Memories of the Beach

In this rare combination of history and memoir, Lorraine O'Donnell Williams details life within Toronto's Beach community in the 1930s and '40s from the vantage point of her front veranda that abutted the boardwalk. Her extensive research has uncovered numerous little publicised facets of the heritage of this exceptional neighbourhood, including the stories of what was in its time one of North America's most remarkable amusement parks, the elegant dance hall, and how the area escaped becoming a railway corridor. Stories behind the Leuty Avenue Lifeguard Station, the Balmy Beach Canoe Club, and other prominent Beach landmarks are interwoven throughout. Also included are an array of prominent personalities for whom The Beach has been home. Growing up in The Beach infused Williams and her friends with a resiliency as multi-faceted as the moods of Lake Ontario and a foundation as firm as the grand old willow trees that line the boardwalk. A must for history buffs, especially those with an interest in Toronto.

Lorraine O'Donnell Williams was born and raised in the Beach district of Toronto. Her career has included senior positions in the correctional, forensic psychiatry, and psychiatric fields of social work. The mother of five adult children, she recently retired from private practice to write full-time and currently lives with her husband in Markham, Ontario.