History

Long before the islands were a place of rest and respite from the hustle and bustle of downtown, the Mississaugas used the Toronto Islands for a similar purpose.

The island(s) were seen as a place of healing and were important to indigenous culture due to their proximity to the lake and central location in the Tkaronto region.

During these times, the islands were seen as expansive sandbars, however, their size would continue to grow, especially once the British arrived in the 18th century.

Toronto’s oldest building – the Gibraltar Lighthouse – can be found on the Islands, just off the path that you will be exploring!

The British saw the sandbars and their development as an important naval security feature for the Toronto Harbour and, dredging projects began to secure the shoreline of the islands and expand them further.

In 1858, the city of York noticed that a large storm had created an additional island in the chain, Ward’s Island- which helped strengthen the way that the islands shielded the city from invaders.

There was only a small gap on the eastern side of the islands that became known as the eastern gap- the main entry into the Toronto Interior Harbour.

By 1909, the Islands began to become habitable and a place where people could live in the city without the noise and sound from the mainland.

Then in 1956, the City of Toronto transferred control of the islands to the larger Metro Toronto Municipality where it would be developed further into a regional park.