By The Richards Group Re/Max Hallmark - East Toronto's #1 Real Estate Brokerage
The lake is the first thing you hear in the morning here — not traffic, water. Three kilometres of boardwalk run from the R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant west to Woodbine, and the people on it at seven in the morning aren't tourists. They're residents starting the day the way this neighbourhood has always started it. Here's how to use that shoreline properly.
Key Takeaways
- One continuous stretch of sand covers Balmy, Scarboro, Kew and Woodbine beaches.
- Woodbine holds more than a hundred volleyball courts, with several open for free drop-in play.
- Paddling and sailing here run through member clubs at Ashbridges Bay rather than rental kiosks.
- The waterfront is a year-round place, and the off-season is when locals love it most.
What Makes This Waterfront Different?
Most cities keep their lakefront at arm's length behind a highway. The Beaches puts houses within a block of the sand, which changes what the water is for. It stops being a destination and becomes part of the daily route.
The Shape of the Shoreline
- Four named beaches — Balmy, Scarboro, Kew and Woodbine — run as one uninterrupted stretch from the water treatment plant west to Ashbridges Bay.
- The boardwalk and the paved Martin Goodman Trail run parallel, which keeps cyclists and strollers from negotiating the same space.
- Woodbine and Kew-Balmy both carry Blue Flag certification for water quality and management.
- The Leuty Lifeguard Station, standing at the foot of Leuty Avenue since 1920, is the most photographed structure on the eastern waterfront and the unofficial centre of the whole stretch.
What Can You Do Right on the Sand?
More than most people realize, and most of it is free. Woodbine's western end is one of the largest beach volleyball setups in North America, and the Donald D. Summerville Olympic Pool sits right at the water's edge for the summer months.
Along Woodbine and Kew
- More than a hundred volleyball courts run along Woodbine Beach into Ashbridges Bay, with a handful reserved for free public drop-in and the rest permitted to leagues.
- The Donald D. Summerville Olympic Pool opens daily through the summer season, which makes it the rare outdoor pool with a lake view.
- The Ashbridges Bay Skatepark sits at the southwest corner of Coxwell and Lake Shore, a concrete park that draws riders from across the east end.
- Kew Gardens runs from Queen Street East down toward the sand, with the Alex Christie Bandstand hosting the Beaches International Jazz Festival every July.
- Accessibility matting at Woodbine runs to the water's edge near the pool, which makes the sand reachable for everyone.
Where Do You Get Out on the Water?
Through the clubs, which is the local answer, and a better one than a rental kiosk. Both sit on Ashbridges Bay Park Road, minutes from the beach, and both have been part of this shoreline for generations.
The Two Clubs at Ashbridges Bay
- The Balmy Beach Canoe Club runs sprint canoe and kayak programs for youth and adults, along with dragon boat drop-ins and boat rentals, with subsidies available.
- Ashbridge's Bay Yacht Club operates a member marina and sailing programme from the same stretch of shoreline.
- The Balmy Beach Club on the boardwalk at Beech Avenue is a private members' club rather than a drop-in spot, though its clubhouse is one of the landmarks people picture when they picture this beach.
- There's no walk-up paddleboard stand on the sand, so plan ahead rather than arriving expecting to rent.
What Is the Waterfront Like Off-Season?
Quieter and, for a lot of us, better. The crowds thin after Labour Day, the light goes long and gold across the water through October, and the boardwalk becomes a residents' place again. Winter brings its own rhythm, with ice along the breakwaters and the sand belonging mostly to dogs.
The Rest of the Year
- Lifeguard supervision runs summer only, so swimming outside that window is at your own discretion.
- The eastern edge of Ashbridges Bay Park is being reinforced through 2027, with marked crossing points keeping the trail connected while the shoreline work continues.
- Woodbine Park, just north of Lake Shore, holds a pond, a hill and an amphitheatre bowl that carries festivals through the warmer months.
- From November through March, the beaches open to dogs, which turns the whole shoreline into the city's largest seasonal off-leash area.
FAQs
Which beach is best for swimming?
Woodbine and Kew-Balmy are both Blue Flag certified, and Woodbine has the widest sand and the easiest access. Check current water quality before you go, and remember lifeguards are seasonal.
Can you cycle the whole waterfront from The Beaches?
Yes. The Martin Goodman Trail connects west through Ashbridges Bay and onward across the city as part of the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail, so it's a commute route and a weekend ride at the same time.
How close to the water can you actually live here?
Closer than almost anywhere else in Toronto. Homes on the streets running south of Queen sit a short stroll from the sand, and you can see what's available in The Beaches at any time.
Connect with The Richards Group Re/Max Hallmark - East Toronto's #1 Real Estate Brokerage Today
The water shapes everything here — the light in the houses, the pace of a Sunday, the reason people stay for thirty years. The Richards Group has sold on these streets long enough to know which blocks catch the breeze and which ones catch the morning sun.
Come stand on the boardwalk at seven in the morning and you'll understand the appeal faster than any listing could explain it. Reach out to us at The Richards Group Re/Max Hallmark - East Toronto's #1 Real Estate Brokerage, and let's find you a front door within earshot of the lake.
Come stand on the boardwalk at seven in the morning and you'll understand the appeal faster than any listing could explain it. Reach out to us at The Richards Group Re/Max Hallmark - East Toronto's #1 Real Estate Brokerage, and let's find you a front door within earshot of the lake.
