The Beach(es)

[Richard White]

It seems that the Beach(s) has lost some of its allure. I used to go there regularly in the 90's for the restaurants and the general feel of the neighbourhood. I'm sure Covid hasn't helped but the retail and restaurant scene isn't what it used to be. Or perhaps my interests have changed profoundly.

It is the neighborhood. Since around 2010 it has been declining in my opinion.

The quality of the stores have declined, condos have gone up and the smaller mom and pop stores are moving on. The area used to have character but now it is just another street in Toronto.

 

[AlbertC]

I find that for the Beaches, it's a mix of the local population aging, older businesses retiring closing for economic or other reasons, and younger people who grew up in the area wanting to move elsewhere or being priced out of finding their own place in the area. The homes on the residential side streets are mostly great and all but are generally unaffordable for the standard young person or family.

 

[Northern Light]

I'm not one for indulging in either crime or traffic accident hysteria.............

That said, The Beach did not have a good day yesterday.

Two men shot, one man stabbed, 7 officers injured

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/woodbine-beach-park-violence-1.6463229

One man dead after a nasty car crash into a residential garage:

Pickup truck crashes into Beaches home, 68-year-old man dead

Toronto police say a 68-year old man has died after a pickup truck crashed into the garage of a house in the city's east end on Sunday night.

toronto.citynews.ca

Car flipped over in a collision at Queen/Woodbine ( I walked past this one)

https://www.reddit.com/r/toronto/comments/uvma94

Yikes!

 

[taal]

I'm not one for indulging in either crime or traffic accident hysteria.............

That said, The Beach did not have a good day yesterday.

Two men shot, one man stabbed, 7 officers injured

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/woodbine-beach-park-violence-1.6463229

One man dead after a nasty car crash into a residential garage:

Pickup truck crashes into Beaches home, 68-year-old man dead

Toronto police say a 68-year old man has died after a pickup truck crashed into the garage of a house in the city's east end on Sunday night.

toronto.citynews.ca

Car flipped over in a collision at Queen/Woodbine ( I walked past this one)

https://www.reddit.com/r/toronto/comments/uvma94

Yikes!

It's like this every year this weekend ... I can show you articles going back decades about similar events on Victoria Day at the beach.

 

[nfitz]

It's like this every year this weekend ... I can show you articles going back decades about similar events on Victoria Day at the beach.

I walked down there for the fireworks. Seems peaceful. If anything a bit quieter than usual.

 

[taal]

I walked down there for the fireworks. Seems peaceful. If anything a bit quieter than usual.

I remember as a kid in high school ages ago, going down here, and I recall kids trying to shoot each other with fireworks, mounted police, arrests : - ), so this is not new. It seems this past weekend was a continuation of that though maybe taken to the next level.

I think they need to have a stronger police presence throughout the weekend (not just when there are fireworks on Monday)

 

[AlbertC]

A third storey addition planned for 1981 Queen St E, which is located just east of Waverley Rd and just before where the Kew Gardens/Beaches park begins:

Development Applications

City Planning COA Application Information Center

app.toronto.ca

1981 QUEEN ST E
Ward 19: Beaches-East York

To alter the existing two-storey mixed-use building by constructing a third storey addition above the existing building and a rear three-storey addition. The ground floor commercial space will be maintained and a total of 5 residential dwelling units will be provided.


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For the building shown here with the Fiorio signage:

 

[AlbertC]

Docs posted for the above mentioned project:

Development Applications

City Planning COA Application Information Center

app.toronto.ca

 

[AlbertC]

Application Details

app.toronto.ca

2211 QUEEN ST E
Ward 19: Beaches-East York

Proposal for a 3rd and 4th floor addition and interior alteration to an existing 2 storey mixed-use building. Scope of work includes 2 residential units and a rooftop deck.

---------
For the property with the "Scholars" signage out front:

 

[AlbertC]

The Honey Bee restaurant at 2208 Queen St E is closing after 43 years in business as the owner is retiring:

Honey Bee restaurant set to close after 43 years of serving the Beach – Beach Metro Community News

By ALAN SHACKLETON A much-loved part of the community through five decades, the Honey Bee Chinese Food Restaurant on Queen Street East in the Beach is closing at the end of this month. Michael Lau, who has owned the restaurant for the more than 43 years it has been in business, said the reason...

beachmetro.com

 

[Northern Light]

The Honey Bee restaurant at 2208 Queen St E is closing after 43 years in business as the owner is retiring:

Honey Bee restaurant set to close after 43 years of serving the Beach – Beach Metro Community News

By ALAN SHACKLETON A much-loved part of the community through five decades, the Honey Bee Chinese Food Restaurant on Queen Street East in the Beach is closing at the end of this month. Michael Lau, who has owned the restaurant for the more than 43 years it has been in business, said the reason...

beachmetro.com

I ate there as a little kid, and again as recently as 5 years ago.

Not fancy food, to be sure. But decent for what it was.

A nostalgic charm.

It moved once, but kept much of the original vibe in its current incarnation.

 

[AlbertC]

I ate there as a little kid, and again as recently as 5 years ago.

Not fancy food, to be sure. But decent for what it was.

A nostalgic charm.

It moved once, but kept much of the original vibe in its current incarnation.

Seems like the gradual course of history as these older character restaurants retire like this at the former Tulip restaurant further west, past Coxwell.

I guess the Goof and Beacher Cafe are a couple of the remaining decade old veteran Beaches eateries still around.

 

[AlbertC]

Application Details

app.toronto.ca

2211 QUEEN ST E
Ward 19: Beaches-East York

Proposal for a 3rd and 4th floor addition and interior alteration to an existing 2 storey mixed-use building. Scope of work includes 2 residential units and a rooftop deck.

---------
For the property with the "Scholars" signage out front:


View attachment 443269

Docs were later posted for this application. I don't think it's terrible per se, but it is bit of a mish mash.

Application Details

app.toronto.ca

 

[christiesplits]

Last weekend I went for a walk along Queen between Woodbine and Willow. Really sad to see the amount of vacant storefronts and the relatively small number of pedestrians mid-day. Compare this to Leslieville and Riverside to the west, which seem to have a much more abundant street life.

One thing I suspect these latter retail stretches have that The Beaches doesn't are a lot of 20 and 30-somethings who are probably more loyal to local restaurants, cafes and shops. If you're a family in The Beaches, you're probably spending your weekends at the big boxes on Lakeshore or Laird. Just my thoughts.

 

[junctionist]

Last weekend I went for a walk along Queen between Woodbine and Willow. Really sad to see the amount of vacant storefronts and the relatively small number of pedestrians mid-day. Compare this to Leslieville and Riverside to the west, which seem to have a much more abundant street life.

One thing I suspect these latter retail stretches have that The Beaches doesn't are a lot of 20 and 30-somethings who are probably more loyal to local restaurants, cafes and shops. If you're a family in The Beaches, you're probably spending your weekends at the big boxes on Lakeshore or Laird. Just my thoughts.

People have been complaining of empty storefronts in the Beach for years. My theory is that the Beach gentrified with a lot of people from the suburbs looking to replicate a car-oriented lifestyle in the City. They mainly liked the unique geography of the area and the leafy streets, which are quite different from those in the typical Mississauga or Vaughan neighbourhood.

Other neighbourhoods gentrified with people who were drawn to the main street. It's not necessarily a singles vs. families issue. There are plenty of mature people in the Junction, on the Danforth, or in Swansea who like to shop and dine on the local main street with their families.