The Beaches: Creation of a Toronto Neighbourhood

The Beaches is a beloved Toronto neighbourhood with no famous architecture or public spaces, but it has a charming character that Richard White explores in his book. He traces the area's history from colonial settlement to its development as a lakeside recreational community, streetcar suburb, and matured neighbourhood. Using archival records and the present-day landscape, he reveals the various forces that shaped the neighbourhood.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 02 June 2024
Publisher: University of Toronto Press

The Beaches, one of Toronto's most renowned and admired neighborhoods, stands out for its lack of prominent architectural landmarks, renowned public spaces, renowned galleries, or notable historical associations. However, it possesses a distinct charm that Richard White aims to explore, shedding light on its origins and enduring appeal. Through a comprehensive examination of the neighborhood's history, The Beaches delves into its initial colonial settlement, its evolution as a lakeside recreational community in the late nineteenth century, its transformation into a streetcar suburb after 1900, its maturation in the 1920s and 1930s, its relative decline in the 1950s and 1960s, and its resurgence in the 1970s and beyond. Drawing upon a diverse array of archival records, including council minutes, plans of subdivision, newspapers, public land records, city directories, assessment rolls, and historical photographs, as well as the present-day landscape, The Beaches unveils the diverse forces, both public and private, local and international, that shaped this cherished urban neighborhood.

Weight: 458g
Dimension: 223 x 147 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781487508944