From Leslie Beach to the Outer Harbour: 1935 and 1970

These two images show the same stretch of shoreline near the foot of Leslie Street at very different moments in Toronto’s waterfront history.

The second photo above from 1935 captures Leslie Beach as it once was. At the time, this was a popular natural lakeside beach on the eastern side of the city. It was an extension of Toronto’s Beaches, still largely separate from the industrial expansion that would later define much of the waterfront.

That shoreline began to change dramatically in the second half of the 20th century. After the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway, city planners anticipated a major increase in shipping activity on Lake Ontario. In response, the area at the foot of Leslie Street was gradually transformed into engineered harbour land, built up using construction fill and dredged material.

That expected surge in lake shipping never fully materialized. The rise of container shipping and the shift toward large coastal ports, combined with intermodal rail transport, reduced the role of smaller Great Lakes port facilities. As a result, much of the newly created land did not become the busy industrial harbour that had been envisioned.

Instead, the infill continued over time, extending the shoreline outward into the lake. By 1970, as shown in the aerial photo, the area had become the early form of what is now the Leslie Street Spit. It was still largely industrial and active in its creation, and it was already taking on the shape of a peninsula. Public access was limited, though the Toronto Harbour Commission occasionally operated tours and bus service for visitors to see the evolving landform.

Over the following decades, continued infill slowed, and the area shifted away from its industrial purpose. What began as a planned harbour expansion evolved into an accidental landscape popular with migrating birds and boats, eventually becoming Leslie Street Spit, now known as Tommy Thompson Park.

Together, the 1935 and 1970 images show a clear transformation: from natural beach, to industrial ambition, to an unintended new piece of land forming Toronto’s outer harbour.

Leslie Street Spit, 1970, Fonds 220, Series 45, File 651. Shared via the City of Toronto Archives Instagram.