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The Coalition of Waverley Park is hosting an old-fashioned picnic to celebrate its birthday.

There will be live music and multiple activities at the park, including performances by the Roy Coran Big Band and Rodney Brown. The Thunder Bay Clown Club will be there with games and facepainting for kids.

Keith Nymark, past president of the coalition, said the park turned 150-years-old three years ago and the celebration is a long time coming.

“The park was born back in 1871, and it was always used for many different activities,” said Nymark. “Such as lacrosse and baseball.”

Waverley Park officially opened to the public in 1906. In addition to Thunder Bay’s oldest park, it is Ontario’s second oldest park.

Nymark said the history of the park hasn’t always been good.

“At one point, they wanted to build city hall there,” said Nymark. “To which citizens rose up to say ‘no’. Central School then wanted to make condominiums there, but that thankfully didn’t happen.”

He points out that a famous architect, Frank Darling once said that Waverley Park should be the entrance to the town not the backyard of city hall.

The picnic celebration will be on Sunday, June 23 from 1-4 p.m.