[ShonTron]

I rode down from my place to the ferry docks and took the ferry across to Ward's Island yesterday. It was a perfect Victoria Day excursion - the weather was great, the islands busy, and the breeze coming off the lake was refreshing. I haven't been to the islands in a few years, and now I wonder why. Ward and Algonquin Islands are interesting little communities, the park amazing and lots to do. The ferry ride, though a bit pricey ($6 round trip) is a great way to see the city.

I wanted to go to Ward's anyway, but bikes are not allowed on the Centre Island ferry on weekends. The ferry that came was not one of the large ones, but the old Airport ferry, which is designed for cars. It was good in this case because there were dozens of bicylists and locals with carts of shopping, and the views unobstructed.

Trillium in dock

Up Yonge

Note the excavator in the Pier 27 Condo lands.

Redpath

Crane for London on Esplanade.

FCP looks craptastic!

Won't be long until the view of Royal York will be gone.

MCC in the hazy distance.

Ward's Island

View from Ward's

Pure Spirit

I was pleasantly surprised to see the lamps on the islands - they are the type found in Toronto's streets in the 1910s and 1920s.

Legend has it that this building once served ferries to Rochester.

One of the interesting features is a crumbling cement wall along the Eastern Gap.

Didn't realisze how close The Docks are to Centre Island.

Algonquin Island

Centre Island

Views from Olympic Island.

In the 1960s and 1970s, Metro Parks started evicting the residents of much of Ward's Island. Much of this "parkland" is unused, and almost ghost-town line, like the settlements of Creighton, which I had visited.

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

five stars!

great tour!

 

[Edward Skira]

Great shots. Must get out there this summer. Always forget what a great park we have on the waterfront.

 

[Observer Walt]

Super pictures!

We easily forget what's almost under our noses. I also must get over there soon.

 

[b13]

Wouldn't it be nice if they made a pedestrian bridge where you could walk or ride your bike to the islands? then we wouldn't be so worried about central waterfront not having enough green space because it would be soo easy to get to the islands!

 

[Observer Walt]

Quote: "No bridge to the Islands !!!" -- David Miller.

I actually kinda like the present situation. Taking the ferry makes it an "expedition" and gives the sense of being on a trip to an exotic destination, even if only for a few minutes.

 

[DarnDirtyApe]

Nice photothread. Is there any consensus on where you can get the best skyline photo?

 

[b13]

I don't mean a bridge with cars but a pedestrian bridge for just people wanting to walk or ride their bike to the islands!

 

[Filip]

Great pics.. really really great!

Makes me wanna take an expedition one of these days... That excavator at the Pier 27 lands intrigues me..

 

[ShonTron]

Best Skyline Photo? It depends on what angle you're after. The Wards Island dock isn't bad, or the Eastern gap wall. Olympic Island isn't shabby either.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

Thanks for the great photos SeanTrans. I always love my first trip of the year to the islands and those captured it well.
You make a good point about how close Wards Island is to The Docks complex. I used to think they were just a little noise sensitive until I re-discovered Cherry Beach two years ago (another well kept secret) and saw just how close the two are from each other. I'm now more understanding of the noise issues that they face out there.

 

[CDL.TO]

Nice pics. I really love the neighbourhood on Wards and get all Adma-violence-esque when people talk about evicting the residents.

The ferry that came was not one of the large ones, but the old Airport ferry, which is designed for cars.

I'm sure it wasn't the old Airport ferry (the Maple City), which IIRC is still owned by the TPA and held on as a backup. There's always been one or two car-friendly island ferries operating to Wards. Although private vehicles aren't allowed on the islands, city vehicles and those with "business" on the islands are. Whenever I've been down there, I've always been amazed by how many vehicles there are driving around for a place that is supposed to have none.

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Back when I was in Cubs (Scouts) in Georgetown we would have an annual trip where we would start at Raymore Park (Scarlett & Lawrence), bike down the Humber and Martin Goodman trails to the ferry docks, ferry over and camp overnight on Snake Island (where the van with all our stuff would meet us). The following day we would finish the Martin Goodman trail into the beaches, and up the Taylor Creek and Don River trails to Wanless Park (Mt Pleasant & Lawrence). Would almost kill an out-of-shape kid like me!

Snake Island is a neat secluded spot which has a great skyline view and one of the only beach areas facing the inner harbour. Not that swimming in the inner harbour is legal.

 

[Urban Shocker]

I once saw John Kenneth Galbraith on the island ferry.

 

[ShonTron]

CDL.TO:

Funny - you are slightly correct. The ferry there was not the Maple City (isn't the Maple City in Ontario Chatham?), but after checking my pics, on the return, it was! Perhaps the other one had a problem, and the city somehow got to use it.

I saw the bridge to Snake Island. I'll certainly go back later in the summer, and I'll check it out.

 

[interchange42]

I haven't set foot on Algonquin Island yet, and I have to get around to that. The Ward's Island community is so charming, I'd like to get to know the other one too.

As for the best place for a skyline shot - thank goodness there isn't just one. Since the across-the-harbour shot is such a staple of postcards and promotional brochures etc., I'm glad we have more than one angle to celebrate!

Great pics Sean. Thanks!

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