Beach Memories: History of the Ashbridges to be featured at historical walk this Saturday

By GENE DOMAGALA

I will be hosting an historical walk this Saturday, Sept. 13, along Queen Street East.

The walk starts at 1 p.m. and we will meet at the northeast corner of Woodbine Avenue and Queen Street East. This walk will take in the sights and sites between the Beach Fire Hall and the Ashbridge Estate.

There will be many historic sites and people featured on the walk.

We will note the Beach Fire Hall built in 1906 and also talk about the Kew Beach school (Kew Beach Junior Public School).

Also discussed will be the origin of old Woodbine Race Track and its original owner – Deacon Dugan.

The original house and factory of William Williamson, who built many of the original cottages and houses in the Beach area will be part of the walk. He built Williamson Road school and it and the road were named after him.

We will also see and talk about churches along the route.

At the intersection of Kingston Road and Queen Street East is where the earliest streetcars and bus routes started out to East Toronto and Scarborough.

We’ll also travel along the southern part of the Beach Triangle which is bounded by Kingston Road to the north and west, Woodbine Avenue to the east and Queen Street East to the south.

There was once a bowling alley and dance hall along Queen Street East. Can you name it?

While many interesting places will be seen and talked about during this Saturday’s walk, the most important and possibly the most historic will be the Ashbridge Estate and the story of Sarah Ashbridge which dates back to the 1790s.

One of the homes of the Ashbridge family is still standing on the estate.

Did you know one of the city’s oldest cemeteries is located on the Ashbridge property?

I look forward to seeing you on Saturday’s walk as we learn more about the Ashbridges.

Historically yours!