King George VI Lift Bridge

King George VI Lift Bridge

Kettle Creek is an active waterway, with boats making use of the protected river shores around the first bend. As Port Stanley sits mostly south of that bend, there's a need for a bridge. And since many of the boats have masts, you either build a very high bridge (unfeasible in the narrow valley), or you make the bridge open. Originally, there was a swing bridge, but since the 1930s, it's been the King George VI lift bridge. The bascule design uses a counterweight so well-balanced that it could be opened by hand, if necessary. In this picture, we see a set of Laser-type sailing dinghies heading out into Lake Erie, presumably for lessons. Back in my youth, I sailed Albacores (sailing boats, not tuna fish), and we had to paddle our way out of Bronte Creek harbour into Lake Ontario. Admittedly, Lasers are small, so a paddle isn't really viable.