Toronto - Centre Island swan rides animated 1975

Postcard

 

• Picture / Image:  Centre Island, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• Publisher:  Quality Sales, Toronto, Canada (Plastichrome)
• Postally used:  yes
• Stamp:  removed carefully
• Postmark(s):  1975
• Sent to:  Staines, Middlesex
• Notes & Key words: 

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Text from the free encyclopedia WIKIPEDIA may appear below to give a little background information:

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The Toronto Islands are a chain of small islands in the city of Toronto, Canada. They are located in Lake Ontario just offshore from the city centre, and provide shelter for Toronto Harbour. The islands are a popular recreational destination, and are home to a small residential community and to the Toronto City Centre Airport. They are connected to the mainland by several ferry services.

The islands comprise the largest urban car-free community in North America, though some service vehicles are permitted. Recreational bicyclists are accommodated on the ferries, and bicycles, quadracycles, and canoes can be rented on the islands as well.

The area of the islands is about 230 hectares (570 acres). The largest, outermost island, called Centre Island, is crescent-shaped and forms the shoreline of both the Eastern and Western Channels. Algonquin (Sunfish Island) and Olympic are two of the other major islands. What is commonly called Ward's Island is actually the eastern end of Centre Island. Confusingly, Centre Island Park is located on Middle Island, which is as a consequence often mistaken for Centre Island. Centre Island is sometimes referred to as Toronto Island (note the singular form) to prevent this type of confusion.^[1]. Other smaller islands include:

• Forestry Island
• Snake Island
• South Island

There are two unnamed islands:

• ringed island in Long Pond
• small island in Lighthouse Pond

The islands were originally a 9 km peninsula or sand spit extending from the mainland. The islands are composed of alluvial deposits from the erosion of the Scarborough Bluffs. Longshore lake currents deposited sediments at the south end of the harbour and began to form a sand spit. A violent storm in 1858 blew a hole at the base of the spit which was later formalized as an entrance to the harbour called the Eastern Gap.^[1][2]

Sediment deposition was halted in the 1960s when the Leslie Street Spit was extended beyond the southern edge of the islands. Left to nature, the islands would diminish over time, but this is limited due to hard shore lines built to limit erosion. Over the years land reclamation has contributed to an increase in the size of the islands. Algonquin Island is largely artificial, and the area now occupied by the airport has been subject to several landfills, initially to accommodate the amusement park that preceded the airport, and then to accommodate the airport itself.^[1][2]

A series of waterways allow boat traffic to navigate the island:

• Allan Lamport Regatta Course
• Block House Bay
• Lighthouse Pond
• Long Pond
• Snake Pond
• Snug Harbour