Sunnyside Boardwalk – Toronto

“The Sunnyside Boardwalk stretches for about a kilometre alongside Sunnyside Beach in Toronto’s west end. It is made of a light-panelled wood suitable for walking barefoot on in the hot summer months.  It could be wider, but it is not bad compared to most pedestrian paths in Toronto.  It probably accommodates about 5 people comfortably walking side by side. But what really makes the boardwalk a space of quality is how it unites the surrounding park areas. In good weather, the pedestrian boardwalk animates the parkland between a highway and the urban beach.  On the side of the boardwalk opposite to the beach is a strip of grass, then a cement path for bicycle or scooter traffic.  While the boardwalk affirms that pedestrians need their own space, those who desire can enjoy the lakeshore bike route on their way downtown. Beyond the bike path are the surrounding facilities, which includes the largest public pool in the city, a skate park, and playground. The Boardwalk crucially links the beach to the park area.

People want to walk along the boardwalk because it offers a spanning view of Toronto’s lakeshore.  Far enough in the distance that you see rocky ‘escarpment’ and question where the east end even is. From the pool or park areas, catching a glimpse of the boardwalk and the many people with their fold-up chairs, umbrellas, children circling around, dog walkers, and people of all ages, really, with lunch baskets(!) presents a convivial allure inclining one to venture out into the beach.

The thing about urban beaches though, is that they are almost always disappointing.  There can be funny smells carried by the wind, the lake is terribly cold and some parts terribly polluted, and sometimes the beach is just a pure wind tunnel. The boardwalk gives you the experience to enjoy the view and imagine that it might be a nice place to sit.  The grassy side is also lined with benches for those who don’t want to take off their shoes. When it’s not enjoyable, do not fret, there is the pool and the other park areas to return to.

For brief stretches the boardwalk serves as a kind of extension of a private restaurant patio. However, in the busy summertime months, it feels as if the restaurant is intruding on the public boardwalk, crossing a boundary it shouldn’t. The Sunnyside Pavilion predates the highway and is genuinely nice to look at.  You can enjoy its presence without having to dine there.

Despite the area being sectioned off by a highway, the Sunnyside Boardwalk revives and animates the waterfront park area.” (Booklet Positive Lived Experiences of Quality in the Built Environment 2023, p.191).

Google map link:

Sunnyside Boardwalk – Google Maps

Aerial view of the boardwalk between the Sunnyside Pavilion and Sunnyside public beach in Toronto (Photo: Sunnyside Pavilion – Restaurant Site).