In this post I escape the hustle and bustle of the big city and take a day trip to the Toronto Islands.
Brunch culture is strong in Canada, so much so there are restaurants dedicated to this late morning culinary timeslot. Before setting out on the first day trip of my week in Toronto, I fuelled up at OEB, a popular breakfast and brunch restaurant.
Breakfast poutine is a popular variation of the traditional Canadian dish. I had tried the original version, and this variation was still on my list of foods to try. It was on the menu at OEB, and their offering included artisan cheese curds, slow-cooked bacon lardons served with poached eggs and herb potatoes fried in beef fat.
A quick 15-minute ferry ride from the mainland are the Toronto Islands, a chain of fifteen islands in Lake Ontario south of the mainland. Stepping off the boat on Centre Island, I felt like I was a million miles away from downtown Toronto. So close, but so far.
Known by the locals as ‘the Island’ or ‘Toronto Island Park,’ its three main islands are Ward’s Island, Centre Island and Hanlan’s Point. It boasts 332 hectares of land that can only be explored on foot or by bicycle, with 14 kilometres of trails.
There are swimming beaches, including a Clothing Optional Beach at Hanlan’s Point, sports facilities, bike, canoe and kayak rentals. You can walk, run or ride your bike on the island, and take your dog on a leash. There are lockers at several busy locations, a pier, boardwalk, formal gardens, playgrounds, artists retreats and even a public grade school.
I started my day with a swim at Centre Island Beach. Toronto was in the grip of a heatwave, and the water was crisp and refreshing.
I then hired a bike and spent two hours cycling around the islands taking in the sights, including the boating marina, large grassy fields, a theatre, nature paths, EMS and fire station, an amusement park, trout pond and the 200-year-old lighthouse.
What captivated me the most about the Toronto Islands was the charming 150-year-old community of 600 people, living year-round in cottage-like homes on the islands. It was hard to believe this quiet, laid-back neighbourhood was just a stone’s throw from downtown Toronto. It was my kind of place, and I wished I had looked into staying here instead of the city centre. If I ever return to Toronto, I will definitely be booking a stay there.
I finished the day with another swim to cool off from the bike ride, and laid in the warm sun while I waited to catch the ferry back to the mainland.
The heat had been building over the past two days, and dark storm clouds were gathering over the city as I walked from the ferry terminal. I considered catching the subway from Union Station, but decided to save a few dollars and try my luck walking back to Pitman Hall student accommodation. A simple misunderstanding of the directions had me wander so far off course that I ended up in Leslieville on the outskirts of the city centre.
The thunderstorm was bearing down. In the wind and rain I took out my phone and opened Maps. The screen went black, flashing the empty battery icon. I swore at the top of my lungs. I paced around the sidewalk, my heart racing my thoughts. Trying to decide which direction to take amidst my growing panic. I was seriously panicking now, with no bearings of where I was in comparison to where I needed to be.
I stopped by a library to ask for directions, and learned I was on Dundas Street- I knew somewhere along Dundas Street was Dundas Station, which was close to my accommodation at Toronto Metropolitan University. Dundas Street is also 23 kilometres long, and I had no idea which direction to start walking. For the first time on The Cold Plunge, I was well and truly lost.
I managed to find my way to a subway station which delivered me to Dundas Station. Standing in Yong-Dundas Square, I still couldn’t remember which direction to take to get me back to Toronto Metropolitan University campus. Toronto is an enormous city, and I felt so small amongst all the hustle and bustle.
I picked a direction and started walking, and before too long I spotted the distinctive yellow and blue signs of the college campus. It had taken me almost three hours to get home, instead of twenty minutes on the subway. The lesson from that misadventure was to just spend a few dollars and take the damned subway. And to get better and navigating without the use of my phone. But I was still proud of myself for finding my way back, despite having become so incredibly lost.
Kate Kelsen 