"The Beaches" has a rich past, and a present that is unique to Toronto

The community in The Beaches area in Toronto has a long and rich history. It all started in 1793 when the area was divided into lots by Alexander Aitken for Lieutenant Governor John Simcoe and the new owners, or their heirs, developed roads and settlements. As the villages grew, some owners fashioned recreational areas, which they often opened to the local population. Word spread and by the 1870's The Beaches became a summer resort for the general population of Toronto. The small communities soon turned into towns that would eventually be incorporated into the city of Toronto. By the 1910's, local governments began to buy the land that many of the private and commercial recreational areas occupied. Property purchases and renovation work progressed slowly, but in 1932 the Beaches Park opened.

Today The Beaches area is a distinctively relaxed community offering a range of recreational, entertainment, shopping and dining opportunities, all conveniently located only 20 minutes from downtown Toronto. It extends from Woodbine Avenue in the West to Nursewood Road in the East, and from Queen Street East in the North to Lake Ontario in the South. Whether taking a stroll along the boardwalk, bike-riding on the Martin Goodman Trail, enjoying free concerts under the lovely gazebo toward the northern end of Kew Gardens, or participating in the Jazz Festival held yearly in July, you are sure to have amazing experiences at every step. There’s always something going on at The Beaches and you are invited to join in the fun!

The future is bright for the Beaches Community. From the newly built residential homes to the ever-expanding businesses, this area is expected to flourish greatly in the years to come. The Beaches area has gained a reputation as a place where things are done differently. In their lifestyles and values, its people have cultivated a tradition of independence that has often moved them beyond the currents around them - sometimes ahead of the political tide, sometimes squarely against it. Residents and visitors continue to value this community because of its historical significance, and while everything is changing around it, The Beaches area seems to set its own pace, shaped by the originality of its soul, as it has done over the past 100 years.