History Toronto Harbour

map of harbour in 1906 before infilling of ashbridge s bay

the original shoreline of northern shore low sandy bluffs, south of today s front street. mouth of harbour pointed west. fort york, on north shore of bay, near mouth of garrison creek, guarded harbour s mouth. briefly captured american forces during war of 1812.

the islands used low sandy peninsula forming southern limit of bay. scarborough bluffs larger bluffs lie approximately ten kilometres east of harbour. strong lake currents on time washed sand eroded bluffs westwards form peninsula surrounding bay.

the peninsula became toronto islands through result of 2 storms , man-made activity. in 1852, storm created channel through eastern edge of peninsula formed south edge of bay. storm washed through excavations made sand local construction. in 1858, storm widened channel , made permanent.

the eastern shore of bay, approximately 6 kilometres east, marsh around mouth of don river. in addition don river, number of smaller creeks flowed bay. original site of town of york had half dozen short creeks flowed through it. town developed became polluted , buried. city grew larger creeks, including russell creek, taddle creek , garrison creek, filled in.

development

toronto harbour in 1793.

the town of york established in 1793 in ten-block rectangle bounded present front street, berkeley, duke(now adelaide) , george street alongside taddle creek. government wharf built handle transfer of ships cargoes. garrison @ entrance harbour, @ mouth of garrison creek, established guard harbour along blockhouse on island. in 1801, york became official port-of-entry immigrants , cargo. in 1808, gibraltar point lighthouse built on island guide ships.

in 19th century, cargoes destined york transferred @ montreal smaller boats such durham boats , batteaux traverse rapids of st. lawrence river. in 1825, lachine canal built bypass lachine rapids. of boats used cargo being built @ toronto bay. although not established war of 1812, british colonial army determined set boat-building defence @ york. armed schooner under construction when americans attacked , british burned hull rather surrender it. invaders looted town , destroyed military facilities.

by time of establishment of town of toronto, 3 large wharves existed shipping, king s wharf @ peter street, cooper s wharf @ church street , merchant s wharf @ caroline street (today s sherbourne street). new queen s wharf, @ foot of bathurst street, constructed in 2 stages, reaching 244 feet (74 m) in length. commissioned province of upper canada, cost £4,500. first harbourmaster of toronto, hugh richardson, named in 1833. richardson held position until 1870. while queen s wharf no longer exists, queen s wharf lighthouse still exists, moved location off today s lake shore boulevard in 1929. in 1849, harbour trust formed manage port , queen s wharf.

in 1832, gooderham , worts distillery went operation, using windmill on waterfront, near don river, provide power. distillery had been conceived plant make flour, distillery business more popular. 1837, mill producing more 28,000 gallons (110,000 l) of whiskey annually.

by 1840, waterfront taken on government , merchant wharves. esplanade, 100 feet (30 m)-wide road, proposed, south of front street, new water lots made cribbing , filling of shore south. waterfront extended survey line point of gooderham windmill west point due east of old fort rouille. ostensibly carriages , carts, roadway became route rail lines in central core. in exchange 40 feet (12 m) of esplanade, railways underwrote infilling of harbour. esplanade , infill project complete 1865. section of esplanade yonge street berkeley street still exists roadway. rail lines moved viaduct in 20th century.

view of toronto s front street windmill old fort around 1850, before esplanade




toronto harbour, 1890

the first rail line harbour ontario, simcoe , huron railroad in 1853. next rail line grand trunk, underwrote esplanade project in exchange easement enter city. canadian pacific railway arrived in 1886, through purchase of credit valley railway. of area along shoreline connected railways. manufacturers of products such soap received raw materials via boat, produced product @ location on harbour, , distributed via rail.

as cargo, harbour became major passenger waypoint. 1880s, harbour handling 1,250,000 passengers annually through passenger steamship docks @ foot of yonge street. passenger boats operated on lake ontario , st. lawrence river. excursions niagara departed yonge street docks.

the western channel s depth found shallow 1906 when steam barge resolute sank outside harbour during storm. barge unable shelter in harbour. queen s wharf area rebuilt during years of 1908 1911 federal government. new western channel dug 1,300 feet (400 m) south of existing one. existing channel not dredged lower depth solid rock. queen s wharf site became eventual site of loblaws warehouse @ intersection of bathurst street , fleet street.

the 1910 toronto board of trade proposal ashbridge s bay industrial district industrial offices , sites served railway lines, public warehouses alongside docking facilities south of keating channel eastern gap , parkland/recreational strip @ south end.

toronto board of trade supported creation of commission.

in 1911, toronto harbour commission created. lands of waterfront owned city of toronto transferred commission administer. in 1912, commission delivered first plan harbour , waterfront humber river in west, woodbine avenue east. commission dredged harbour depth of 24 feet (7.3 m) match new welland canal.

as city of toronto grew northern shore of bay further altered landfill, , has been moved approximately 500 metres south. after esplanade landfill, second landfill project extended shoreline south of today s queens quay west of yonge street. final infill on north shore in 1950s, yonge street east don river, providing room redpath sugar refinery, victory soy mills , several marine terminals.

in 1920s, of low-lying marsh of ashbridge s bay filled in create toronto s inner harbour area (with small section east , shipping channel reminder of body of water). in 1930s, waters of hanlan s bay on western point of islands infilled create toronto island airport.

by time plans build st. lawrence seaway announced, commercial usage of harbour in decline. previous infill on eastern side created in 1920s used build modern port facilities. in 1970s, northern shore in decline , there new political initiative rebuild waterfront without industry in manner seen in other cities. harbourfront project expropriated lands west of york street. several facilities renovated, such terminal warehouse, , others demolished, creating space recreational , cultural uses. area around yonge street remained in private possession , hotel , condominiums built on shoreline. area east of yonge street remained in light industrial use under public possession. on north side of harbour, there few buildings left industrial period. in use, such redpath sugar refinery. others have been demolished or slated demolition, including grain storage elevators @ east , west end of harbours.

starting in 1972, government of canada spent $10 million dredge , widen eastern gap, making primary entrance harbour commercial boats. 10 billion cubic yards of material used build aquatic park on outer harbour headland.

the original area of harbour in 1834 estimated 2,150 acres (870 ha). infilling, area has declined area of 1,210 acres (490 ha) in size.

rochester ferry service

cruise ship moored @ once international ferry terminal.

in june 2004, company canadian american transportation systems (cats) began regular passenger/vehicle ferry service between pier 52 , rochester, new york using vessel spirit of ontario i. service used marketing name called breeze . while rochester had custom-built ferry terminal, toronto terminal temporary facility, near end of cherry street security , customs screening facilities while permanent marine passenger terminal still under consideration construction. cats discontinued service after 11 weeks; among problems cited absence of permanent marine passenger terminal in toronto , little canadian interest in service. vessel sold in bankruptcy sale in february 2005 rochester ferry company llc, subsidiary of city of rochester. in april 2005, rochester ferry company llc announced rochester-toronto ferry service using spirit of ontario return, operated bay ferries great lakes limited , using marketing name cat. toronto port authority officially opened international marine passenger terminal on june 27, 2005, 3 days before ferry service resumed. impressive passenger numbers winter of 2006 ferry service lost funding city of rochester , announced no longer in business. terminal building later used filming cbc crime drama border.