History

A Short Story About APSC:

History of the Aquatic Park Sailing Club

The Aquatic Park Sailing Club is located within Tommy Thompson Park. Originally built by the Toronto Harbour Commissioners as a breakwater for a new outer harbour, the area on which the APSC is located was first officially called the Outer Harbour East Headlands.

The Spit arches southwest some 3.2 miles into Lake Ontario, extending just beyond the eastern end of the Toronto Islands.

In 1972, the Toronto Harbour Commissioners announced a plan to construct an aquatic park on the Headlands which would provide for a variety of recreational interests. The Spit was opened to the public on weekends in 1973.

At a special meeting of the Ontario Sailing Association in the spring of 1976, it was decided to apply to the Toronto Harbour Commissioners for a license for 50 sailboat moorings in one of the bays on the Spit. Alf Jenkins, Executive Director of the OSA, made the application and along with a staff member of the THC, chose the present site.

There were 12 boats moored in the initial year of 1976. The first boat was moored in August by Bill Knoll, who later became the club’s first commodore. Alf Jenkins and a few others put up a metal garden shed for storage and built a simple dock and a dinghy rack. By 1978 thirty boats were moored. A meeting of the boat owners was called, and it was agreed to form the Aquatic Park Sailing Club.

In those early years, part of the difficulty as well as the fun was getting to the club in the spring when the gravel road off the main road of the Spit would be covered with water, or trying to find the channel entrance by flashlight at night.

In 1980 when the club took over management of the site from the OSA, there were 55 moorings. By 1982, we had added 20 moorings to make a total of 75. In 1983, an additional 25 moorings were added to bring us up to our full complement of 100 moorings and a club house was added.

In December of 1984, the MTRCA (The Metropolitan Toronto and Regional Conservation Authority, now the TRCA, Toronto and Regional Conservation Authority) took over management of the park as set out in a 1972 agreement. The official name became the Tommy Thompson Park in honour of the former Metro Parks and Recreation Commissioner. Tommy Thompson was popular in Toronto for personally leading his neighbourhood historical walks, and was internationally known for his unique concept of 'Please walk on the grass'.

In 1985, a Master Plan for the site was released by the MTRCA. Its stated goal: To create a handsome waterfront, balanced in its land uses, which will complement adjacent areas, taking cognizance of the existing residential development and making accessible, wherever possible, features which warrant public use. It included plans for an industrial park, a 1200 slip marina and the continuation of landfill operations.

In 1987, after 2 years of work on the new by-laws by D’Arcy Chadwick, Brian Paterson and Dave Cormack, the Club became incorporated.

In 1988, after a 'Name the Bay' contest, 'Aquatic Park Bay' was chosen. Other contenders included: Dredgers Bay, Herons Bay and Quagmire Bay. 10th anniversary pins were distributed to the membership.

In 1989, the dinghy racks were replaced by a new fenced-in compound.

1990 - 92 were the years of the big fight for tenure. The Master Plan was being finalized and every season required constant diligence on the political front to make sure the club stayed on the Spit.

In 1993, work started on the new clubhouse, double the size of the old one. This was also the year of the big flood when the grounds were a foot under water in the spring.

In 1994, new docks were started, which were completed in the spring of 1996.

In 2001, a new seawall, with the help of the Toronto Regional Conservation Authority, was constructed.