| Humber Bay Park | |
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Humber Bay Park |
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| Type | Urban park |
| Location | Toronto |
| Area | 296 acres (120 ha) |
| Created | 1984 |
| Operated by | City of Toronto |
Humber Bay Park is a waterfront park located in Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada. The park consists of two landspits situated at the mouth of Mimico Creek. The park is on Lake Shore Boulevard West at Park Lawn Road. Humber Bay Park East, connecting to the Humber Bay neighbourhood that existed there through the 19th and 20th Centuries, is 19 ha (46.9 acres). Humber Bay Park West is 120 ha (296.52 acres).[1] Only Humber Bay Park East is located on Humber Bay.
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The park maintains a recreational focus for residents and visitors established during the mid-19th century when a number of hotels were built in the Humber Bay area. Watersports were enjoyed here during the summer and town council meetings were often held in the Humber Bay hotels. Boatbuilding was the earliest trade practiced in what would become the community of Humber Bay
Humber Bay Park was developed by the former Metropolitan Toronto and Region Conservation Authority with 5.1 million cubic metres of lakefill, at a cost of $6.56 million. Lieutenant-Governor John Black Aird opened the park on June 11, 1984. Several habitat restoration projects have been initiated at Humber Bay Park, including the planting of Carolinian trees and shrubs, the establishment of wildflower meadows and the creation of a warm-water fish habitat and wetland on the east peninsula. The park is also a popular destination to view migrating birds.[2]
The Eastern Gap Lighthouses were built in 1895 and located along waterway.[3] The larger of two lighthouses is a four storey structure and the smaller two storey building. Removed in 1973 during the widening of the Eastern Gap, both the large and small lighthouses were relocated to Marine Terminal 51 and offered to the Etobicoke Yacht Club. They were relocated to Humber Bay Park in 1981 and restored for use by the Mimico Cruising Club in 1982.[4]
The park has a number of amenities, such as picnic tables, trails, a playground and beach front. The park has a field, pool, baseball diamond, basketball and tennis courts, and an ice rink in the winter. There are fly casting and model boating ponds and a fully accessible fishing pier. The Humber Bay Park Boating Federation and historic old Eastern Gap Lighthouse (c. 1895) are located at Humber Bay West, along with public boat launch ramps and moorings. The Martin Goodman Trail currently runs through the park. As of June 2007, it ends a short distance to the west of the park. Humber Bay Park East is home to Toronto's memorial to the victims of the bombing of Air India Flight 182.