The Beach and East Toronto Historical Society
TBETHS

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About Us


The object of The Beach and East Toronto Historical Society (TBETHS) is to arouse interest in, and to preserve material and information related to the natural, built and documentary heritage of the east end of Toronto, specifically defined as within the City of Toronto between Coxwell Avenue and Victoria Park Avenue, and between Lake Ontario and the southern boundary of the former Borough of East York.

Toronto annexation map of TBETHS boundaries, compiled by John Ellis, 2021

The East Toronto and Beaches Historical Society was formed by local residents in 1974, at the invitation of staff at Beaches and Main Street (then Eastern) branches of Toronto Public Library. It was incorporated by the Ontario Historical Society in 1978 (Corporation #467609). In the 1990s, the membership adopted the operating name of The Beach and East Toronto Historical Society. They agreed that “The Beach” was more accurate historically and, since it was better known, should be placed before “East Toronto” in the name. The revision of the Society’s corporate name was formally recognized by Supplementary Letters Patent in 2014.

Our activities include:

  • Presenting historical talks and walking tours
  • Maintaining a website and a FaceBook page
  • Writing about the area’s history
  • Advocating for local heritage
  • Nominating properties and districts to the Toronto Heritage Register
  • Recommending sites for heritage plaques and assisting with the text
  • Developing indexes and finding aids to local history information
  • Responding to requests about our area’s history
  • Maintaining an archives

    The Society is an affiliate of the Ontario Historical Society, and a member of the Toronto Historical Association. In 2018, it won Heritage Toronto’s Community Heritage Award in recognition of its extraordinary contribution.

    GALLERY OF SOCIETY ACTIVITIES


    TBETHS has been nominated for
    a 2024 Heritage Toronto, Public History
    Award for its Local History Index
    More Homes Built Faster
    Link to full size summary

    TBETHS Submission to Ontario Standing Committee on Heritage,
    Infrastructure, and Cultural Policy, Bill 23.
    The More Homes Built Faster Act, November 17, 2022
    2018 Heritage Toronto award to TBETHS         		Barb Myrvold
    Barbara Myrvold, Beach Citizen of the Year

    1976 Sports meeting
    Courtesy TPL Digital Archive
    1984 Toronto Sesquicentennial Exhibit
    Opening at Beaches Library.
    L to R, Barbara Myrvold, President
    Rod Travers-Griffin, Mayor Art Eggleton
    1984 Toronto Sesquicentennial Exhibit Viewing,
    Beaches Library

    2015 Kew Williams House plaque presentation,
    Kew Gardens
    2017 Gene Domagala leads a walk.
    2018 Accepting Heritage Toronto Award
    Barbara Myrvold, Clyde Robinson, Glenn Chadwick

    BOARD of DIRECTORS, 2026 - 2027
    Jonathan Bradshaw: President
    Mary Campbell: At Large
    Glenn Chadwick: Event Coordinator; Web Committee
    Siobhan Hallam: At Large
    Barbara Myrvold: Local History Index Project; Web Committee Chair; Bill 23 Response Committee
    Julita Tyszewicz: Treasurer; Membership Secretary
    Katherine Vice: Secretary; Local History Index Project; Web Contact Responder; 50th anniversary Photo Project Lead
    Vice-President: Position vacant from December 19, 2022

    RECENT ANNUAL REPORTS
    2025-26
    2024-25
    2023-24
    2022-23
    2021-22
    2020-21
    2019-20
    2018-19
    2017-18
    2016-17
    2015-2016
    2014

    OLDER ANNUAL REPORTS
    1983-1984
    1982-1983
    1981-1982
    1980-1981
    1979-1980
    1978-1979
    1977-1978

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