56-695: Thomas Rennie is a 73-year-old Toronto Island ferry operated by the Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division of the City of Toronto government . She entered service in 1951, the most recent of the three ferries that bring visitors to the Toronto Islands during the summer months. She was named after a former member of the Toronto Harbour Commission . Commissioned in 1950, the Rennie
112-644: A bit until it enters Holland Landing, where it becomes a semi-rural residential road. Bathurst Street loses its Regional Road status at Queensville Sideroad, where it enters the Holland Marsh. It serves as the boundary between Vaughan and Richmond Hill north of Highway 407 , and between King Township and Newmarket and Aurora . Bathurst Street ends at the Holland Marsh , between Holland Landing (in East Gwillimbury ) and Bradford , with
168-552: A blockhouse from 1814 to 1823. Ward's Island Docks is on Ward's Island to the east; an open boarding area consists of a single pier. Allan Moak’s children’s book A Big City ABC prominently displays an illustration of the Toronto Island Ferry, Sam McBride on its cover. It was also featured as "Flo and Merriweather" in Mighty Machines . The band Great Lake Swimmers named their album Ongiara after
224-536: A life extension program while a fleet renewal process was undertaken. A series of technical submissions to Transport Canada from the City's naval architectural engineering consultants took place through 2016. These technical submissions supported Transport Canada's risk assessments that considered the ferry's operations and environmental limits. Ultimately, Transport Canada approved the Rennie and McBride to be able to carry
280-584: A low of 510,000 in 1960. In the 1960s, the numbers started increasing again, to one million in 1966. In 1970, the ferries carried 1.42 million passengers to the Islands. This declined in subsequent years, attributed to the introduction of other attractions in Toronto. In 1995, annual passenger numbers were 1.21 million passengers, with an average summer day carrying 25,000 passengers and an average winter day carrying 500 passengers. The 1995 annual budget to operate
336-591: A new replacement ferry, TCCA1 , in 2006. The Port Authority subsequently purchased another ferry, the Marilyn Bell 1. On January 1, 1962, the ferry services operated by the TTC were transferred to Metro Toronto Parks and Culture , a department of the then municipality of Metropolitan Toronto . In 1966, Parks Commissioner Tommy Thompson suggested buying hovercraft to replace the ferries, but failed to gain political interest. Other possibilities that were floated were
392-409: A property along the Holland Marsh. Old Bathurst Street runs north of St John's Sideroad to 19th Sideroad where Bathurst Street was re-routed. Another un-signed road continues slightly east from 19th Sideroad into Koffler Scientific Reserve and intersects with the current section of Bathurst south of Sykes Road. The street was named for Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst , who organized migration from
448-399: A series of metal fences and ramps. The Jack Layton Ferry Terminal is located at the foot of Bay Street on the mainland and consists of four piers. They are located in the enclosed main docks, and the last pier is an open area to the east for the larger Trillium ferry boat. During winter months the ferries (other than Trillium ) are stored here with upper decks covered with a tarp. Trillium
504-449: A total passenger complement of 915. In October 2012, Toronto City Council decided that funds should be set aside to replace Thomas Rennie and her two fleet-mates with new vessels. Replacement costs were estimated at CA$ 8 million per ferry. In 1953, the Rennie ran aground at Hanlan's Point in a fog. In July 1954, it crashed into the city wharf when it failed to reverse, injuring two passengers. In 1958, when water levels were low,
560-649: A vehicle tunnel, a bridge over the Eastern Gap and a monorail. In 1997, Metro Toronto and the Metro municipalities were amalgamated into Toronto, and the park ferry services became the responsibility of the City of Toronto's Department of Parks and Recreation, today the Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division. The airport ferry is the responsibility of PortsToronto. Between 1935 and 1938, the ferries carried two million passengers per year. This dropped around World War II to
616-515: Is known as York Regional Road 38 . Bathurst Street begins in the south at the intersection with Queens Quay. The southernmost part of Bathurst, south of the Gardiner Expressway , was heavily industrialized until the 1970s. These factories are now gone; in their place, some residential development has occurred, including the extended Queen's Quay. South of the intersection, Eireann Quay, a former section of Bathurst Street, runs south to
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#1732794074630672-517: Is on Island Park and consists of two piers. There are washrooms, a Subway (restaurant) and a Pizza Pizza nearby. There is no winter service from this dock. A covered area was added to provide additional shelter space. Flooding of the islands in 2017 put the dock out of commission, causing the Centreville Amusement Park to remain closed for the season. The dock was rebuilt for the 2019 season to accommodate higher lake levels and
728-556: Is on the east side of Bathurst Street. North of Steeles Avenue , Bathurst runs through York Region , and is also referred to as York Regional Road 38. At Steeles, Bathurst widens to become a six-lane arterial road. Bathurst Street loses two lanes as it passes the CN York subdivision. At Centre Street, a dedicated bus rapid transit facility with two bus lanes running down the centre of the street, used by Viva Orange , which continues until Highway 7. Bathurst also widens to six lanes from
784-531: Is operated by the Great Lakes Schooner Company for corporate and private functions, and for ferry runs throughout the summer. It is now 113–114 years old. The hull of Bluebell is now a sunken break wall at Leslie Spit. The Toronto Ferry Company continued to operate the ferry services until 1926, when its services and fleet was purchased by the City of Toronto for CA$ 337,500 ($ 5.76 million in 2023 dollars) . The Toronto Ferry Co
840-561: Is provided by two bus routes: route 7 Bathurst from Bathurst Station up to Steeles Avenue West, and 160 Bathurst North from Wilson Avenue up to New Westminster Drive and Atkinson Avenue in Vaughan . During overnight hours when the subway is closed, the bus route 307 Bathurst Blue Night covers the entire length of Bathurst within the city of Toronto. Within Vaughan, York Region Transit runs several routes along Bathurst Street, including
896-584: Is stored at nearby Yonge Street Slip. The original docks were located on the east side of the Toronto Harbour Commission Building at Bay and Harbour Streets. When the infilling took place after 1918 the docks moved to Queen's Quay West between Yonge Street and Bay Street (now the site of the Harbour Square condos) before being moved to the west to the current location. The Toronto City Council voted unanimously to rename
952-627: The Bob Moodie . Quinn responded with another vessel, the Welland , another steam ferry. In 1857, Moodie added the Lady Head steam vessel. A vicious storm hit the island on April 13, 1858, destroying Quinn's hotel and the Parkinson's hotel and creating a 500-yard (460 m)-wide eastern gap making the previous peninsula an island. Throughout the rest of the 19th-century, the popularity of
1008-601: The Humber River . North of the tracks, the area is a mix of small commercial and residential buildings on the western fringe of downtown. North of Queen Street, the eastern side of Bathurst is the edge of the Alexandria Park cluster of housing projects, while to the west is the Trinity-Bellwoods residential neighbourhood. North of Dundas Street , Bathurst is dominated by Toronto Western Hospital on
1064-723: The John Hanlan , the Jasmine and the Clark Bros were found to be in poor condition and all ended up being burned for amusement at Sunnyside Amusement Park . The three double-ended, diesel-engined and screw-driven ferries that form the backbone of today's service to the islands were built for the TTC. The William Inglis was built in 1935, the Sam McBride in 1939, and the Thomas Rennie in 1951. In 1938,
1120-531: The Peninsula Packet , a converted steamboat, which was propelled by paddle wheels driven by horses was pressed into service for the hotel. The ferry operated until 1850. In 1853, the hotel came under new management again, that of John Quinn. Quinn introduced another steam ferry, the Victoria . Competition for the ferry business came the next year when Robert Moodie introduced his own the steam ferry,
1176-520: The Rennie ran aground at Centre Island. A police launch was able to pull the Rennie free. In 1959, while a maintenance man tested its engines, the Rennie moved slowly out of its Queen's Quay dock, unpiloted. She went out 100 yards into the harbour, and made a slow arc to the west, crashing into the wharf at the Terminal Warehouse . The boat's controls had been left in the 'dead slow ahead' position. The ship suffered minor hull damage and
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#17327940746301232-410: The 2019 flooding did not close the dock. Hanlan's Point Dock is located to the west next to the island airport; open boarding area consists of three piers. There are washrooms and a snack bar nearby. The tugboat Ned Hanlan is located nearby. Hanlan's Point used to be called Gibraltar Point, and from 1794 to 1813 it was home to a British Army fortification or battery (storehouses and guardhouse), then
1288-938: The 5 ferries serving the Toronto Islands from the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal, the proposal would replace the Ongiara , the William Inglis , the Sam McBride and the Thomas Rennie but not the Trillium , a heritage vessel. All 5 vessels are between 50 and 100 years old. Vessel replacement would occur over 15 years. On August 20, 2022, ferry Sam McBride hit the mainland dock at the Jack Layton Terminal , resulting in
1344-531: The British Isles to Canada after the War of 1812, granted the charter to King's College , and never visited Canada. The original Bathurst Street was between Government Wharf and Queen Street , and the section to the north was called Crookshank's Lane, a semi-private lane named after George Crookshank. The intersection with Davenport was the site of Toll Gate #3 along Davenport. The tollkeeper's cottage, which
1400-593: The Highway 407 bridge before going back to four lanes at Autumn Hill Boulevard. Bathurst is flanked by residential subdivisions on both sides from Steeles until Elgin Mills, where then only the eastern side has residential, forming a sharp urban-rural divide. Bathurst continues this way for 20 km until meeting Green Lane, where it narrows to two lanes and is flanked by rural land on both sides. After meeting former Highway 11 (now York Regional Road 1), Bathurst Streets jogs for
1456-669: The Island increased. Competition abounded - there were 47 ferries operating in the Harbour in the 1850s. With no links to the mainland, ferries proliferated, with most being paddle steamers operated by individual owners. Eventually, two competing ferry companies came into being: the Turner Ferry Company and A.J. Tymon's Island Ferry Company. The assets of the Turner Ferry Company (founded 1882) were bought by
1512-792: The Jewish Russian Community Centre. The electoral district of York Centre , which includes Bathurst from Wilson Ave. to Steeles Ave. West, has the largest number of Russian Canadian voters in Canada. Numerous Russian delicatessens, restaurants, and book and clothing stores have earned the neighborhood the unofficial moniker "Little Moscow". Bathurst Station is a Toronto Transit Commission subway station at Bathurst Street and Bloor Street along Line 2 Bloor–Danforth . The 511 Bathurst streetcar route runs from Bloor to Fleet Street, where it turns to connect to Exhibition Place . North of Bathurst Station, public transit
1568-596: The Jewish community resides along the street from north of St. Clair Avenue and, in higher concentrations just south of Lawrence Avenue to beyond the city limits at Steeles Avenue, and extending further until about Elgin Mills Road in Richmond Hill . Many synagogues and other Jewish community institutions are on Bathurst. The northern stretch of Bathurst, north of Sheppard Avenue West, has become one of
1624-652: The John Doty Engine & Ferry Company, which in turn merged with A.J. Tymon's Island Ferry Company in 1892 to form the Toronto Ferry Company . In 1906 and 1910, the Toronto Ferry Company built two double-decked, double-ended paddle steamers, with a capacity of 1,450 passengers. They were named Bluebell and Trillium . They were retired in 1955 and 1957 respectively, but Trillium survived and re-entered service in 1976. It
1680-507: The St. Clair West station at St. Clair just east of Bathurst. North of Eglinton, the street continues as a four-lane arterial road into the former borough of North York. Development along both sides of the road is both residential and commercial, with shopping plazas at many intersections. The West Branch of the Don River crosses Bathurst Street north of Sheppard and Bathurst Park (Hinder Property)
1736-483: The Toronto Harbour Commission began operating a ferry service to the new Toronto Island Airport, then under construction. A scow was adapted for use as a cable ferry , with the intention that this ferry would operate for a five-year period. However, the scow remained in service for 25 years before being replaced by the ferry Maple City . The backup ferry Windmill Point was acquired in 1985 and
Thomas Rennie (ferry, 1951) - Misplaced Pages Continue
1792-683: The centres of Toronto's Russian community. Many Russian Jewish immigrants began to settle in the area's apartment buildings (many are around the Bathurst/Sheppard intersection, and along Bathurst between Finch Avenue West and Steeles Avenue West), starting from early 1970s to get easier access to services provided by the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society . After the breakup of the Soviet Union , many Russian immigrants to Canada settled there. Many are affiliated with
1848-407: The dock but the ferry was not damaged. In 1976, while on a party cruise, a 21-year-old male passenger fell into the harbour from the Rennie . The man spent several minutes in the water clinging to a ring buoy until Harbour Police arrived. He had to be treated for shock. In April 2024, the Rennie ran aground at Hanlan's Point in dense fog. No passengers or crew were injured. In May 2024, the ferry
1904-551: The early part of the twentieth century, many Jews lived around Bathurst Street south of Bloor Street east to Spadina Avenue (and particularly Kensington Market ) and west to past Christie Pits . After World War II, as the community became more middle class, it moved north along Bathurst Street, with wealthier members of the community moving to Forest Hill . Some other members moved to the area around Bathurst and St. Clair Avenue or Bathurst and Eglinton Avenue . The community continued to move north along Bathurst and today, much of
1960-597: The east of York, crossing over the Don. In 1835, the hotel came under new management and the first steam-powered ferry to the hotel, the Toronto was inaugurated. However, the steamboat was removed from service and sold and the horse boat reinstated. The popularity of the peninsula increased and in 1836, the city established a toll gate on the road, charging sixpence for every four-wheeled carriage drawn by two horses and other tolls for smaller carriages, wagons or riders. In 1843,
2016-592: The east. This part of the street continues to be a mix of small commercial establishments and residential housing, generally rental apartments. North of College Street , Bathurst becomes more residential, with the exception of certain areas, chiefly around the intersections with Bloor Street , St. Clair Avenue , and Eglinton Avenue . The portion of Bathurst Street north of Bloor Street is the western boundary of The Annex neighbourhood. The University segment of Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) Line 1 Yonge–University crosses underneath Bathurst north of St. Clair, with
2072-605: The ferries was CA$ 4.5 million, of which ticket revenues covered CA$ 4 million. The ferry service regularly runs a deficit, ranging from $ 647 in 1926 to $ 500,000 in 1954. The annual subsidy was once considered a scandalous waste of money. Safety standards have been updated over the years, and the ferries were allowed to continue to operate under a "grandfather" clause. In 2012, Thomas Rennie , William Inglis and Sam McBride engines and bulkheads were updated. The modernization meant that they were no longer "grandfathered" and were then in contravention. The ferries' passenger capacity
2128-617: The ferry dock for the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport on the island and the Western Gap channel which separates the Toronto Islands from the Toronto mainland. North of the Gardiner is Fort York on the western side. The Sir Isaac Brock Bridge connects the section south of Fort York to the section north of the railways. The bridge was relocated here in 1916. It had been used as a railway bridge over
2184-541: The ferry. Bathurst Street, Toronto Bathurst Street is a main north–south arterial road in Toronto, Ontario , Canada. It begins at an intersection of the Queens Quay roadway, just north of the Lake Ontario shoreline. It continues north through Toronto to the Toronto boundary at Steeles Avenue . It is a four-lane thoroughfare throughout Toronto. The roadway continues north into York Region where it
2240-540: The foot of Bay Street to three docks on the islands. Private motor vehicles are not carried. The ferry operated by PortsToronto carries passengers and vehicles to Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport on the island from the foot of Eireann Quay. Additional private ferries carry passengers to various island boat clubs. Ferry services to the islands began in 1833, and the Toronto Island Ferry Company began in 1883. There are four public ferry routes to
2296-574: The highway jogged between concession roads . The jog along Bathurst was eliminated when a diagonal connector was built to the west to join the two sections of the highway as a single roadway. Bathurst Street has finished in the top 10 in Canadian Automobile Association 's "Ontario's Worst Roads" poll in every year from 2004 to 2007. Bathurst Street has been the heart of the Jewish community of Toronto for decades. From
Thomas Rennie (ferry, 1951) - Misplaced Pages Continue
2352-425: The injury of 12 passengers. An investigation into the crash by The Transportation Safety Board of Canada released in 2024 said its investigation found a number of issues, particularly around passenger safety and emergency preparedness. It discovered that Toronto had no written procedures for ferry docking speed. With the exception of the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal, no other docks are enclosed and consist merely of
2408-400: The island airport every 15 minutes during airport operating hours. The ferry is free of charge for pedestrians, but as of 2022 , there is a $ 14 fee for vehicles. The ferry trip is 121 metres (397 ft) long and takes 90 seconds. However, most visitors to the airport would use the pedestrian tunnel from the mainline to the airport. There is no public access between the airport and the rest of
2464-463: The island chain. The first ferry to cross Toronto Harbour to what are now the Toronto Islands was in 1833, using a boat called Sir John of the Peninsula . This was a four-horse team boat, operated by Michael O'Connor, between York and his hotel on the island (then still a peninsula), known as the "Retreat on the Peninsula." At this time, persons could still access the peninsula from a road to
2520-490: The islands, making 17,000 trips. There are up to five ferries available for this service. One ferry, the Trillium , is a semi-retired heritage vessel that sees only occasional service. Only one ferry, the Ongiara , operates in winter, servicing the Wards Island dock; it can carry road vehicles as well as passengers. PortsToronto operates a vehicle and passenger ferry from Eireann Quay at the foot of Bathurst Street to
2576-496: The islands. Three routes run from the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal to the Toronto Island Park. A fourth route runs from the foot of Bathurst Street to Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport on the island. Beside the public ferry services, several yacht clubs and marinas located on the islands provide private ferry services for their members and guests. Private water taxi services are available from locations along
2632-523: The section north of Queensville Sideroad being maintained by the Town of East Gwillimbury. It was formerly interrupted for roughly 500 m due to rugged terrain north of Morning Sideroad, north of Newmarket, but the gap was closed in 2016 when a new link was completed, allowing traffic to access York Regional Road 1 from the south. Beyond a marina on the Holland River , it continues as a private driveway to
2688-518: The terminal in honour of late New Democratic Party leader and former Toronto City Councillor Jack Layton . The Western Gap is at the foot of Eireann Quay and consists of a single pier. Parking is available for cars not crossing to the Island. The Island Airport Dock is at the north end of the island airport and consists of a single pier and a loading ramp. These two docks are used by the Toronto Port Authority. Centre Island Docks
2744-427: The waterfront. The Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division of the City of Toronto government operates three public ferry routes to Hanlan's Point, Centre Island Park and Ward's Island from Jack Layton Terminal at the foot of Bay Street on the central Toronto waterfront . During spring and fall, the ferries operate on a 45-minute round trip. During summer months, the ferries make a round trip each half-hour. During
2800-442: The winter months, ferries serve Ward's Island at longer intervals, and Hanlan's Point only as needed to deliver or pick up vehicles. As of 2022 , the adult fare is $ 8.70 with various reduced fares for seniors (65 and over), youth (15 to 19) and junior (two to 14). Infants (under two) ride free. Monthly passes are available by age category. The ferries operating from the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal carry 1.4 million people each year to
2856-625: Was built by the Toronto Dry Dock Company Limited. The ferry cost CA$ 250,000 . It was built to replace the T. J. Clark , which was then transferred from passenger service to freight service. She was built to carry 980 passengers. However, in 2007, Transport Canada published new passenger vessel regulations regarding damage stability (TP10943) requiring various upgrades to be implemented within prescribed compliance schedules. Thomas Rennie and her sistership Sam McBride , and William Inglis were also modernized under
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#17327940746302912-439: Was built in 1835, still exists, restored to its original appearance and is located at the north-west corner of the intersection. In 1870, Crookshank's Lane was renamed "Bathurst Street". North of Bloor, Bathurst Street was a muddy trail. Prior to the late 1980s, the section of Bathurst St. between Centre Street and Langstaff Road/York Regional Road 7 (the latter formerly Highway 7 ), was a part of Highway 7, which followed it as
2968-579: Was in arrears on rent to the City to the amount of $ 6,500 and only operated in 1926 with the assurance that the City would buy the boats at the end of the season. In February 1927, the city transferred the eight-boat fleet to the Toronto Transportation Commission (TTC, later renamed the Toronto Transit Commission ), the body that operates the city's transit system. Three boats included in the purchase -
3024-409: Was reduced, and Transport Canada agreed to restore the ferries' "grandfather" status. In October 2012, Toronto City Council decided that funds should be set aside to replace Thomas Rennie and her two fleet-mates with new vessels. In January 2022, the city proposed that the new ferries be all electric and recommended the build be awarded to Concept Naval Experts Maritimes Inc. of Quebec . Of
3080-435: Was repaired by Toronto Dry Dock. In 1965, the Rennie had a stack fire when its engines overheated. The William Lyon Mackenzie fireboat was able to douse the flames while Toronto Harbour Police evacuated the passengers. In 1968, the Rennie crashed into Queen's Quay ferry dock when it failed to reverse its engines. Eight children and four adults were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The collision damaged
3136-547: Was taken to dry dock to repair the rudder. She returned to service for the Canada Day long weekend that same year. Toronto Island ferries The Toronto Island ferries connect the Toronto Islands in Lake Ontario to the mainland of Toronto , Ontario , Canada. The main city-operated ferry services carry passengers (all) and commercial vehicles (some) from the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal at
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