beach.  There was no phone service so using the CNR telegraph line was the only way that Mr. Jones could get a message to Captain Walter Thomas.

     There was a reason for Mr. Jones to do this.

      The General Superintendent of the Canadian National Railways for the Prairie Region was visiting Grand Beach in his "private car".  It was a luxurious steel coach complete with an elaborate brass railed  , complete with an observation deck on its rear.  It was an auspicious occasion, and Mr. Jones, our Beach Superintendent  wanted to take the entire entourage on a boat ride

     Of course I played a major role in this, because the Valtannis could not dock at the Grand Beach pier, because the water too shallow to allow the Valtannis to dock right beside the pier. 

     My role was to take the General Superintendent and his wife, along with the Superintendent and two Assistant superintendents and their wives from the pier to the Valtannis in groups of four.  As I recall, I must have made a half dozen trips from the pier to the Valtannis anchored about 100 ft away.  This was repeated again, but in reverse, some six hours later, when the Valtannis and Captain Thomas returned the group to Grand Beach.

     Hope you enjoyed "MY GRAND BEACH STORY". There will be many more to come, God Willing.  If you liked this story, I would love to hear from you.  Just CLICK HERE to send me an email message.