Historic photos from around Cherry Beach, Toronto

Located at the southern end of Cherry Street south of the ship channel and Unwin Avenue, the beach itself was previously called Clarke Beach Park, named after the alderman who created the official park in the 1930's. It was then renamed named Cherry Beach in 2003.

Back in the 1850's the area was a marsh and sandbar, eventually disconnected from the Toronto Islands in 1852 - now the Eastern Channel. The area was called Fisherman's Island for a while, with a commercial fishery operation and a church.

Just north of the beach itself has been an industrial area for a long time, but the work done to naturalize the mouth of the Don River in the Port Lands has seen many improvements in the area, including the Cherry Beach Sports Fields with two soccer fields.

List of all areas in Toronto or take a look at the historic photos by date. New! You can now access the photos by street address A subset of the photos have also been arranged by subject.

1898		Old dry dock foot of Cherry Street 126 years ago - 1898 - Cherry Beach Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1915		Ashbridges Bay east of Leslie St. in 1915 - general views 109 years ago - Tuesday, August 31, 1915 - Cherry Beach at 1 Leslie Street Link to archive record - Map location (From the Library and Archives Canada)
1915		Foot of Carlaw Ave - houses and industrial buildings 109 years ago - Tuesday, August 31, 1915 - Cherry Beach at 4 Carlaw Ave at waters edge Link to archive record - Map location (From the Library and Archives Canada)
1915		Fishermans Island Public School with wooden sidewalk on the sand (Categorized under: Schools ) 109 years ago - Monday, September 20, 1915 - Cherry Beach at 1 Cherry Street Max temp: 21.7°C - Min temp: 7.8°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the Library and Archives Canada)
1915		Path looking west from foot of Cherry St. on Fishermans Island towards Wards Island 109 years ago - Monday, September 20, 1915 - Cherry Beach at 1 Cherry Street Max temp: 21.7°C - Min temp: 7.8°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the Library and Archives Canada)
1915		P.W.C. Dining cottage - Fishermans Island 109 years ago - Wednesday, October 13, 1915 - Cherry Beach at 1 Cherry Street Link to archive record - Map location (From the Library and Archives Canada)
1916		Launching the ship Aquilla 108 years ago - 1916 - Cherry Beach Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1918		Bascule Bridge on Cherry Street raised 106 years ago - Monday, April 15, 1918 - Cherry Beach at Cherry Street Link to archive record - Map location (From the Library and Archives Canada)
1920		Raising the Cherry Street lift bridge (north bascule) 104 years ago - Friday, August 20, 1920 - Cherry Beach Max temp: 27.2°C - Min temp: 17.8°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1920		Bank of Montreal classical revival style building under construction - Villiers St. looking east from Cherry St. Toronto, Ont 104 years ago - Tuesday, September 28, 1920 - Cherry Beach at 309 Cherry Street Link to archive record - Map location (From the Library and Archives Canada)
1922		Fire Hall 30 on Commissioner Street - under construction 102 years ago - Thursday, August 10, 1922 - Cherry Beach at 39 Commissioners Street Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1932		Bathing station, foot of Cherry Street 92 years ago - Tuesday, July 19, 1932 - Cherry Beach Max temp: 28.9°C - Min temp: 17.8°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1932		Open free bathing station erected by the city at the foot of Cherry St. - opened by Mayor Stewart July 21, 1932 92 years ago - Friday, July 22, 1932 - Cherry Beach at 1 Cherry Street Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library Still not back as of March 2024)
1933		Bathing beach, foot of Cherry Street, T.T.C. bus service 91 years ago - Saturday, July 1, 1933 - Cherry Beach Max temp: 27.8°C - Min temp: 18.9°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1934		Proposed lavatory building, Clarke Beach Park for the Parks Department (Categorized under: Architectural drawings ) 90 years ago - Thursday, December 13, 1934 - Cherry Beach Max temp: 0.0°C - Min temp: -6.1°C - 1.3cm of snowfall (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1935		Suggested colour scheme, Clarke Beach lavatory building for the Parks Dept. (Categorized under: Architectural drawings ) 89 years ago - Wednesday, February 20, 1935 - Cherry Beach Max temp: -2.8°C - Min temp: -8.9°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1935		Cherry Beach Lavatory 89 years ago - Monday, August 12, 1935 - Cherry Beach Max temp: 31.1°C - Min temp: 19.4°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1935		Lots of people in the water at Cherry Beach 89 years ago - Monday, August 19, 1935 - Cherry Beach Max temp: 30.6°C - Min temp: 19.4°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1952		Fire Hall 30 on Commissioners Street in the Toronto Port Lands - built 1928 72 years ago - 1952 - Cherry Beach at 39 Commissioners Street Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library Still not back as of March 2024)
1966		Loading of streetcars onto ship named SHUN-EI MARU : Pier 28 off Polson 58 years ago - 1966 - Cherry Beach Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1990		309 Cherry Street - built 1920, designed by Darling & Pearson Cherry Street and Villiers Street 34 years ago - 1990 - Cherry Beach at 309 Cherry Street Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1990		Leslie Street Spit and Toronto Island looking north-west with Cherry Beach in the centre to our right 34 years ago - 1990 - Cherry Beach Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)