Cherry Beach

Edit Icon Edit text | Edit all fields

Cherry Beach is a public beach on Lake Ontario, just east of Toronto Harbour. Though it's identified on some maps as Clarke Beach Park, nobody in Toronto knows it by that name.

The beach lines the north side of a bay, across which is Tommy Thomson Park (a.k.a. the Leslie Street Spit), which is a park and a bird sanctuary.

Cherry Beach runs several hundred meters/yards long, and is about 100 feet wide at its widest point. Especially in recent years, with efforts to clean up Lake Ontario near Toronto, the water is swimmable, and lots of boating and recreational activities take place here. They include:
* Kite Surfing
* Sailing
* Canoeing/Kayaking
* Windsurfing

This entry needs details on clubs and schools that take place in the area. If you can help, please click on “Edit Text,” above.

Lifeguard chairs are in place on the beach, and are often attended. Lifeguard services are operated by the Toronto Police Marine Unit.

Cherry Beach is found was once connected to the Toronto Islands, until a storm in 1858 smashed a gap in the peninsula. That gap is now called the Eastern Gap that leads to Toronto Harbour, and is an essential shipping channel. Since the gap is so narrow, though (a few hundred feet), it's easy to paddle or sail from the Cherry Beach mainland to the Islands for recreation.

This entry needs details on boat rentals. If you can help, please click on “Edit Text,” above.

Cherry Beach Park itself has grassy areas with picnic tables, and is a popular place for dog walkers. The Martin Goodman Trail runs through the park.

Getting There

From Lakeshore Boulevard, take Cherry Street south, past Commissioners and Unwin streets, to the beach.

Free parking is available to the east of the roundabout at the entrance of the park.

Public transit (TTC bus) comes right to the park entrance. The #172 Cherry Street bus runs from downtown (including Front Street between Yonge and Bay, near Union Station) east along the Esplanade, and south on Cherry, right to the park.
The #72 Pape bus runs south from Pape subway station (on the Bloor-Danforth line) along Pape to Carlaw, Carlaw to Commissioners, and Commissioners to Cherry Street (it then continues to downtown, mirroring the #172 route). Get off here and walk south about 5 minutes to the park entrance.

Nearby

Nearby food and entertainment is available at The Docks, a bar/restaurant/nightclub facility that also has a drive-in movie theatre, driving range and other attractions.

Notoriety

The beach was made semi-famous in a 1980s song by Pukka Orchestra, called "Cherry Beach Express," about the beach's reputation as a place where Toronto police would allegedly take criminals to be beaten.