Scarboro Beach Amusement Park
| Company type | Amusement park |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment |
| Founded | 1907 |
| Founder | Harry and Mabel Dorsey |
| Defunct | 1925 |
| Headquarters | Toronto , Canada |
Area served | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Products | Amusement rides, entertainment attractions |
Scarboro Beach Park was a waterfront amusement park located in the Beaches area of Toronto, operational between 1907 and 1925. Initially part of East Toronto, it became incorporated into Toronto following its annexation in 1908.
Location
Spanning a 40-acre tract stretching from south of Queen Street East down to the shores of Lake Ontario, the park was situated between Leuty and MacLean avenues. It followed the closure of two earlier east-end trolley parks, Victoria Park (1878–1906) and Munro Park (1896–1906), which both ceased operations the previous year.
History
The establishment was created by Harry and Mabel Dorsey, who acquired the property from the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1906 for $165,000. Prior to this, the land had been utilized as the Order's House of Providence farm since the 1890s. In 1913, ownership transferred to the Toronto Railway Company, which funded improvements and extended its streetcar lines to serve the park, thereby increasing its accessibility as a trolley destination. Prior to these transit developments, visitors primarily arrived by steamship from Toronto Harbour.
Opening on June 1, 1907, at a construction cost of $600,000, Scarboro Beach Park was inspired by the design of Coney Island's Luna Park. The venue offered over one hundred attractions including rides such as a Shoot the Chutes water slide, a Tunnel of Love, a scenic train roller coaster, fun houses, aerial swings, as well as athletic fields that hosted various sporting events including lacrosse matches. Additional amusements featured freak exhibitions, daredevil performances, bathing and dance pavilions, alongside live band concerts. Notably, on September 7, 1909, it was the site of Canada's inaugural public flight conducted by Charles F. Willard.
Closure and legacy
After operating for 19 seasons, the park permanently shut its doors on September 12, 1925. The streetcar franchise held by the Toronto Railway Company concluded in 1921 with the creation of the Toronto Transportation Commission. While TRC sold its assets to the city in 1924, Scarboro Beach Park was excluded from this transaction and instead acquired by Provident Investment Company. The amusement facilities were subsequently demolished to make way for a residential subdivision. The name survives through Scarboro Beach Boulevard within that neighborhood.
See also
- Hanlan's Point Amusement Park – a comparable park located on the Toronto Islands during this period
- Sunnyside Amusement Park – opened in Toronto's west end in 1922