The salty air whispers secrets. Kew Beach in Toronto is more than just sand and water. It’s a living timeline. Right here where you stand generations have strolled. Feel the history beneath your feet.
Kew Beach is one of four beaches making up the Beaches neighbourhood. It’s a vital part of Toronto’s history. The shoreline wasn’t always this way. In the early 1900s the Toronto Harbour Commission transformed this area. They enlarged the beach using wooden groynes. The public boardwalk and facilities opened in 1932.
The beach itself is constantly changing. Lake currents push sand from east to west. Erosion of the Scarborough Bluffs once replenished the sand. Municipal efforts to reduce bluff erosion changed this. Now rock groynes stabilize the shoreline. A smart-aleck fact for you: the beach is shrinking.
Think of the lively past. In the early 1900s amusement parks thrived nearby. Victoria Park Munro Park and Scarboro Beach Park drew crowds. Their names live on as street names. A ferry service once connected the area to Yonge Street. Streetcars also served this area.
Kew Gardens a park alongside Kew Beach is a green oasis. It’s one of the few parks extending up to Queen Street. The Alex Christie Bandstand hosts concerts. Every July the Beaches International Jazz Festival draws thousands. However most performances now occur at Woodbine Beach Park.
Kew Beach holds many heritage buildings. The Kew Beach Firehall No 17 still functions as Toronto Fire Services Station 227. It dates back to 1905. The Dr William D Young Memorial in Kew Gardens from 1920 partially designed by Ivor Lewis is another landmark. The Beaches Branch of the Toronto Public Library is a beautiful Carnegie Library. Built in 1916 its been updated multiple times.
The Kew Beach of today is a blend of past and present. It’s a place of relaxation recreation and rich history. Enjoy the view. Take in the sounds. Let the stories of Kew Beach linger in your memory.