Long Branch, Toronto

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Long Branch is a former village that is now part of the City of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The area is bounded by Lake Ontario on the south, Etobicoke Creek to the west, the Canadian National railway to the north and Kipling Avenue to the east.

To the north is the neighbourhood of Alderwood, and to the east the neighbourhood of New Toronto. To the west is the City of Mississauga

In 1967, the Village of Long Branch was amalgamated with the Township of Etobicoke and the Towns of New Toronto and Mimico to form the Borough of Etobicoke. The Borough became the City of Etobicoke in 1984. In 1998, Etobicoke was merged with five other municipalities and the Metropolitan Toronto government to form the new City of Toronto.

Prominent reeves of the village included Thomas Berry, Len Ford and Marie Curtis, (1953-1962).

In the late 19th and early 20th century, Long Branch was a popular summer resort destination for Torontonians. The area was served by steamers that sailed from the foot of Bay Street. A popular summer resort, built in a pagoda style, was located at Long Branch Avenue and Lake Promenade, until it was destroyed by fire in the 1950s.

In 1954, more than 40 homes in Long Branch were demolished at the mouth of the Etobicoke Creek by Hurricane Hazel. To prevent any future floods from having similar disastrous results, houses from around the mouth of the creek were relocated, and the area turned into a park. In 1959, the park was named for Marie Curtis in recognition for her efforts to have it built. Adjacent to the park is a closed site which functioned as a munitions factory in the second world war. There are current plans (2005) to amalgamate these grounds to the Marie Curtis Park.

Humber College Lakeshore is located in this neighbourhood. In 2003, renovation began to adjacent buildings that served as the former Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital. The renovations are completed in 2004, with a total budget of over $8,000,000. This neighbourhood is desirable to many people due to its proximity to downtown Toronto as well as its lower real-estate values.

[edit] See also

• List of neighbourhoods in Toronto

	Former Municipalities in Toronto
Municipalities Amalgamated in 1998	East York - Etobicoke - North York - Scarborough - Toronto - York - Metropolitan Toronto
Municipalities Amalgamated in 1967	Forest Hill - Leaside - Long Branch - Mimico - New Toronto - Swansea - Weston
Municipalities Amalgamated 1883-1914	1912 : Dovercourt - Earlscourt 1910 : Moore Park - North Toronto 1909 : Bracondale - Midway - West Toronto - Wychwood 1908 : Deer Park - East Toronto 1905 : Rosedale 1890 : Bedford Park - Davisville - Eglinton 1889 : Parkdale 1888 : Seaton Village 1884 : Brockton - Riverdale 1883 : Yorkville