Long Branch

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Long Branch
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      History:

      Long Branch was first settled in 1797 by Colonel Samuel Smith a loyalist officer with the Queens Rangers. Smith’s five hundred acre tract of land spanned the entire present day neighbourhood. Smith, who served two terms as administrator of Upper Canada, built a modest regency style cottage at the south-east corner of 41st Street and Lakeshore Boulevard where Parkview Public School is situated today.

      Smith passed away in 1826. His children retained possession of his estate until 1871 when it was sold to James Eastwood. The industrious Eastwood timbered the pine and oak forest that covered this land. He then rafted the logs from the mouth of the Etobicoke Creek to the Toronto Harbour where the lumber was sold for a tidy profit.

      In 1883, Eastwood sold the eastern sixty-four acres of his property to the developers who created Long Branch Park, a summer resort modelled after its namesake in New Jersey. Ferry boats ushered thousands of Toronto vacationers each year to Long Branch which boasted fanciful summer cottages, a grand hotel, a boardwalk and numerous amusement rides including a Coney Island Carousel.

      Long Branch became more accessible in 1916 when Lake Shore Boulevard was paved. This transportation corridor helped turn Long Branch into a year-round community. This neighbourhood was developed largely from the 1920’s up to the 1950’s.

      Overview:

      Long Branch is a well established neighbourhood located along the Toronto waterfront at the extreme south-west part of the city. This neighbourhood is in transition with many new home developments being built along Lakeshore Boulevard.

      This lakeside village is blessed with many fine attributes including picturesque waterfront parks, a local arena, a public library, a waterfront trail, a Go Transit station and a vibrant shopping district.

      Lifestyle:

      The Long Branch BIA is very active in making their neighbourhood a better place to live, work, shop, visit and play. Their efforts are responsible for the distinctive nautical blue lamp posts that line Lake Shore Boulevard West. These cast-iron lamp posts are dressed up with seasonal banners. Decorative interlocking brickwork on the sidewalks together with planter boxes and seats make for an attractive streetscape. The street especially sparkles at Christmastime when decorative lights resembling candy canes adorn the street lamps. The children will delight in the Santa Claus parade along the Lake Shore which always occurs on the first Saturday in December.

      There are over 125 shops, restaurants and professional service businesses along this route. Many of these shops are owner operated. The street theme on Lake Shore Boulevard is “Toronto’s Village by the Lake”.

      Homes:

      The oldest houses in Long Branch are located on Lake Promenade between Long branch Avenue and 38th Street. A handful of these houses date back to the days when Long branch was a resort community. These houses have undergone numerous renovations and additions over the years however they retain some of their original features including whimsical turrets and front porch verandas.Lake Promenade also features prime waterfront properties and a handful of low rise apartment building. The rest of the houses south of Lake Shore Boulevard were built in the 1920s,30s and 40s. These brick and frame houses include detached 2-storey homes, bungalows and semi-detached homes and duplexes. Some of the quaint Turdor and Edwardian style bungalows have been replaced with infill custom designed homes.

      North of Lake Shore Boulevard the houses get smaller and the lots narrower. However, there is a pride of ownership stamped on every neatly manicured lawn. New townhouse developments are now a big part of the housing mix in this part of the neighbourhood.

      Recreation:

      Marie Curtis Park, located at the mouth of the Etobicoke Creek, has a supervised sandy beach with picnic areas in addition to a wading pool and a children’s playground. This park is where the Toronto Waterfront Trail and the Etobicoke Creek Trail connect. This waterfront trails offer miles of fitness and leisure activities. The Waterfront trail passes through Colonel Samuel Smith Park which features a newly created wetland habitat interpretive trail, as well as spectacular views of Lake Ontario.

      The scenic Waterfront Trail that skirts the south end of this neighbourhood passes through Len Ford Park, an ideal spot for picnics, and Long Branch Park which hosts the Lakeshore Summer Concert Series in the park gazebo.

      Birch Park, located south of Lakeshore Boulevard between 28th and 29th streets, features two tennis courts and a children’s playground. Adjacent to this park is the Long Branch Centennial Arena which offers public skating as well as ice hockey and ringette programs.

      The James S. Bell Community School, located at 90-31st Street hosts Youth Dances, a Teen Zone, adult fitness programs and a variety of children and family events.

      The Long Branch Public Library is a friendly community-oriented library that offers pre-school story time programs and a “Tea and Books” program for adults and seniors.

      Transportation:

      Long Branch has its own Go Transit station located at the west-end of this neighbourhood on the north side of Lakeshore Boulevard. Bus service at this station links passengers to Union Station and the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line.

      Motorists can access downtown Toronto’s entertainment and financial districts in approximately fifteen minutes via Lakeshore Boulevard. Commuters also enjoy quick access to the Queen Elizabeth Way and Highway 427 on-ramps at Browns Line north of Lake Shore Boulevard.

          Long Branch Stats

          Walkability:

          Medium

          Bikeability:

          Low

          Public Transit:

          High

          Affordability:

          Medium

          Greenspace:

          High

          Recreation:

          Medium

           

          Legend: Low, Medium, High

          Commute Times

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