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Riverside Park

Parks ·Guelph
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#2Things to do in Guelph
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About

Riverside Park is a riverside recreation park beside the Speed River in northern Guelph, Ontario.

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Riverside Park
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Why go

  • An antique wooden horse carousel, one of 148 remaining in Canada and the United States.
  • The Riverside Express miniature train on a 650-metre triangular loop.

Entrances

  • West entranceNear the fenced scale model of The Priory

Don't miss

  • Carousel detailsLook for 28 jumping horses, two animal figures and four chariots.On the antique carousel
  • Carousel shelter muralGreg Elliott’s mural was added to the carousel shelter in 2002.Carousel shelter2002

What's in season

  • JunThe Multicultural Festival celebrates Guelph’s diversity over a weekend in June.
  • JulCanada Day festivities include rides, live music, a petting zoo, food stalls and fireworks.
  • Dec – FebWinter activities include cross-country skiing and outdoor skating on the Speed River.

With kids

  • Children can use the playground and play on the giant chessboard.

Facilities

  • Leash-free area
  • Baseball diamonds
  • Disc golf area
  • Picnic tables
  • Washrooms

Photo spots

  • Floral clockPhotograph the floral designs, which change yearly, and the calendar, which is updated daily.
  • The Priory modelPhotograph the fenced scale model of The Priory, Guelph’s first house.

Shorts

History

  1. 1827John Galt built The Priory, later used as a tavern, post office and railway station.
  2. 1905The city turned the acquired Lace Farm into a park of 14.5 acres and a Guelph Radial Railway streetcar stop. James Walter Lyon encouraged the project partly to increase ridership. A railway naming contest selected Riverside Park for its river setting.
  3. About 1919Allan Herschell designed the antique carousel.
  4. 1949–1955The floral clock was built in 1949 and rebuilt in 1955 to designs by park administrator John “Jock” Clark.
  5. About 1964The Riverside Express miniature train dates from around 1964.
Show all
  1. 1976–1979The carousel closed for repairs in 1976 and reopened in 1979 after a preservation campaign led by John Valeriote and Ken Danby.
  2. 1999A permanent shelter was built for the carousel.

Sources: Riverside Park (Guelph) - Wikipedia · Parks and Trails - City of Guelph · checked 12 Oct 2026

Where
709 Woolwich St, Guelph

Plan from here: Evening walk →

Questions and answers

Where do Riverside Park’s walking trails lead?

They connect to nearby neighbourhoods and the City Centre.

What river activities take place at Riverside Park?

Activities include paddleboat and pedal boat rides, fishing and dragon-boat races.

Is there a beach at Riverside Park?

Yes, the park has a beach.

What is the Riverside Express modelled on?

It is a working replica of a 1950s locomotive.

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