Centre Island, Toronto’s Amazing Island Getaway.

Toronto’s Centre Islands are the perfect place to get away from all the hustle and bustle of the big city. The island is actually a group of fifteen smaller islands that are located just offshore of Downtown Toronto. The islands have parklands, the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, several yacht clubs, the centreville amusement park, some beaches, woodlands and a residential area.Island community is considered to be the largest car-free community in North America. Easy access to the islands is through some ferries operated by the City of Toronto that operate from the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal at the south end of Bay Street and also by water taxis.

The Islands are an extremely popular destination for residents of Toronto. Popular sports include bicycling, Canoeing, kayaking, paddle boating, sailing, jet scooting, fishing, swimming to mention a few. There is a disc golf course. The islands beaches are located on the south side with a clothing optional beach located on the west part of the island. The park areas have gardens and numerous picnic areas. Eateries are found throughout the island including some bars. Checkout the video below for more.

Before Europeans arrived in the Toronto area centre island was home to the Ojibwa and Mississauga Tribes who considered the islands as sacred and brought their sick there for healing. In 1790 the British built a garrison there but this was destroyed in the Battle of York. The Gibraltar Point Lighthouse was built in 1809 making one of the oldest lighthouses in the Great Lakes. The lighthouse is particularly famous because its first lighthouse keeper was murdered and this has created an enduring legend that the lighthouse is haunted by his ghost. The Islands were actually peninsulas before 1858 they were connected to the mainland by a this strip but in that year a storm cut that off making them true islands.

After the peninsula became an island the Hanlan Family became the first to settle their in 1862. Overtime a community began to develop on the island. In 1881 the Royal Canadian Yacht Club moved its location to the island. The first one room school was built there in 1888. The Toronto Ferry Company built the island first amusement park in 1894 followed by a stadium in 1898.

The Curtiss Flying School created a temporary Hangar on the Island in 1915 to train pilots for World War 1 which in 1937 became the Port George VI Island Airport which later developed to become the Billy Bishop Airport. The Toronto Council approved and extended leases for the islands residents in 1947, the leases on the island have been contentious to this day with legal battles being fought over them between residents and authorities. In 1967 the Centre Island Amusement Park was opened.

The climate of the islands are unique in that in the Spring, Summer and Fall the temperature remains 2 to 3 degrees Celsius cooler than the downtown mainland while winters remain mostly warmer.

Toronto Islands above all is a place to go to with your family and friends and enjoy a day together.

Wishing you the best this is my amazing Canada!!!