By DAVID VAN DYKE Above is a postcard of the Scarboro Beach Amusement Park. The image was captured from a plane (see the wing mounts on the left) when aviation was in its infancy; for that matter, aerial photography as well. The amusement park opened in June of 1907 and the photograph above nicely depicts […]
By DAVID VAN DYKE I met John Watt at this corner of Herbert and Hartford avenues recently. He sent me a photograph his father took of him back in 1966 when he was 16 years old. We agreed to meet and reshoot this wonderful image. John grew up and lived in the Beach from the […]
By DAVID VAN DYKE This aerial photograph above showing the foot of Lee Avenue (provided by Herman Sahrmann) was taken in 1961. I imagine that in the photo below most Beachers are delighted to see abundantly more beach sand for their beloved dogs from the time depicted. Thank you Herman, for forwarding this amazing aerial […]
By DAVID VAN DYKE In the Sept. 22 issue of Beach Metro News, if you recall, I revisited a 60-year-old photo taken by Herman Sahrmann, of the Leuty Lifeguard Station. Herman was a young lifeguard at the then Toronto Harbour Police Sub Station. This incredible shot above showing the beach was taken from the mast […]
By DAVID VAN DYKE Friends tell me, to make me feel better about my age, that 60 years is young for a tree. That’s how many years are in between these two photographs. Obviously, the Leuty Lifeguard Station has been moved, but on the right of the picture, barely visible for all the trees, is […]
By DAVID VAN DYKE The Chopping Block is an ironic name for a butcher’s store that is no longer in business. In the 1980s, the store was was home to Canadian’s Dry Cleaners. The location is at the northwest corner of Queen Street East and Willow Avenue. I have Chris Nicholls to thank for submitting […]
By DAVID VAN DYKE This is the northwest corner of Hambly Avenue and Queen Street East. Back in the 1980s, when Chris Nicholls was a photography student, he strolled up and down Queen (here in the Beach) with his Hasselblad in tow. It has been a real treat to travel back to the 1980s and […]
By DAVID VAN DYKE Chris Nicholls stood in front of St Aidan’s Anglican Church to get this shot of the the Red and White Family Food Fair back in 1982. I know this because this was my balcony view when I lived at Silver Birch and Queen. I loved to grocery shop at Value-Mart mostly […]
By DAVID VAN DYKE As local historian Gene Domagala can attest, the Leuty Lifeguard Station gets around. This glorious colour image above was taken in 1957 by Herman Sahrmann. Herman was working as a lifeguard for the then “Toronto Harbour Police-Leuty Sub Station”. You can just make out the long boathouse to the left of […]
By David Van Dyke From dry cleaners to Chinese cuisine, you can be sure to find what you are looking for in the Beach. As government incrementally opens up smaller businesses on Queen Street East, I’m sure Beachers are looking forward to supporting them as we know they are a huge part of our unique […]
