SS Canadiana

SS Canadiana. , The ship was designed by Frank E. Kirby for the Lake Erie Excursion Company, owner of Crystal Beach Amusement Park. Built and launched at the Buffalo Dry Dock at a cost of $250,000, the ship featured 3 decks within a length of 216 feet and a beam of 56 feet. Her triple expansion 1,446 horse-power steam engine generated a top speed of 23 knots. Amenities included the largest dance floor on the Great Lakes with a live orchestra., As a passenger ferry between Buffalo and Crystal Beach, she made 6 daily excursions. Nicknamed "The Crystal Beach Boat" with a maximum capacity of 3,500, she carried an estimated 15 million passengers over a 46 year run., Following her last run on Labour Day 1956, the ship was sold several times, involved in an accident, sunk and re-floated. In the 1980's a group called "Friends of the Canadiana" had her towed to a dry dock in Port Colborne for refitting. After many gallant efforts to rehabilitate the ship, she was cut up for scrap in 2004., The Capstan, Bollard and Propeller, remain a silent testimony to Crystal Beach's Marine Heritage, Major Donors: , Hingston Metal Fabricators , Eddy Feiertag Welding, Chapter 2 Blasting, Chamber's Crane Rental Ltd., The Crystal Beach Candy Co., Chambers Building Movers Ltd, Friends of Crystal Beach, The Palmwood, Niagara Divers Association, Empire Transportation Ltd., The Town of Fort Erie, Crystal Wines, William Hein, William Miller, Cathy Herbert, Larry Shisler, Janet and Fred Truckenbrodt, Fred and Mickey Doan, James and Michele May, Bob White, Andy McCormack, Gary P.Walkowiak, BLP Bronze International, An Initiative of "The Canadiana Group" , Rick Doan, Paul Kassay, Harvey Holzworth