East Toronto
Encyclopedia
East Toronto, Ontario was an incorporated community in what is today a part of the city of Toronto
, Canada
. It covered much of what is today the Upper Beaches
neighbourhood, stretching up to Danforth Avenue
in the north. The central street in the community was Main Street, running south from Danforth to Kingston Road
. The main commercial centre of the town was located at the intersection of Main and Lake View (now Main and Gerrard). As Toronto's true main street
was named Yonge
, the name Main Street was maintained even after amalgamation with the city of Toronto. This explains why Toronto's "Main Street" is far from the city centre.
's main yards. These facilities stretched along most of Gerrard Street, and employed several hundred workers.
When East Toronto was annexed to city of Toronto in 1908 it had a population of about 5,000 people. The CN freight yards closed down in that same year of 1908 and relocated to Belleville
and Etobicoke, a move that forced the area into a transition from a railway-based small town into a commuter-based neighbourhood within a city. The trunk yards themselves were essentially abandoned for over 90 years until a housing development was built on most of the land they once occupied.
Today East Toronto commonly refers to the portion of the old city of Toronto east of the Don River
. This includes neighbourhoods such as Upper Beaches
, Riverdale
, Leslieville
, East Danforth
, and the Beaches
.
The following North/South streets were technically outside the village limits of East Toronto, but were also included in the annexation, and also had their street names changed.
The following East/West streets were technically outside the village limits of East Toronto, but were also included in the annexation. Streets that had their names changed are in bold text.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It covered much of what is today the Upper Beaches
Upper Beaches
The Upper Beaches is a rather recently coined name for the neighbourhood directly north of the Beaches area in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It stretches from Coxwell Avenue in the west to Victoria Park in the east. The southern border is Kingston Road, while the northern boundary is generally...
neighbourhood, stretching up to Danforth Avenue
Danforth Avenue
Danforth Avenue is an east-west arterial road in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its western end begins in Old Toronto from the Prince Edward Viaduct as a continuation of Bloor Street and continues through East York until intersecting with Kingston Road in Scarborough...
in the north. The central street in the community was Main Street, running south from Danforth to Kingston Road
Kingston Road (Toronto)
Kingston Road is the southernmost major road along the eastern portion of Toronto, specifically in the districts of East York and Scarborough. Until 1998, it formed a significant portion of Highway 2...
. The main commercial centre of the town was located at the intersection of Main and Lake View (now Main and Gerrard). As Toronto's true main street
Main Street
Main Street is the metonym for a generic street name of the primary retail street of a village, town, or small city in many parts of the world...
was named Yonge
Yonge Street
Yonge Street is a major arterial route connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. It was formerly listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world at , and the construction of Yonge Street is designated an "Event of...
, the name Main Street was maintained even after amalgamation with the city of Toronto. This explains why Toronto's "Main Street" is far from the city centre.
History
The area, after being colonized by British settlers, was occupied in about 1850, when it was a considerable distance from the city of Toronto. It was incorporated as a village in 1888 when there were about 800 people living in the area. The area began to grow rapidly and in 1903 it was elevated from a village to a town. The southern part of the community by the lake became one of Toronto's most popular travel destinations, and became home to hotels and amusement parks. The northern section, by contrast, was an industrial centre, home to the Grand Trunk RailwayGrand Trunk Railway
The Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate...
's main yards. These facilities stretched along most of Gerrard Street, and employed several hundred workers.
When East Toronto was annexed to city of Toronto in 1908 it had a population of about 5,000 people. The CN freight yards closed down in that same year of 1908 and relocated to Belleville
Belleville
-Places in North America:Canada*Belleville, Nova Scotia*Belleville, OntarioUnited States of America*Belleville, Arkansas*Belleville, California*Belleville, Illinois, the largest US city named Belleville**Belleville -Places in North America:Canada*Belleville, Nova Scotia*Belleville, OntarioUnited...
and Etobicoke, a move that forced the area into a transition from a railway-based small town into a commuter-based neighbourhood within a city. The trunk yards themselves were essentially abandoned for over 90 years until a housing development was built on most of the land they once occupied.
Today East Toronto commonly refers to the portion of the old city of Toronto east of the Don River
Don River (Toronto)
The Don River is one of two rivers bounding the original settled area of Toronto, Ontario along the shore of Lake Ontario, the other being the Humber River to the west. The Don is formed from two rivers, the East and West Branches, that meet about north of Lake Ontario while flowing southward into...
. This includes neighbourhoods such as Upper Beaches
Upper Beaches
The Upper Beaches is a rather recently coined name for the neighbourhood directly north of the Beaches area in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It stretches from Coxwell Avenue in the west to Victoria Park in the east. The southern border is Kingston Road, while the northern boundary is generally...
, Riverdale
Riverdale, Toronto
Riverdale is a large neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is bounded by the Don River Valley to the west, Danforth Avenue and Greektown to the north, Jones Avenue, the CN/GO tracks, and Leslieville to the east, and Lake Shore Boulevard to the south....
, Leslieville
Leslieville
Leslieville is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada east of the Don River bounded by the Canadian National railway line and Gerrard Street to the north, Empire Avenue to the west, Eastern Avenue to south, and Coxwell Avenue to the east.-History:...
, East Danforth
East Danforth
East Danforth is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Canada. It is located on the eastern part of Danforth Avenue in the old city of Toronto. It stretches from the eastern edge of Greektown by Jones Avenue to the boundary of Scarborough at Victoria Park Avenue. The area is covered by two business...
, and the Beaches
The Beaches
The Beaches is a neighbourhood and popular tourist destination located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located on the east side of the "Old" City of Toronto. The original boundaries of the neighbourhood are from Fallingbrook Avenue on the east to Kingston Road on the north, to Woodbine Avenue...
.
Street name changes
With the annexation by the city of Toronto in 1908, many East Toronto street names were changed, as the city of Toronto already had streets by those names. The following tables show the changes made, with the names of changed streets in bold text.North/South streets
| Street names | |
|---|---|
| Pre-annexation | Present |
| Elm Avenue | Willow Avenue |
| Beach Avenue | Beech Avenue |
| Balsam Avenue | Balsam Avenue |
| Spruce Avenue | Spruce Hill Road |
| Howard Avenue | MacLean Avenue (between Lake Front and Queen only) |
| Catherine Street | Pickering Street |
| Hannaford Street | Hannaford Street |
| Charles Street | Malvern Avenue |
| John Street | Wayland Avenue |
| Edward Street | Osborne Avenue |
| Walter Street | Walter Street |
| Mary Street | Kimberley Avenue |
| Main Street | Main Street |
| Enderby Road | Enderby Road |
| Norwood Road | Norwood Road |
| Lee Avenue | Lee Avenue |
| Woodlee Road | Woodlee Road |
| Elliot Street | Barrington Avenue |
| Donald Street | Westlake Avenue (south of The Danforth only) |
| Morton Road | Morton Road |
The following North/South streets were technically outside the village limits of East Toronto, but were also included in the annexation, and also had their street names changed.
| Street names | |
|---|---|
| Pre-annexation | Present |
| Birch Avenue | Silver Birch Avenue |
| Maple Avenue | Scarborough Road (between Queen and Kingston only) |
| Cockburn Avenue | Scarborough Road (between Swanwick and Gerrard only) |
East/West streets
| Street names | |
|---|---|
| Pre-annexation | Present |
| Queen Street | Queen Street East |
| Cedar Avenue | Cedar Avenue |
| Pine Avenue | Pine Avenue |
| Kingston Road | Kingston Road |
| Lyall Avenue | Lyall Avenue |
| Benlamond Avenue | Benlamond Avenue |
| Swanwick Avenue | Swanwick Avenue (between Enderby and Pickering only) |
| Lake View Avenue | Gerrard Street East |
| Stephenson Avenue | Stephenson Avenue |
| Danforth Avenue | Danforth Avenue |
| Lansdowne Avenue | Coleman Avenue |
The following East/West streets were technically outside the village limits of East Toronto, but were also included in the annexation. Streets that had their names changed are in bold text.
| Street names | |
|---|---|
| Pre-annexation | Present |
| Glenfern Avenue | Glenfern Avenue |
| Balmy Avenue | Balmy Avenue |
| Barwick Avenue | Swanwick Avenue (between Lawlor and Scarborough only) |