Dingle Park
Corner of Dunn and Front Streets Oakville, Ontario
Dingle Park is a small downtown park in the Heart of Oakville. This lovely park is situated on the shore of Lake Ontario and affords a beautiful view of the Toronto skyline on a clear night. However, this is not what most people wish to visualize as they tour Dingle Park.
In its heyday, Dingle Park was the local swimming hole where local people and visitors alike would cool off in the waters of the lake and perhaps have tea at the Worn Door Step—the teahouse just up the street. Over the years, the waters of the lake have claimed a number of lives at this site. The most notable story is that of a young family who were visiting in town on a hot Sunday afternoon. Following a tea stop at the Worn Door Step, the parents and their 3-year-old daughter strolled to the park so the young girl could have a swim before heading home.
Something went tragically wrong and the little girl drowned. The death has left many stories of what happened that fateful day. Many reports have been heard about a young girl’s ghost who is often seen at night dancing upon the rocks that now line the shore of Dingle Park. The constant theme of the sightings is always the same— the young spirit is barefooted and wet, as if just returning from a swim. Her physical body may be gone, but her spirit lives on, proving once again that those from the other side can make their presence felt.
