▁Dr . ▁Me ind l ▁acquired ▁the ▁land ▁that ▁compr ises ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁present ▁day ▁beach ▁from ▁a ▁local ▁far mer ▁with ▁Dr . ▁How den ▁acqu iring ▁over ▁one ▁mile ▁of ▁land ▁in ▁the ▁R ural ▁Municip ality ▁of ▁Wood lands ▁while ▁Dr . ▁Me ind l ▁acquired ▁approximately ▁ 3 ▁miles ▁of ▁land ▁in ▁the ▁R ural ▁Municip ality ▁of ▁St . ▁Laurent . ▁It ▁was ▁after ▁this ▁time ▁that ▁the ▁land ▁was ▁sub div ided ▁and ▁many ▁people ▁began ▁to ▁purchase ▁lake front ▁properties ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁initially ▁mainly ▁for ▁summer ▁homes ▁and ▁c ott ages , ▁but ▁also ▁for ▁permanent ▁resid ences ▁later ▁on . ▁ ▁Dr . ▁Me ind l ▁don ated ▁ 5 8 0 ▁feet ▁of ▁beach ▁front ▁land ▁for ▁the ▁local ▁Met is ▁people ▁of ▁St . ▁Laurent ▁for ▁recre ational ▁use , ▁which ▁later ▁became ▁Me ind l ▁Park ▁( F rench : ▁Par c ▁Me ind l ), ▁named ▁in ▁his ▁honour . ▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁flo oding ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁the ▁highest ▁recorded ▁water ▁level ▁on ▁Lake ▁Man it oba ▁was ▁during ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁when ▁the ▁water ▁level ▁gauge ▁at ▁nearby ▁D elta ▁Beach ▁recorded ▁ 8 1 6 . 3 2 ▁feet ▁above ▁sea ▁level , ▁although ▁the ▁read ings ▁were ▁subject ▁to ▁wind ▁setup ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁long ▁fetch ▁length ▁of ▁the ▁lake ▁to ▁the ▁north . ▁During ▁this ▁year ▁some ▁residents ▁were ▁forced ▁to ▁boat ▁to ▁their