Council approves formal designation of Station Garden at Lambert Park

By Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean Times Contributor

An area of Lambert Park is now officially named Station Garden to honour Strathmore’s past.
Communities in Bloom and the Western District Historical Society partnered to make a request to Strathmore town council to formally designate the area in Lambert Park as Station Garden at Lambert Park.
At the Dec. 11 Committee of the Whole meeting, council made it official. The area of Lambert Park to be designated as Station Garden is north and west of Lakeside Views (the road east of the library) and the area north of the library.
Rhonda Stockwell of the historical society and Rob Pirie, chair of Strathmore Communities in Bloom and a member of the historical society, felt it was important to make the designation official even though the area was created over a year ago.
“That area has historical significance because it is very close to where the original Strathmore rail station was,” said Pirie.
“We didn’t want to take away from the name of Lambert Park, but we did feel it was important to acknowledge the historical significance.”
The Canadian Pacific Railway Station was built in 1883 and was essential to the growth of Strathmore. Lambert Park is named after the town’s first mayor, Edmund W.R. Lambert.
Lambert Park has begun to see some revitalization over the past couple of years with the addition of flower gardens and benches along the paths. Pirie also noted that many of the perennials from the Kinsmen parking lot, now under construction, will be moving over to Lambert Park.
The revitalization also comes at a time when more people are heading to the park since the historical society created walking tours in conjunction with its On This Spot app.
The tours can also be accessed on the website, onthisspot.ca
“There are three walking tours and a fourth is being developed now,” Pirie said. “They all begin at the same place in Lambert Park – right where Station Garden is located.”