HISTORY The Birch Cliff area began to be developed in 1895, when the Toronto Hunt Club
relocated here. Fox Hunts were held at this club up until the 1930's, when golf
became the memberships preferred activity. In the late 1890's and early 1900's
many Toronto residents built summer cottages on the property adjacent to the Toronto
Hunt Club. These cottagers were attracted to the area by the magnificent Scarborough
Bluffs.
The
crest of the Scarborough Bluffs was lined with birch trees which
prompted a cottager by the name of John Stark to name his cottage
"Birch Cliff". The Birch Cliff name was adopted by the local
post office, which opened in 1907 in Arthur Mitchell's grocery
store. This store formerly stood at the corner of Kingston Road
and Birchmount Avenue.
Birch Cliff emerged
as a year round residential community beginning in the 1910's and 1920's. From
1922 to 1947, it held the distinction of being the meeting place of the Scarborough
Municipal Council. Birch Cliff's residential development was completed shortly
after World War II.
|