Ashbridges Bay and the R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant

Ashbridges Bay is one of the most scenic and busiest parks in Toronto.  Since my childhood I have walked the 2.5 km stretch of boardwalk and the peninsula.  It is a great combination of beach, green grass, old oak trees and countless dogs.  You have Queen Street East two blocks North, running parallel with the beach and all sorts of restaurants, pubs, candy stores, bakeries and coffee shops.  Just an exquisite area to spend the day.  To underscore my point National Geographic has ranked the Queen Street 501 Streetcar as the number one trolley ride in the word in part because of this neighbourhood.  (For the top 10 in the world click here.)

What I learned today is that at the far eastern end of the beach stands R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant.  It is an Art Deco masterpiece and there is nothing like this to my knowledge in the Greater Toronto Area.  I just never bothered to walk that far East on the beach after the boardwalk ends.

R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant

R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant

R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant

There are no restrictions to walking around the outside and there were countless shutterbugs taking advantage of it.  With even more dog owners taking advantage of the green lawns to tire out their dogs playing catch.  

Sample of the Architectural Detail

This plant has notably been featured on a 2011 Canada post stamp and has been used as a backdrop in both television and movies.  I laughed out loud when I learned that the plant was used as the Elsinore Brewery in the 1983 film Strange Brew and the headquarters of "The Man" in 2002 film Undercover Brother. Two movies that desperately need a sequel.  

Anyways, I strongly suggest taking a look for yourself.  The water plant is located at the base of Victoria Park Avenue or is the last stop East on the Queen Street 501 Street car.

Plaque commemorating it becoming a National Historical Civil Engineering site in 1992:

Some quick facts from the City of Toronto about the R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant:

• Constructed in the 1930's
• Began operating on Nov 1, 1941
• Named for Rowland Caldwell Harris, Commissioner of Works from 1912 to his death in 1945
• 1 of 4 Toronto water treatment plants
• Remains Toronto's busiest water treatment; producing 34% of water utilized in 2012
• Produced a total of 154,495 million litres of water in 2012
• Average daily production of 423 million litres of water in 2012