|
HISTORY
The history of the Humber Bay neighbourhood began in 1888 with the opening of
the first Humber Bay schoolhouse on High Street. Approximately thirty-five children
attended the school in its first year. The Humber Bay school was gradually expanded
and eventually became the focal point of this community, hosting ratepayers meetings,
school concerts, movies and a variety of sports activities.
When the
Humber Bay schoolchildren were not cracking the books they were
tending to their families' market gardens. Humber Bay farmers
grew mostly vegetables but there were also a few apple and pear
orchards and the occasional strawberry and raspberry patch.
It was appropriate that the first Farmers Market for the Toronto
area began in Humber Bay at Parklawn Road and the Queensway
where the Ontario Food Terminal is situated today.
By the 1920's,
Humber Bay had grown to include a brick yard, a cement block factory, a piggery,
a library association, a volunteer fire brigade, and a couple of churches. There
was also an eighteen hole golf course where the Humber Sewage Treatment Plant
and South Humber Park are located today.
In 1986 the old
Humber Bay school was demolished to make room for a new housing development, yet
while the cornerstone of this neighbourhood was lost its sense of history and
community spirit live on.
|