By DAVID VAN DYKE Congratulations Beach Metro Community News on your 50th anniversary, to the friendly staff, the board members and all of our readers. That is an incredible milestone to achieve, especially for print media in today’s era. I remember, it’s been more than 20 years now, strolling into the BMN office on Gerrard […]
Category: Features
Deja Views: Looking towards Kew Gardens in 1904
By DAVID VAN DYKE This archival photograph at the top of this page was taken in 1904. The location is Queen Street East just west of Lee Avenue. In the background, left of the frame, is Kew Gardens which was established in 1879. At the time the above photo was taken, the Beaches Public Library […]
Eye on Business: Real Empanada opens new location in Kingston Road Village
By ERIN HORROCKS-POPE Since last summer, the storefront at 281 Scarborough Rd. in the Kingston Road Village has teased locals to a new, delicious business on the way. But it’s a tease no longer, Real Empanada hosted it’s grand opening on Saturday, Feb. 12. The opening was launched with a ribbon cutting ceremony, attended by […]
Deja Views: A look at, and some information on, Woodbine Avenue stores in 1921
By DAVID VAN DYKE Look at the merchants that used to be on the southeast corner of Woodbine and Corley avenues, between Kingston Road and Gerrard Street East. There was once a meat shop, a shoe repair shop and store there that sold cigars and other items. The above photo was taken in 1921. Thanks […]
Deja Views: A Greenwood racetrack grandstand memory
By DAVID VAN DYKE After his wife passed, John Leslie Harrison moved to the Beaches Lions Centennial Apartments on Norway Avenue. He would regularly walk up to three kilometres a day, often with a camera in tow. The photograph above was taken in the late 1980s, and is looking north from Lake Shore Boulevard East […]
Deja Views: A Kimberley Avenue memory going back 15 years
By DAVID VAN DYKE I first photographed this Kimberley Avenue house (photo above) in the mid 2000s. At the time, which was 2007, it sat on a huge undeveloped lot, close behind the fire hall on Main Street. Inevitably, townhouses later sprouted up on the land. Do you have any old photos of Kingston Road […]
Neighbourhood Stops and Shops: Ethical Local Market offers products from diverse vendors
By ALEXANDROS VAROUTAS Ethical Local Market (ELM), at 1630 Queen St. E. in the Beach, brings together local small business owners under one roof, all from diverse backgrounds. Among the products on offer, local residents can expect to find a range of sustainable and ethical clothing, body and skincare products, jewelry, homeware, pet toys and […]
Deja Views: Remembering Joseph Price and the family home on Glen Manor Drive
By DAVID VAN DYKE This incredible hand-coloured photograph (above) is from Paul Warner who is the great grandson of Joseph Price, seen here, standing by his car. The Price brothers built more than 100 duplex and fourplex dwellings on the site where the Scarboro Beach Amusement Park used to be. This majestic estate is located […]
Deja Views: Sign of the times from 1979 near Gerrard and Main streets
By DAVID VAN DYKE I grabbed the photo above from the Beach Metro Community News archives. The year is 1979 and the location is Gerrard Street East, just west of Main Street, at the gas station directly across the street from the Beach Metro Community News office. Yes, gas was cheap back then. I believe […]
Deja Views: A look back to 1954 and Carpets by Partington on Queen Street East
By DAVID VAN DYKE Thank you, Carol Semple for sending me this incredible image from 1954. Carol’s father, John Partington, owned and operated Partington Carpets, It was located on Queen Street East in the Beach, not far from the firehall and across the street. Carol thinks that the car was her dad’s, and what a […]