Beach Memories: Main Street and former Town of East Toronto focus of historic walking tour on May 10

By GENE DOMAGALA

Why local history tours? This is a good question. What is your answer? Is there a good reason for them? Let’s think about it.

What is history?

The dictionary says it is a continuous usually chronological record of important or public events, the total accumulations of past events especially relating to human affairs … And the definition goes on!

But I see history or history tours as being about each individual’s own idea of history.

People might look at their own family, background, where they came from, education, etc… History to me is fascinating because one can come up with many different interpretations of what they think is history.

Now in my case I think history – local history – is very important to everybody regardless of age, gender, nationality, etc… That’s the simple reason why I became interested in history; both local and world history.

But really, it all boils down to local history. Who are we? Where are we? Why are we here?

I look at my country, my province, my city, and my particular area, the East End and Beach area. So with that in my mind, I want to let the dear readers know I will be leading an historic tour about Main Street East and the former Town of East Toronto area on Saturday, May 10, starting at 1 p.m.

Later this year I will also be doing tours of the St. John’s Cemetery at Woodbine Avenue and Kingston Roads, and also along Kingston Road between Victoria Park Avenue and Main Street.

The reason I do tours of these areas is because they represent local history.

The Saturday, May 10, historic tour starts at 1 p.m. and I’m asking participants to meet me at the northwest corner of Main Street and Danforth Avenue.

This historic walk will be about the former Town of East Toronto (1888 – 1908), population of about 5,000. The focus of the tour will be along Main Street south of the Danforth.

There are many historic sites, people, events, buildings that we will visit on this historic walk. There are many different “firsts” in this East Toronto area.

It was a railroad town (first the Grand Trunk railroad and later the Canadian National railroad) and it was located several miles east of the City of Toronto.

For the sports enthusiasts, did you know that soccer, baseball, hockey, track and field, and curling were first played in the Main and Danforth area and not down in the Beach.

For those horse racing fans, did you know that the first Queen’s Plate (now King’s Plate) was held in the Main and Danforth area in 1868 and not at the Woodbine racetrack that was located further south in the Beach.

Some of the other “firsts” in the East Toronto Main Street area include the community’s first hospital; the first library was at Main Street and Gerrard Street East.

Also, the community’s first funeral parlour was located at Main and Danforth.

On our May 10 walk we’ll visit the sites of some of our historic religious buildings (some still standing while others have been demolished). We’ll also visit Lyall Avenue, one of East Toronto’s most historic streets.

Until then, and I look forward to seeing you on the May 10 walk. I am historically yours.