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Tudhope Park was a popular campground until 1988

City council, at the behest of descendants of the Tudhope Family, turned the property into a civic park that is 'enjoyed by all Orillians and visitors alike'
160 Tudhope Park c1970
This aerial view shows Tudhope Park circa 1980, when it was a campground.

Postcard Memories is a weekly series of historic postcard views and photos submitted by Marcel Rousseau.

Some were previously published by the Orillia Museum of Art and History and in the book Postcard Memories Orillia.

H.R. Oakman from Peterborough Airways Ltd. published this aerial view of Tudhope Park several years before it was closed to camping in 1988. Kelly’s Kove Marina can be seen on the bottom right on Lake Simcoe. 

The Tudhope Campgound was in operation for close to 60 years and most years made a modest profit with thousands of campers from across Canada and the U.S enjoying this beautiful lakeshore property.

Many Orillians leased their favourite campsite for the season, spending warm summer nights near the cool breezes of Lake Couchiching and retreating a few short blocks to their homes whenever the weather became disagreeable.

In 1928 the town purchased the property from James B. Tudhope with the proviso that it would be used as an open park area for the citizens of Orillia.

In the late 1970s the descendants of the Tudhope family protested that the public campground contravened the original intent of the sales agreement and in 1987 city council removed the campground signs and installed new signs designating the grounds as the James B. Tudhope Memorial Park.

Today the park is enjoyed by all Orillians and visitors alike and is used for all types of sporting events and home to the Rowing Club and the Mariposa Folk Festival. 


 

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