- by Dennis Thompsett

Harrison Park used to have a Lover's Lane. Ski-jump too. But let's confine ourselves to the fun you could have on a dark lover's lane if you had no lover.

Back in the Day Harrison Park had a Robert Frost feeling about it. "Two paths diverged in a yellow wood."

If you, like Frost, "took the less travelled one, " it would take you on a long journey past the Manager's House, past the ski hill, past the 'tanks' - the two swimming pools, then down the little hill to the campground where people put up tents or had small trailers. This road then passed over a little bridge and took you into the heavily wooded Mile Drive.

These two roads also had a Yogi Berra aspect to them too, because his famous quote applied - "If you come to a fork in the road, take it." After all, both forks of the Harrison Park Road led to the same place: the Inn

It's so great the OS Hub Club guys are bringing you these tales of yesteryears to enrich your history

The Mile Drive was one-way. It went through the woods and had parking areas for single cars cut out of the forest. So Courting couples would go "parking" along it all the way to the end which crossed over another little bridge and took you right to the parking lot of the Inn. The Inn was famous at that time for Chicken on a bun I think. And the big roaring fireplace. The  Mile Drive for love.

A bunch of us troublemakers would start at the Inn and walk around the Mile Drive. Once we found a parked car with no red cigarette ends going, ensuring the couple had gotten down to business, we snuck up to the back of the car  and jumped up and down on the bumper, , rocking the whole car.

All hell would break loose. The girl would scream the guy would curse. He'd fling the door open and chase us down the road hurling curses. But we were long gone screeching like chimpanzees. And he couldn't drive us  down because he'd have to go the wrong way down a narrow, well traveled one way road.  He could't chase us too long either. His girl was already frightened and, in any wooded area there was always THE MAN WITH THE HOOK.

We'd do 3 or 4 cars and walk back to the Inn past all the exotic birds in jail along the stream, then sit at a picnic table enjoying our chicken on a bun and giggling at all the angry couples who stopped off to have their buns as well - still not speaking to each other. Although the girl was probably relieved to have a good excuse to stop and get her clothes back on. The guy? Not so much. But, ever the gentleman, he bought her a chicken on a bun and they ate together. And usually left holding hands.

Bumperjumping around the Mile Drive. I've often wondered if Bumperjumping was a viable form of birth control for Owen Sound women in the 50's and '60's.

Or did it cause more pregnancies?

Not possible to test the theory today,  of course, because there is no more Mile Drive. And no more bumpers.