The Beach

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The Beach
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      History:

      The Beach was first settled by the Ashbridge family who came to Canada from Philadelphia, in 1793. Ashbridge’s Bay Park is named after these pioneers. The Ashbridges, and a handful of other families, farmed this district until the latter part of the 1800’s, when many of The Beach properties were subdivided. At that time, large parcels of land were set aside for local parks. Woodbine, Kew Gardens, Scarboro, Balmy Beach and Victoria Park collectively became Toronto’s playgrounds by the lake. These amusement parks also attracted many summer cottagers to the area.
      By the 1920’s, the City of Toronto was expanding eastward and The Beach was subdivided for year round residential development. Over the years The Beach has emerged as one of Toronto’s most popular neighbourhoods.

      Overview:

      The Beach looks and feels more like a lakeside resort town, than a big city neighbourhood. In the summertime, thousands of Torontonians and tourists flock to The Beach to walk on The Boardwalk, exercise along the Martin Goodman Trail, relax by the water, or shop and dine at the colourful stores and restaurants along Queen Street.
      The Beach hosts a popular

      Lifestyle:

      Queen Street is the most commercial of The Beach shopping districts. Many of these stores and restaurants have a beach motif that caters to the tourist trade. The shops on Kingston Road also have a beach flavour, however they attract a more local clientele than the stores on Queen Street. About ten years back a debate took place along among local Beach residents as to what the actual name of their neighbourhood should be. Local residents agreed on one thing; they wanted some clarity and consistency on this issue. A vote was held to either go with “The Beach” name or the “Beaches”. Both were commonly used however “The Beach” won out in a close vote.Then the first new street sign was unveiled at the corner of Queen Street East and Lee Avenue proudly proclaiming “The Beach”. The artwork for this attractive blue and white street sign appropriately includes seagulls in flight. There is also a reference to the historic Kew Beach one of four historic Beach amusement parks that will be commemorated on the 98 new “The Beach” street signs that will gradually be installed along Queen Street East. The new street signs coincide with a big push by the business improvement area in The Beach to attract tourists as well as Toronto residents from across the city to this playground by the lake. To be sure there are an endless amount of things to see and do in The Beach ranging from a stroll along the boardwalk to building sand castles by the lake, or simply enjoying the vast and eclectic number of shops, cafes and restaurants.

      Homes:

      The Beach has the greatest variety of architectural house styles of any Toronto neighbourhood. The charm of these homes is accentuated by the tree-lined streets that wind their way down to the lake. Many of the original frame Beach cottages built in the latter half of the 1800’s and the early 1900’s, have been modernized and are still standing today. However, the majority of The Beach homes were built during the 1920’s and 1930’s.
      The former Greenwood racetrack site located at the foot of Woodbine Avenue is now the site of a large new home development known as The Beach. This large collection of heritage inspired custom built homes will include detached and semi-detached houses, and townhomes. Also included in this mix will be a handful of low-rise condominium apartment buildings.

      Recreation:

      The Beaches’ most famous landmark is The Boardwalk. The Boardwalk is skirted by the Martin Goodman Trail which spans the city’s waterfront from The Beach to the Humber River. Ashbridge’s Bay Park is a good spot for family picnics and windsurfing. Its also a popular spot for beach volleyball. Glen Stewart Park off Queen Street has a picturesque ravine and nature trail. Donald Summerville Pool at the foot of Woodbine Avenue, overlooks the lake and includes an Olympic size pool, a diving pool and a children’s pool. Kew Gardens has one of Toronto’s most active tennis programs with 10 flood lit courts. This park also has a baseball diamond, an artificial ice rink, a children’s playground, a wading pool and a concert bandstand. The Beach Branch of the Toronto Public Library is right next to Kew Gardens, off Queen Street.

      Transportation:

      There are bus or streetcar routes along Queen Street, Kingston Road, Gerrard Street, Victoria Park Avenue, Main Street, and Woodbine Avenue. All these surface routes connect to Toronto’s rapid transit lines and subway stations. Motorists have the convenience of being located close to the Don Valley Expressway, the Gardiner Expressway, and Lake Shore Boulevard.

          The Beach Stats

          Walkability:

          High

          Bikeability:

          High

          Public Transit:

          Medium

          Affordability:

          Low

          Greenspace:

          High

          Recreation:

          High

           

          Legend: Low, Medium, High

          Commute Times

          Time to Closest Shopping Mall:
          10 Minutes
          Time To TTC Station:
          15 Minutes
          Time to GO Bus or Train Station:
          20 Minutes
          Time To Hospital:
          20 Minutes
          Time to Toronto Pearson International Airport
          40 Minutes
          Time to Closest Highway:
          5 Minutes

          * All commuting times provided are approximate times only. Commute times may increase or decrease depending on where you live within the neighbourhood and the time of day i.e rush hour versus off hour commutes. Time estimates to public transit are based on walking distance or bus line connection whichever is quicker. All other commute times on the chart above are based on drive times.

          School Guide

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          Toronto School Resources

          Editor’s Note. BEFORE MOVING INTO, BUYING OR RENTING A HOME, PLEASE CONTACT THE SCHOOL YOU ARE CONSIDERING BY PHONE to ensure your home is within the designated boundaries and that your child is age appropriate. WE CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY MISINFORMATION REGARDING SCHOOL ENROLLMENT SO DO NOT ASSUME that your child can automatically attend a specific school or specialized program until you have official confirmation from that school. Please visit the school board web sites for more information.