Editing Toronto Islands (section)

==Culture==
===Community===
[[File:Toronto islands house 2009.JPG|thumb|A local residence at the Toronto Islands. Approximately 300 homes are located on the Islands.]]
A community of about 300 homes is located on the Toronto Islands, concentrated at the eastern end of the island chain on Ward's Island and Algonquin Island. Under the terms of the ''Toronto Islands Residential Community Stewardship Act'' there are strict rules under provincial law governing the buying and selling of these homes.<ref name="titpmd"/><ref name="elaw"/>

There are two daycare centres, one school and one church on the islands. The Toronto Island Public School, located at Gibraltar Point, operates a day program for island residents, residents of the Toronto waterfront and other students that can apply for enrollment, up to grade 6. There is also a residential natural science program for visiting grade 5 and 6 students from the mainland, and a pre-school nursery. The Waterfront Montessori Children's Centre is a non-profit, parent-run co-operative pre-school on Algonquin Island. [[St. Andrew by-the-Lake Anglican Church]] is located on Centre Island, and serves the islands' residents and visitors.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://torontoislandschool.com/ | title = Toronto Island Public School | publisher = Toronto Island Public School | access-date = March 28, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.gibraltarpointdaycare.com/ | title = Gibraltar Point Day Nursery | publisher = Gibraltar Point Day Nursery | access-date = March 28, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.ccma.ca/page.aspx?page=506 | title = Waterfront Montessori Daycare | publisher = Canadian Council of Montessori Administrators | access-date = March 28, 2008 | archive-date = December 19, 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131219020329/http://www.ccma.ca/page.aspx?page=506 | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.torontoisland.org/Home/StAndrewbytheLakeChurch/StAndrewByTheLakeHome/tabid/157/Default.aspx | title = St. Andrew-by-the-Lake Anglican Church | publisher = Toronto Island Community | access-date = March 28, 2008 | archive-date = July 9, 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180709011158/http://torontoisland.org/Home/StAndrewbytheLakeChurch/StAndrewByTheLakeHome/tabid/157/Default.aspx | url-status = dead }}</ref> The semi-Gothic/Medieval/Stick Style building was built in 1884 and moved later to its current location.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=St. Andrew by-the-Lake Anglican Church - Toronto Island |url=http://www.standrewbythelake.com/history.html |title= History - St. Andrew by-the-Lake Anglican Church - Toronto Island |access-date=July 11, 2017}}</ref>

The Ward's Island residential community encompasses {{convert|12|acres|0|abbr=on}} of the entire {{convert|820|acre|adj=on}} Toronto Island park. There are approximately 150 residences, most of which are occupied on a yearly basis and a centrally located Ward's Island Association club house which was built 1937–8. The layout of the streets remains as it has been since 1915 and the streets are named sequentially First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth Streets, as well as Bayview, Willow, Channel, Lenore and Lakeshore Avenues and Withrow Street.<ref>"WARD'S ISLAND A COMMUNITY WORTH SAVING" Thesis by Alison Suki Suzanne Katherine Diamond, University of Pennsylvania, 1994</ref>

Artscape Gibraltar Point occupies buildings previously used by the Toronto Island Public School, and comprises more than 15 artist work studios occupied by a mix of painters, ceramists, sculptors, musicians, theatre companies, and a recording studio.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.torontoartscape.on.ca/places-spaces/artscape-gibraltar-point | title = Gibraltar Point Centre for the Arts | publisher = Artscape | access-date = May 2, 2010 | archive-date = October 26, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111026060739/http://www.torontoartscape.on.ca/places-spaces/artscape-gibraltar-point | url-status = dead }}</ref>

===Recreation===
[[File:Centre Island Beach Toronto 2010.jpg|thumb|Centre Island Beach, one of several beaches located on the Toronto Islands.]]
[[File:Boating in the Toronto Islands.jpg|thumb|Recreational boating on the Islands]]

There are several swimming beaches on the Islands, including Centre Island Beach, Manitou Beach, Gibraltar Point Beach, [[Hanlan's Point Beach]] and Ward's Island Beach. Hanlan's Point Beach is an officially recognized [[nude beach]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.torontotourism.com/DynamicContent/Members/17835-Toronto+Blue+Flag+Beaches.htm |title=Toronto Blue Flag Beaches |publisher=Tourism Toronto |access-date=March 28, 2008 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> one of only two in Canada. Ward's Island Beach is located on the island east end near the Eastern Gap.<ref name=ttti>{{cite web |url=https://www.guidedtoronto.com/blog/touring-the-toronto-islands |title=What to do on Toronto Islands | publisher = Guided Toronto |date=July 1, 2018}}</ref> Centre Island Beach is located on the south side of the island and faces out to [[Lake Ontario]]. The beach is actually two beaches with the portion west of the Lookout Pier called Manitou Beach. The eastern boundary is near the western end of the boardwalk from Ward's Island. Hanlan's Point Beach is located on the west side of Toronto Islands on Lake Ontario, south of the airport and Hanlan's Point ferry dock.

Recreational boating has been popular on the Islands for over a century. In 1965, the Toronto Island Sailing Club was founded on Algonquin Island out of the former Algonquin Island Schoolhouse. In 1970, the club moved to the northwest peninsula of Centre Island in the newly opened Toronto Island Marina. The club offers its members certified CANSail courses and competitive racing events with other dinghy clubs, and is also a member in good standing with Sail Canada, Ontario Sailing and the Canadian Albacore Association.

The Islands are home to four yacht clubs: Harbour City Yacht Club, [[Island Yacht Club]], [[Queen City Yacht Club (Toronto)|Queen City Yacht Club]] and the [[Royal Canadian Yacht Club]]. There is a public marina, the Toronto Island Marina, and several smaller clubs including the Sunfish Cut Boat Club and the Toronto Island Canoe Club. There is also a [[dragon boat]] regatta course and grandstand, where the [[Toronto International Dragon Boat Race Festival]] is held annually.<ref name="cityti" /> Canoes, kayaks, paddle boats and stand up paddle boards<ref name="torontoislandsup.com"/> are available for rental.

[[Centreville Amusement Park]] is a children's amusement park which was built in 1967 with a 1900s-style turn-of-the-century theme. The park includes a [[miniature railway]] and an antique carousel and is open daily in summer. The ''Far Enough Farm'' is nearby and displays common farm livestock and birds.<ref name="cityti"/> The ''Franklin's Garden'' children's garden was created in the 2000s and is located to the west of the Avenue of the Islands. A splash pad, hedge maze, and playground are also located nearby.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://helpwevegotkids.com/toronto/article/family-life/how-to-spend-a-day-on-the-toronto-island-with-kids/|title=How to Spend a Day on the Toronto Island With Kids - Help! We've Got Kids|date=May 22, 2016|work=Help! We've Got Kids|access-date=June 15, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref>

On the western side of Ward's Island is a [[Toronto Island Park Disc Golf Course|flying disc golf]] course. There is a community tennis club at the Ward's Island Tennis Club.

Until 2007, [[Caribana Festival (Canada)|Caribana]] held an annual arts festival at Olympic Island on the August long weekend. Other Island events include the [[Olympic Island Festival]], an annual rock concert held from 2004 until 2010. It was initiated in 2004 by [[Sloan (band)|Sloan]]'s [[Jay Ferguson (Canadian musician)|Jay Ferguson]]. The Wakestock festival has also been held on the islands. Starting in 1975, the [[Ken Westerfield#The Canadian Open Championships and the first Frisbee freestyle competition|Canadian Open Frisbee Championships]] were held on Olympic and Ward's Island.<ref>{{cite web |title=TUC History |url=http://tuc.org/history/tuc |access-date=December 12, 2014}}</ref>