HISTORY: Humber Bay (also called Stonegate): formerly the 'Humber' postal village. It originally referred to the area around the old intersection of what is now the Queensway and Lake Shore Boulevard at the Humber River. It is now centred to the north of The Queensway.

Humber Bay is a desirable community popular amongst young families. It is going through a transformation from original 1950's bungalows to massive renovations creating "ultra-modern" 2000 - 3000 square foot homes. There are good schools and all the amenities required to support young families.

Humber Bay is set between the Humber River and Mimico Creek to the East and West, Berry Road and The Queensway to the North and South.  The resulting greenspace and park allocation is generous and defines the area in may ways. Deer are regularly seen along the Humber River and amongst the houses on Tanglewood Terrace, Trillium Terrace and Fiesta Lane, lately.

After the fall of New France to the British, a French trader M. Rousseau received permission from the British administration to settle with his family on the site of the second French Fort in Toronto (at the foot of the Humber River). When the Simcoes arrived from Newark (Niagara-on-the-Lake) with several hundred Queen's Rangers (Loyalist soldiers), M. Rousseau guided the ships into Toronto Bay (now Toronto Inner Harbour). Lord Simcoe renamed the Toronto River the Humber after the Humber River in England. The Kings Mill Reserve was that part of the original forest that covered Toronto that was preserved rather than cleared for farms. The Kings Mill (Old Mill) is at Bloor north of this neighbourhood but the reserve stretched south to what is now the Queensway covering most of modern Humber Bay's residential district. Etobicoke's first highway was an Indian path along the shoreline given the name Lake Road (Lake Shore Boulevard West). A bridge was built at the end of the Humber and a toll opened (to pay for the bridge),.

The modern 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 into 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 South Humber Park is located today. In 1986 the old Humber Bay school was sadly demolished to make room for a new housing development.

HOUSING: The area was developing in the 1920's, reaching a feverish pace through the 1950's, culminating in the early 1960's. Many of the bungalows in the area are being "renovated" into multi-storey modern homes. Parks and proximity to downtown Toronto add to the appeal of this area. Most properties are detached with wide lots. Housing styles vary from modest to upscale homes.

SCHOOLS: The area is known for its good schools. Three schools serve the immediate area, Etienne Brule, Park Lawn, and St Marks (Catholic School Board); 2 public high schools - Etobicoke C.I., and Etobicoke School of the Arts, and the separate school Sainte-Margueritte-d'Youville.

Etienne Brule, 50 Cloverhill Road, (416) 394-7850
Park Lawn, 71 Ballacaine Dr., (416) 394-7120
St Marks, 45 Cloverhill Road, (416) 393-5332
Etobicoke Cl., 86 Montgomery Rd., (416) 394-7840
Etobicoke School of the Arts, 675 Royal York Rd., (416) 394-6910
Sainte-Margueritte·d'Youville, 755 Royal York Rd., (416) 393-5418

SHOPPING: Residents enjoy convenient access to the Queensway big-box shop at Stephen Drive. Just about every store necessary is there, including Shoppers Drug Mart and Sobeys. Small shops and restaurants are along Queensway, and at Stonegate Plaza. There is plenty of free parking at Stonegate and the Big-box. The shops in the Kingsway Village are a 5 minute drive away and include fashion shops, children's stores, book shops, specialty stores, upscale restaurants, fruit and vegetable markets, bakeries and coffee shops.

RECREATION: Park Lawn has a winter skating rink which converts to tennis courts in the summertime. There is also an outdoor pool for recreational swimming. A bicycle path runs through South Humber Park from Stephen Drive along to the Lakeshore path.

TRANSPORTATION: The "66" Bus route runs along Prince Edward Drive between the Humber Loop and the Old Mill subway station, providing Humber Bay residents with two connecting routes to downtown. Motorist are approximately 15 minutes from Toronto's downtown via Lake Shore Boulevard or the Gardiner Expressway.

Wikipedia Info

Click on map to view current local listings.

Click on map to view current local listings.

some info and map courtesy of David Dunkelman