As the weather begins to get warmer, I can’t help but think about the spring days by the pier.
The Gord Downie Memorial Pier is a quintessential part of the Queen’s experience. Not every university student in Canada is able to say they can see Lake Ontario from the window of their first-year dorm or it on their daily walk to class.
On warm days, the pier—which is typically a ghost town throughout the winter—suddenly turns into a mega-party. When the sun comes out, Queen’s students gather en masse and the lively student atmosphere on those rare sunny days can’t be recreated anywhere else.
Sure, some go to to swim or cool off on hot days, but there’s more to it than that. The pier has its own culture, and its own set—or lack thereof—of rules. It’s a vibe that tries to emulate that of the University of Miami, but it’s definitely the knock-off version.
From sunrise to sundown, everyone is in bathing suits, loud music is bumping, volleyballs are being ed around, and people are day drinking. Of course, you can swim or tan, but you can also buy a snack from the food truck, play frisbee with a stranger, build a sandcastle—you name it. Nothing is off limits at the pier.
The chaos is truly insane. In the oasis of grass, sand and concrete, all social norms go out the door. You’ll see your situationship throwing a football obnoxiously close to someone’s face, or your first-year can mate attempting a failed voyage on an inflatable raft.
You’ll definitely see someone actively getting sunburnt during a beer-induced nap, and if you’re lucky, you’ll hear insane lore from the group sitting next to you, in conversations that probably should’ve stayed in the privacy of their home.
Don’t try relaxing in the sand and reading a book, because you won’t be able to hear yourself think over aspiring DJs testing out their new tracks. It’s like the pier is an alternate universe where bikinis are the only acceptable form of clothing and being shoulder-to-shoulder with your peers replaces class.
Despite the craziness, it’s also really wholesome. I’ve seen dogs go for swims, friends jumping into the lake hand and hand, spike ball tournaments, full-blown three-course meal picnics, you name it. Everyone at the pier is so full of joy—happiness and good vibes radiate, and seasonal depression goes out the door.
The place represents something simple and good: warm summer days, open skies, and time spent with loved ones. I’ll look back on those days with the fondest of memories. Every sunburn I’ve gotten there tells a different story of my years as a Queen’s student.
I think the joy of the pier has something to do with how bleak Kingston winters are. After months of snowstorms, freezing winds, and slipping on ice, come spring, students will take any opportunity they can to get some much-needed vitamin D.
Maybe having been cooped up all winter is what makes people act out at the pier—they get bold. Spontaneous conversations that would’ve been left unsaid somehow seem to emerge in a haze of sunscreen, sand, and beer.
It’s nice to finally get a chance to socialize somewhere outdoors and get a change of scenery after months spent indoors. I’m no different—I can say with confidence that days by the pier have been some of my best memories throughout university. To have laughed, cried, and cannonballed all in one place is really special.
Sentimental stuff aside, I do stand hard in my belief that DJ booths at the pier are a crime. Pack it up and spin your stuff at Dollar Beers instead.
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