Did you know that Scarborough was named after a town in England? Elizabeth Simcoe the wife of Upper Canada’s first lieutenant governor John Graves Simcoe loved the bluffs. They reminded her of Scarborough’s limestone cliffs. She even suggested building a summer home there. Scarborough’s history stretches far beyond Simcoe’s visit. Archaeological evidence shows nomadic hunters and foragers were here 8000 BCE. Later the Seneca inhabited the area at the village of Ganatsekwyagon. The Mississaugas followed before European settlers arrived in the late 1700s.
Scarborough wasn’t always a bustling part of Toronto. It started as small villages and farms. It became a township in 1850. Then it joined Metropolitan Toronto in 1953. It even became a city in 1983 before finally amalgamating with Toronto in 1998. The Scarborough Civic Centre the former city’s seat of government still stands. It’s now used by Toronto’s municipal government.
Scarborough’s growth after World War II brought many immigrants. This made it one of the most diverse areas in the Greater Toronto Area. People from all over the world call Scarborough home. The area boasts several natural landmarks. The Toronto Zoo Rouge Park and the Scarborough Bluffs attract many visitors. The northeast corner remains largely rural with farms. This green space gives Scarborough its reputation for being greener than other parts of Toronto.
The Scarborough Bluffs are a dramatic sight. These earthen escarpments are about 14 kilometers long. They reach heights of over 60 meters. The Bluffs are part of a larger formation the Iroquois Shoreline. This marks the extent of Glacial Lake Iroquois a prehistoric lake. Erosion is a problem. Properties near the edge have been abandoned. Large areas of the beach have been reinforced with breakwaters and rubble since the 1980s.
Scarborough has a moderate climate for Canada. It has warm humid summers and generally cold winters. Conditions vary near the lake. Fog is more common in the south. Areas close to the lake are noticeably cooler on hot summer days. This climate together with its diverse population and natural beauty makes Scarborough a unique and fascinating place. From its humble beginnings to its current status as a vibrant district of Toronto Scarborough has a rich and captivating story. It’s a story of change adaptation and the enduring spirit of its people. It’s a place you’ll want to explore further.