Etobicoke (pronounced Template:IPA) is the western portion of the City of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, with a population of approximately 345,000[1]. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the east by the Humber River, on the west by the city of Mississauga, and on the north by the city of Vaughan.
History[]
It is thought that the French explorer, Étienne Brûlé, was the first European to visit the area, circa 1615.
The name "Etobicoke" was derived from the Mississauga word wah-do-be-kang, meaning "place where the black/wild alders grow", which was used to describe the area between Etobicoke Creek and the Humber River. The first provincial land surveyor, Augustus Jones, also spelled it as "ato-be-coake". Etobicoke was finally adopted as the official name in 1796.
The township of Etobicoke was incorporated in 1850. In 1953, Etobicoke Township became a part of the newly-formed regional government, the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto ("Metro").
In 1967, the township of Etobicoke was merged with three small lakeside municipalities — Long Branch, New Toronto and Mimico — to form the borough of Etobicoke. The borough was reincorporated as a city in 1984.
In 1998, six local municipalities (including Etobicoke) and the Metropolitan Toronto government merged to form the amalgamated city of Toronto.
Nature of the Suburb[]
Etobicoke has the lowest population density out of the former cities and boroughs that currently make up the city of Toronto. This is mainly due to its vast expanses of industrial lands. Several major freeways are routed through the area, making the area ideal for automobile-based transportation. Public transit does not serve the area well, with few rapid transit connections.
Many exceptions to Toronto's gridded street matrix are found in Etobicoke. A number of overpasses and awkward intersections, such as Bloor/Kipling/Dundas West, have been created in an effort to reconcile the grid with these planning anomalies.
Etobicoke has numerous public parks, notable among them is James Gardens on the banks of the Humber River. The park includes seasonal flowers, walkways, a rock garden, streams, and waterfalls. It is a very popular site for taking wedding photographs. The Humber Bay park is mostly located in Etobicoke.
Many areas in Etobicoke have become neglected, "inner-ring" suburbs, such as Rexdale. Car culture infrastructure built in the 1960s is in a state of disrepair. Etobicoke is dominated by this unadorned, single-storeyed development and treeless, tarmac-covered prairie. Deflated real estate values have created many concentrated areas of poverty and crime. These factors are compounded by the suburb's proximity to the downtown core: too distant for an acceptable commute, yet not distant enough for the benefits of country living. These central and northern areas of Etobicoke contain numerous high-density apartment complexes set in the middle of sizable, open fields and parks. This residential housing stock is largely ill-maintained, and exaggerates pedestrian distances.
The southern areas of Etobicoke are better served by public transit and closer to the city centre. These areas, such as Markland Wood, The Kingsway and New Toronto, have attracted more affluent residences.
Etobicoke is home to Humber College, University of Guelph-Humber, Woodbine Race Track and Slots, Woodbine Centre and Sherway Gardens Shopping Centre.
Mayors and Reeves of Etobicoke[]
- 1850 William Gamble, Reeve
- 1851-1854 Joseph Smith, Reeve
- 1855-1857 Alexander McFarlane, Reeve
- 1858-1864 Edward Musson, Reeve
- 1865-1870 William Wallace, Reeve
- 1873 John Clark, Reeve
- 1874-1876 William Wallace, Reeve
- 1877-1884 Matthew Canning, Reeve
- 1885-1896 John D. Evans, Reeve
- 1897-1900 David L. Streight, Reeve
- 1901 John T. Carr, Reeve
- 1902-1905 John Bryans, Reeve
- 1906 Franklin E. Shaver, Reeve
- 1907 John D. Evans, Reeve
- 1908 John Gardhouse, Reeve
- 1909 Russell S. Warner, Reeve
- 1910-1912 John Gardhouse, Reeve
- 1913-1917 Charles Silverthorn, Reeve
- 1918 James Dandridge, Reeve
- 1919-1920 William G. Jackson, Reeve
- 1921-1924 William J. Gardhouse, Reeve
- 1925-1926 T.A.C. Tier, Reeve
- 1927-1929 J. Ray Price, Reeve
- 1930-1931 Robert Marshall, Reeve
- 1932 William J. Gardhouse, Reeve
- 1934-1936 William A. Armstrong, Reeve
- 1937 William L. Stephens, Reeve
- 1938-1943 William A. Armstrong, (resigned Feb. 1943) Reeve
- 1943-1946 F.A.C. Butler, Reeve
- 1947-1952 Clive M. Sinclair, K.C., Reeve
- 1953-1956 W. Beverley Lewis, Reeve
- 1957-1962 H.O. Waffle, Beans Head
- 1963-1966 John P. MacBeth, Reeve
- 1967-1972 Edward A. Horton, Mayor
- 1973-1983 C. Dennis Flynn, Mayor
- 1984-1993 Bruce Sinclair, (effective September 4, 1984), Mayor
- 1994-1998 Doug Holyday, Mayor
Education[]
Public schools in Etobicoke are overseen by the Toronto District School Board. High schools include Central Etobicoke High School, Etobicoke Collegiate Institute, founded in 1928, Kipling Collegiate Institute, Lakeshore Collegiate Institute, Martingrove Collegiate Institute, North Albion Collegiate Institute, Richview Collegiate Institute, founded in 1958, Silverthorn Collegiate Institute, Thistletown Collegiate Institute, West Humber Collegiate Institute, founded in 1966, and the specialist Etobicoke School of the Arts,Scarlett Heights Entrepreneurial Academy. In addition to the public school system, Etobicoke is home to several Catholic schools, overseen by the Toronto Catholic District School Board. These include Michael Power/St. Joseph High School, Bishop Allen High School, Don Bosco High School, and Father John Redmond High School, as well as one of Canada's top high school basketball teams at Father Henry Carr in Rexdale.
Notable residents of Etobicoke[]
- Mike Bullard, talk show host
- Daniel DeSanto, actor
- Manny Fernandez, professional hockey player
- Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada
- Dave Foley, actor
- Brendan Shanahan, professional hockey player
- Stephen Valiquette, professional hockey player
- actresses Catherine O'Hara and her onetime schoolmate Robin Duke
- June Callwood, social activist
- Allan Rock, former Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations
- Keanu Reeves, Actor, most famous for his work in The Matrix.
- Mark Napier - NHL Professional Hockey Player, two time Stanley Cup champion, Rookie-Of-The-Year WHA, President NHL Alumni, Toronto Marlboros Memorial Cup champion
- David Bolland - Hockey player, London Knights, member of the National Canadian Junior Hockey Team
- Patrick Clifford Past President, Markland Homes Association
- Greg Rohn Past President, Markland Homes Association
- Dr. Donald Beggs President, Markland Homes Association
- Dave Bidini - Musician, the Rheostatics, author "On a Cold Road"; "Tropic of Hockey"
- Martin Tielli - Musician, the Rheostatics
- Tim Vesely - Musician, the Rheostatics
- Dave Clark - Musician, the Rheostatics and the Dinner is Ruined Band
- Ghetto Concept- Hip-Hop artists. Pioneers in Toronto's Hip-Hop scene 1993-2003 (Rexdale)
- Baby Blue Sound Crew-Instrumental in elevating pop music internationally.
- Kiefer Sutherland-Main actor for TV series, 24. Attended Martingrove Collegiate Institute.
- Anthony Bondi- Sevice Advisor at Leggatt Chevrolet.