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Tag: TorontoIslands

Centreville, Deserted

August 9, 2024 / / 6 Comments

A few years ago on a crisp, early Spring day, I crossed the Toronto Harbour and visited the Toronto Islands – Centre Island to be exact. I was curious to see how quiet things might be prior to the imminent mass invasion of families and kids from the city.

I wandered through Centreville, the children’s amusement park, marvelling at how deserted it was. I did not see another soul in Centreville that afternoon; it was kind of eerie with no one around, but I enjoyed it:

Centreville was built as part of a master plan to convert the Toronto Islands’ land usage from cottage residences to recreational uses. The park replaced the old Sunnyside Amusement Park, which closed in 1955, as well as Hanlan’s Point Amusement Park, which closed in the 1930s to make way for the Toronto Island Airport. The park opened in 1967.

The park originally had seven rides and has expanded over the years, adding one or two rides a year. The park’s buildings have a 1900s turn-of-the-century village theme:

This 1870s cast iron planter, created to commemorate Queen Victoria’s birthday, was originally located in front of St. Lawrence Market but has been relocated to the centre of the Park.

Rough Times: Floods and COVID-19

Due to flooding of many areas of the Toronto Islands, Centreville did not open in May 2017. It reopened on July 31, 2017, but three rides were unable to operate: the swan ride, bumper boat ride (due to high water levels) and the train ride (because of flood damage to the tracks). Mosquitos carrying the West Nile virus had been found on the islands but the Toronto Public Health department said that with certain precautions, visitors should not be concerned.

A Park spokesman said that the loss in revenue was CA$8 million due to the flood, and the cost of repairs was estimated at CA$6 million.

In 2020, Centreville and nearby Far Enough Farm were closed for the entire 2020 season due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Both Centreville and Far Enough Farm opened 7 days a week for the 2021 season from July 9, until September 6, 2021. This was two months later than originally planned because of earlier COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

During that 2021 season, Centreville installed fencing and gates around the amusement park area and charged grounds admission fees. Individual ride tickets were not made available for that operating season and only all-day ride passes were offered for anyone going on the amusement rides. All ticket sales moved online as well and needed to be purchased in advance. The park also implemented COVID-19 screening on all visitors and reduced capacity limits.

Centreville: Post-COVID

On a more uplifting note, business appears to be back to normal at Centreville. The marketing plug on their website reads:

With more than 30 rides and attractions and 14 mouth-watering food outlets, Centre Island’s iconic Centreville Amusement Park is the ultimate summer destination for families with young children!

Surrounded by 600 acres of gorgeous parkland and just across the harbour from the City of Toronto, you and your family can spin yourself silly in the Twirling Tea Cups, take a plunge in the Log Flume or bounce around in Bumper Boats and Bumper Cars – plus don’t forget to ride our Antique Carousel!

The Toronto Island Park is operated by the City of Toronto and open year round. Centreville Amusement Park is located within the Park and operated by William Beasley Enterprises Ltd.; it is open seasonally between May and September.

Tickets and passes for the Centreville Amusement Park can be purchased online or at the front gates.

From The Vaults: Toronto Skyline, 1985

February 17, 2023 / / 1 Comment

So, it’s time for another installment of From The Vaults – so called as these are cityscape photos from many years past which I had originally shot on film, then scanned to digital only recently.

This short sequence (hey, this was film and every shot counted!), was shot on July 1, 1985 as I travelled out to the Toronto Islands on the ferry boat.

Our downtown skyline has changed considerably over the years!

Gibraltar Point Lighthouse

January 14, 2023 / / 3 Comments

For today’s TOcityscapes we’ll go outside the city just a bit – out to the Toronto Islands, specifically, to take a look at the Gibraltar Point Lighthouse.

The Gibraltar Point Lighthouse was Toronto’s first lighthouse. It was built in 1808, was originally 52 feet tall, and had a fixed white light that burned sperm oil. In 1832, the lighthouse was raised an additional 30 feet to bring the total height to 82 feet. At this point, an improved lighting system was installed. After 1863, coal oil was used to light the tower.

John P. Rademuller was hired as the first keeper of the lighthouse. He served there until he met a tragic end, as reported in the January 14, 1815 edition of the York Gazette:

Died on the evening of the 2nd of January, J.P. Rademuller, keeper of the lighthouse on Gibraltar Point. From circumstances there is moral proof of his having been murdered. If the horrid crime admits of aggravation when the inoffensive and benevolent character of the unfortunate sufferer are considered, his murder will be pronounced most barbarous and inhuman. The parties lost with him are the proposed perpetrators and are in prison.

Three months later, the Gazette reported: No conviction of the supposed murderers of the late J.P. Rademuller. Though the details of what happened that night in January 1815 have been lost, legend has it that soldiers from the York Garrison visited Gibraltar Point that night to obtain beer from Lighthouse Keeper Rademuller. Some accounts say the Keeper refused to sell to the soldiers, and others claim he overcharged them, but all agree that the soldiers became enraged, killed the Keeper, and disposed of his body.

James Durnan and his son George, who between them kept the light from 1832 to 1905, were both known to talk about the murder of the lighthouse’s first Keeper, and in 1893, George Durnan uncovered a jaw bone on the point. Due to the mystery surrounding the demise of Keeper J.P. Rademuller, rumours persist to this day that Gibraltar Point Lighthouse is haunted.

The lighthouse was electrified during the winter of 1916–1917 and Blake Matthews, the light’s last official Keeper, left the following year.

The characteristic of the automated lighthouse was changed in 1945 from flashing white to fixed green, and it retained this latter signature until it was deactivated in 1959 and replaced by a nearby tripod tower that displayed a flashing red light.

Metro Parks took over lighthouse operations and made renovations in 1961-62. Currently unused, the lighthouse is occasionally open for public tours, including the annual Doors Open Toronto weekend.

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