Ready to uncover a hidden gem? This is The Toronto Island Community Plaque. It is a portal to a story of resilience and transformation.
Let’s step back in time. The Toronto Islands weren’t always islands. They were once a peninsula. This peninsula extended from the mainland. It was formed by sand from the Scarborough Bluffs. Lake Ontario currents shaped it.
Mnisiing was the original name. Indigenous peoples considered it a place of healing. It meant “on the islands” in Ojibwe. Treaty 13 included the Islands. The Mississaugas received goods for the sale of Toronto.
Lieutenant Joseph Bouchette surveyed the peninsula in 1792. D.W. Smith noted its health benefits for Indigenous peoples in 1813. Many Indigenous communities lived between the peninsula and the Don River.
The British built structures in the 1790s. The Gibraltar Point Blockhouse was built in 1794. It supported the mainland garrison.
A storm in 1858 changed everything. It created a 500-foot channel. The peninsula became the Toronto Islands. Two hotels were destroyed.
In 1867, Toronto acquired the Islands. Seasonal cottages and summer resorts were built. The west side became Hanlan’s Point. The Hanlan family built an amusement park.
Large Victorian homes appeared along Centre Island’s lakefront. Toronto’s elite sought refuge from the heat. The Royal Canadian Yacht Club moved to RCYC Island in 1881.
Ward’s Island started as a tent community in the 1880s. William E. Ward built the Ward’s Hotel. He rented tents to visitors.
A one-room school existed near the Gibraltar Lighthouse around 1888. It became permanent in 1896.
By 1913, the tent community grew. The city organized it into streets. Tents evolved into seasonal cottages.
Hanlan’s Point Amusement Park expanded in 1894. In 1897, Hanlan’s Point Stadium was built. Babe Ruth hit his first professional home run there in 1914.
From 1915 to 1916, a temporary wooden hangar was built. It was used for flight training during World War I.
In 1937, construction began on a new airport. The stadium and most of the amusement park were demolished. The Hanlan’s Point cottage community relocated. Residents moved to Algonquin Island.
The airport opened in 1939. It was named Port George VI Island Airport. Norwegian pilots trained there during World War II.
In 1947, Toronto approved year-round occupancy of the Islands. This helped with housing shortages. The Island community peaked in the 1950s. It had 630 cottages, a movie theatre and stores.
Metropolitan Toronto Council aimed to replace the community with parkland in 1953. Demolitions began in 1955. Far Enough Farm opened in 1959. Centreville Amusement Park opened in 1967.
By 1963, remaining residents fought eviction. In 1969, the Toronto Islands’ Residents Association was formed. In 1973, City Council voted to preserve the community.
In 1980, a sheriff tried to serve eviction notices. Community members resisted. In 1981, Ontario legalized the Islanders’ stay until 2005.
In 1993, legislation granted Islanders continued deeds to their houses. A Land Trust was established.
Today, there are 262 residential properties on Ward’s and Algonquin Islands. Strict rules govern property sales.
This plaque reminds us of the struggles and triumphs of The Toronto Island Community. It is a testament to their enduring spirit. Take a moment to reflect on this remarkable history.