The Toronto Island Connection

A group for people who grew up on the Toronto Islands, who spent many years of their lives there, or whose family roots extend there. The purpose is for the sharing of information, photos and experiences; re-connecting, finding lost friends, etc.

The idea for this group was born when four boomers who grew up on the Island got together some 40 years after having spent our childhoods in each other's back pocket on that little sand bar in Toronto harbour. It was so awesome, feeling the similarities in each other to the persons we were as children, acknowledging what a strong bond existed between us even through all those years: the Island experience continued to flow in our blood through all of our lives, informing who we became.

We four were so moved by our reunion experience that we decided we were going to continue enlarging the circle of reconnection; thus this group. So many people live in our memories, and where are they now? They are still in our hearts, and now they may reappear in our lives as well. Come in, come in...

Please note that this group is not limited just to boomers or to friends of the four (Dave Barrett, Bill Price, Eric Light (Lye) and Bill Stark) who had the idea to start it -- the circle is all-embracing, as in the end we are all connected in one way or another.

Photo: Homes on West Island Drive, ca 1937. City of Toronto Archives photo s0372_ss0052_it1971. Another view of some of the houses that were moved to Sunfish Island from Hanlan's.