Mike James joined Thomas Hasan and Jaan Pill on May 29, 2012 for a practice run of the June 2, 2012 Heritage Ride in Long Branch. That’s the Power Plant, by the Samuel Smith Ice Trail, in the background. The ride starts at this location on June 2, 2012 at 1:30 pm.

We’re looking forward to a great heritage bike ride on Saturday, June 2, 2012 – 1:00pm – 2:30pm.

Long Branch, in the southwest corner of Etobicoke, was was once known as ‘cottage country’ for Toronto’s elite starting in the 1880s.

A military’s rifle range — Long Branch Rifle Range — just west of Long Branch in Mississauga was named after it. Canada’s first Aerodrome was also just west of Long Branch.

A community of houses that used to be located alongide Etobicoke Creek, in what is now Marie Curtis Park, was devastated by Hurricane Hazel in 1954.

A major psychiatric hospital was located just east of it in New Toronto.

On June 2, Jaan Pill, president of the Long Branch Historical Society, Mike James, who grew up in New Toronto and knows the history of the local communities, and cycling enthusiast Thomas Hasan will lead this first of many Toronto Heritage Rides.

To learn more about this initiative by Heritage Toronto, Cycle Toronto, and the City of Toronto, please visit the news release on the Cycle Toronto website.

If you’d like to share ideas for a future Heritage Ride, please send an email to the contact address in the news release.

This ride is sponsored by the Etobicoke-South Cycling Committee and the Lakeshore Planning Council.

We look forward to seeing you there!

The ride begins at the Power House Recreation Centre in Colonel Samuel Smith Park

Colonel Samuel Smith Park – south of LakeShore W + Kipling Ave (accessible by TTC – also free parking)