ONTARIO
Toronto
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This started as the Wimbleton House Hotel that opened up on Lake Shore Road in the 1860s. It was near the mouth of the Humber River about 2 and a half kilometres west along the shore from where the future Sunnyside Beach Amusement Park would be built. The area had already included several hotels. Wimbleton House was taken over from John Strathy in 1873 by John Duck. He operated the facilities until his death in 1891, after which his wife ran it. Facilities included a bicycle track, fish ponds, trails, picnic areas, and a dance hall.
There was also an outdoor dance floor with a refreshment stand nearby. Added later were a carousel and swing rides. Presumably, there was also a beach with swimming. Patrons could access the area via a road or by ferry, which docked at a pier behind the hotel.
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Aerial View of Crow's Beach Circa 1900 
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This hand drawing shows the ferry dock and hotel. At Bottom Right is the open-air dance floor, with a refreshment stand to the left. At Center Left is the carousel. |
The operation changed hands in 1901 when final owner Catherine Crow acquired it. The area took its name from her. The park met its demise in 1912 after the hotel burned, although the beach remained popular for number of years afterwards. The site is presently occupied in part by the Palace Pier Condominiums. (See "Palace Pier" in the Sunnyside Beach Park article.)
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