Cecil Thompson Park - Peace River, Alberta
Posted by: 
wildwoodke
N 56° 12.613 W 117° 12.112
11V E 487478 N 6229494
Thompson Park is located at the intersection of Secondary Highway 688 and Highway 2, seven kilometres east of Peace River, Alberta.
Waymark Code: WME402
Location: Alberta, Canada
Date Posted: 03/31/2012
Views: 2
A park and campground that is found near the intersection of Highway 2 and Secondary Highway 688 is named after Cecil Thompson. The water pump is in good working order with the handle removed for the winter months.
The Mighty Peace Country website lists this campground (see: http://mightypeace.com/camping/campground-guide/cecil-thompson-park ) and a small handful of other campgrounds in the area as free (see: http://mightypeace.com/camping/campground-guide ).
The text from the plaque, written by Ann Wood, states the following:
"Cecil Vicars Thompson
1886 – 1969
Cecil Thompson was raised in Fort Lawrence, Nova Scotia and was a member of the first graduating class of the Nova Scotia Agricultural College. In 1926 he came west to Southern Alberta on a “harvest excursion.” In 1930 he came north to Peace River to operate a farm which he later bought and tuned into a mixed farm with dairy and beef cattle, and grain and clover seed crops.
The Thompson farm was a meeting place with visitors always welcome. During World War II U.S. army soldiers stationed near Peace River many, from the Deep South and unaccustomed to the harsh Peace Country winter, found hot coffee, warmth and conversation each morning at Cecil’s when they came to pick up their milk.
Cecil enjoyed sports of all kinds. In his youth he played semi-pro hockey and baseball. He rarely missed a local hockey game and managed the local baseball team for a time during the 1950’s. Like many pioneers, he was an avid hunter and fisherman.
Cecil Thompson represented what was good and typical of early Peace Country pioneers and it is to his and other pioneers’ spirit that this recreation area is dedicated."