By Terry Hughes
No, this is not about the hit song in 1964 by the Drifters concerning the activities of a couple under the boardwalk but instead an old technology used for sidewalks before the advent of cement. Clay was the principal covering for road and pedestrian travel here in Welland before the turn of the last century but the introduction of boardwalks for walkers was an improvement.
Basically, placing runners parallel to the road and covering them with planks from four to six feet in neighbourhoods and wider in the centre of town were the sizes of the day. It would help footwear such as high button shoes for women and boots for men from tracking soil into unwanted places. They assisted women who wore full length dresses and skirts close to the ground from unsightly dirt. Depending on the pedestrian traffic they would last several years before requiring repairs or replacement.
Believe it or not, but in the quiet of neighbourhoods, you could tell by the sounds of peoples’ feet who was approaching. The boardwalk acted like a drum echoing the footsteps of folk as they walked by. Each person had their own stride and weight in their mobility as they strolled along. While sitting on your veranda you got to know who was approaching before you could see them. Steps could reveal what kind of mood they were in or if they were in a hurry.
When placing the planks on the runners, a small space between them allowed for drainage and ventilation purposes. As time went by these gaps provided for the disappearance of small items that could include jewelry and/or coins. When replacing these plank sidewalks, the race was on between the workers and local kids to snatch up the booty. A two-bit piece, for example, could buy five beers, six cigars or a pair of tickets to a show! A sidewalk foreman could treat the crowd of onlookers with stories of a fictitious nature when items such as a piece of clothing or weapon such as a knife were discovered.
Our photo shows stores that were near the former Park Theatre and the intersection of East Main and Cross Street featuring the D. McCaw Shoe Store where Pattis Place restaurant stands today. The roads are still covered in clay but it is hard to see if cement has replaced the wooden sidewalks of old.
(Terry Hughes is a Wellander who is passionate about heritage, history and model railroading. His opinion column, Heritage Lives, appears on the blog once or twice monthly.)
Next Column: Remembering the Cross Street Swimming Pool.
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