Don’t Miss “Toast the Trees” in Support of our Long Branch Tree Inventory Project

Please join us for “Toast the Trees”

The Long Branch Neighborhood Association (LBNA) is organizing our first fundraiser “Toast the Trees”.  Please join us for a fun afternoon Wine and Cheese event in a beautiful private setting on Lake Ontario in Long Branch in support of our LBNA Tree Inventory Project.

Test your Long Branch Fun Fact Knowledge – Win great door prizes – Silent Auction – Get to know your neighbours

Buy a Ticket for Toast the Trees

The LBNA has hired two local university students to conduct a tree inventory in Long Branch. In cooperation with the University of Toronto Forestry program, the data produced will help us understand our urban forestry successes and challenges in a way that can concretely inform policy, actions and stewardship and will be used to create a Long Branch Urban Forestry Management Plan. This plan will serve as a “measuring stick” against the City of Toronto’s goal of achieving a tree canopy of 40%.

Funding for the wages of the summer students for 8 weeks was obtained by the LBNA from a Canada Summer Jobs Grant – for which we are very grateful – however we did not receive the fully requested funding we need to conduct this program.

The University of Toronto, Faculty of Forestry have partnered with the LBNA to provide training and some equipment, however the LBNA needs funding to ensure its successful implementation and maximize the positive experience for both our students and the community.

All funds raised will go towards the LBNA Tree Inventory project and will help to provide:

  • T-Shirts for our students so they are easily identified as they work in the community;
  • Printing expenses including notices to homes to participate in the Inventory,
  • Signage to raise awareness of the Tree Inventory Project; and
  • Transportation for the students for training and mentoring with the U of T Faculty throughout the project;
  • Tree inventory equipment and tree identification tools beyond that loaned to the LBNA by the U of T ;
  • Extension of tree inventory paid hours above and beyond the 8 weeks provided by our Canada Summer Jobs Grant.

Please let us know if you have any special food allergies or food preferences when you book your ticket or email us at longbranchnato@gmail.com

If you prefer to pay cash or cheque for your ticket, please contact one of the LBNA Board members or email us at longbranchnato@gmail.com.

Tickets are $40 for 1 person or $75 for two people.   You can also make a donation on-line if you would like to contribute to our Tree Inventory project but are not available to attend on June 24th.

Tickets are limited so please get yours soon.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Note:  Graphic design provided by Vecteezy.com

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Our 1st Heritage Tree Dedication Ceremony

History was made on April 30th when the 200 year old oak “Big Red” at the corner of Park and Long Branch Avenue became Long Branch’s First officially recognized Heritage Tree.   The Ceremony was co-hosted by the Long Branch Neighbourhood Association and Councillor Mark Grimes.   In addition to the local residents who attended were  Councillor Mark Grimes and his staff;   Toni Ellis from Forests Ontario; Wendy Tobin, Branch Manager of the Long Branch TD Canada Trust and her staff and faculty and students from James S. Bell school.  Mary Kennedy conveyed a message from James Maloney, MP Etobicoke-Lakeshore who was up in Ottawa and not able to attend.

Hopefully this is just the first of many more Heritage Tree Ceremonies in Long Branch.   Heritage Trees bring awareness to the social, cultural, historical and ecological value of trees. For trees to qualify, Heritage Trees have to be associated with a historic person or event, or be growing on land that is historically significant. Candidate Heritage Trees are also assessed for form, shape, beauty, age, colour, size, rarity, genetic constitution or other distinctive features and/or as a prominent community landmark, however its historical or cultural significance is of most importance.

If you know of a tree in Long Branch that should be nominated, please contact us at longbranchnato@gmail.com.

 

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Long Branch: A Jane’s Walk Bike Tour

Led by David Juliusson, Etobicoke South Cycling Committee and Long Branch Neighbourhood Association
Sunday, May 6, 2018:  11:00 am – 1:00 pm  (2 hours)


Meet at Colonel Samuel Smith Skating Trail (65 Colonel Samuel Smith Park Dr, Etobicoke,  Tour Leader (David) will be in a blue jacket and on a black bike. 

In 2018, City Council adopted special guidelines to preserve the unique character of Long Branch. We will look at some of the historic sites and events. Long Branch has a rich heritage, ranging from Colonel Sam Smith building his home in 1797 to Hurricane Hazel to the first Heritage tree being declared in April. We will stop at those sites. In addition, the ride will stop at the site of the Long Branch hotel, pass historic cottages, and go to the border of Mississauga. We will pass murals, visit a cenotaph and enjoy the beauty that is Long Branch. The ride will end in the same place as it began.

NOTE: This is a cycling tour.

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200 Year Old Red Oak Tree to Receive Heritage Tree Status

A photo of Big Red, our first Heritage Tree in Long Branch

On Monday April 30th, in historic Long Branch, a magnificent Red Oak, nicknamed Big Red, will be recognized by Forests Ontario as a Heritage Tree. The TD Heritage Tree Program tells the story of Ontario’s diverse and unique trees and brings awareness to the social, cultural, historical and ecological value of trees.

City of Toronto Councillor, Mark Grimes of Ward 6 will be present at Long Branch Park on Monday April 30th at 1:30 PM to commemorate this event. The great Red Oak will be added to the Heritage Tree online map so that visitors can learn more about the tree and its longstanding history.

“Besides being a living 200-year legacy of history and culture of Long Branch, this stately Red Oak will continue to thrive and provide economic and environmental benefits for generations to come” says Toni Ellis, Heritage Tree Coordinator of Forests Ontario. “We need more communities like the Long Branch Neighbourhood Association, to nominate potential heritage trees so that we can celebrate and share the stories of these living testaments to our history.”

Faculty and students of James S. Bell Middle School have been invited to the unveiling ceremony. The students will be studying trees in the classroom, learning about their environmental and economic importance.

Sapling Date

Based on measurements taken of the tree’s diameter, it was determined that it dates back to the late 1810s. In 1818, when George Brown, one of the Fathers of Confederation, was just an infant rocking in his cradle, a single red oak acorn took root in the richly treed forests of Southern Etobicoke, in what is now known as Long Branch Toronto.

Long Branch Grove Resort

Years later, the Red Oak served as a cooling canopy over one of the water fountains at Long Branch Grove and Resort, established in 1884. Just steps away, the tree was in full view of the famous Japanese

Pagoda Long Branch Hotel, the Carousel, Ball Park and Dance Pavilions and heard the delight of kids sliding down the water flume into Lake Ontario. Surrounding the Long Branch Park, Villas of Queen Anne, Victorian, Jacobean and Tudor-style, populated the Avenues of Long Branch, Lakeview and (now 35th St.) and old Lake Promenade.

The fact that Long Branch was probably named after the New Jersey’s USA Presidential summer resort settlement of 1837 is no surprise. In the late 1890s Long Branch Grove was only a 40 minute ride on the ‘Rupert’ or ‘Star Line’ steamboats from Torontos Habour. Yes, Long Branch was very much the vacation spot for Toronto’s gentry elite.

New Residential Development

Later in the 1910s, Long Branch started to become a suburban residential oasis, with lush treed 50 foot lots starting at only $8.00 per foot. The Pines, and Pines Beach 1912 advocated the fresh air and all the healthy aspects of lush treed areas with steps to Lake Ontario.

Escaped the Great Fire

Sadly, during a severe cold snap in February of 1958, the 75-year-old Long Branch Hotel burned down, due to a torch being applied to a frozen pipe. Luckily there was a strong North wind that day which saved the great oak from being scorched.

The 1933 Long Branch Cenotaph

In 1933, the great Red Oak witnessed the construction of a monument. Where the water fountain once displayed, the Long Branch Cenotaph now stands, honouring soldiers of the First World War, Second World War, and the Korean War as well as fallen heroes of Canadian Peace Missions.

Today, you can experience the magnificence of the towering 80-foot Red Oak at the south-east corner of Long Branch Avenue and Park Blvd.

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Sign-up early for your Free Tree at the Apr 4th LBNA Meeting

We are pleased to announce that the Long Branch Neighbourhood Association’s Tree for Me Grant has been approved!   Tree For Me grants support the City of Toronto’s 40 percent tree canopy cover target by encouraging tree planting and tree care on private property.

Native Tree species, suitable for all yards, will be distributed by the LBNA on May 26th from 10 – 2pm during the Spring Bird Festival at Colonel Samuel Smith Park.

Pre-registration is required.   More details to follow www.lbna.ca

Early registration to choose your free native tree species will take place @ 6:30pm just prior to the April 4th LBNA Meeting.   
We all have a role to play in making Toronto greener.
Let’s get planting Long Branch!

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Registration now open for Apr 4th LBNA Meeting

If you have not registered yet to attend the next General Meeting for the Long Branch Neighbourhood Association please click on the link below to confirm your attendance.   The meeting will take place on Wednesday, April 4th, 2018 at the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 101, upstairs from 7-9pm.  

Not a member yet?  No problem.   New members are welcome to come join that evening.   So please spread the word to your neighbours and we will look forward to seeing you there.

Register by clicking here for Apr 4th LBNA Meeting

View the Long Branch Neighbourhood Character Guidelines

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