In July 1936, the Niagara Region was hit by a massive heatwave, with temperatures reaching as high as 103°F!  

To combat this scorching heat, two-year-olds Edith Cummings and Donald Williams took matters into their own hands, cooling off with a garden hose. This shot was taken by The St. Catharines Standard photographer Jack Williams. The paper joked that these toddlers were giving adults “a few pointers on combatting scorching temperatures.” They weren’t the only ones. Apparently so many people were using their hoses to cool down that the city’s water pressure dropped. 

With Environment Canada projecting 2026 to be one of the hottest years on record, we’re looking to the past for some inspiration.  

Welcome to our new weekly series, Hydrating Through History! This summer, we’ll be sharing historic recipes the people of St. Catharines used to beat the heat! 

Would you try a summer recipe from the past? Check back each week for a new one!