Article by Rick Schofield
Heritage Day or Family Day is the third Monday of February, and Heritage Week gives us a chance to look back at our community’s history. Unfortunately, Sears court was not available that week. However, to mark the occasion, our annual Heritage Showcase display was set up in the Scarborough Town Centre at Sears Court on the weekend of Feb. 27-March 1st, 2015.
Scarborough’s documented history is barely 200 years old, yet local heritage is something on which we can all reflect, regardless of our ancestral roots.
During the post war boom, developers quickly transformed open farmland into streets of closely packed houses, commercial buildings and industry. By 1955, the population had surpassed 100,000 and Scarborough had become one of the federated municipalities of Metropolitan Toronto. Aerial photographs from the Scarborough Archives dating from 1949-1970s illustrate the rapid transformation of the landscape and were on display.
In 1998, with a population of more than half a million, municipal government was amalgamated into a new City of Toronto but community names such as Scarborough, Agincourt, Highland Creek and West Hill are still recognized Our municipal government has changed, but the Scarborough community names still survive.
As we celebrate Heritage Week 2015, we reflect briefly upon the days when early settlers set out to clear the land and build homes for their families.
Once again, the Scarborough Historical Society and Archives set up a Heritage Showcase display at Sears Court in the Scarborough Town Centre, during regular shopping centre hours from Friday, Feb. 27 to Sunday, March 1st, 2015.
Archives’ volunteers were on hand to meet the general public, answer questions about our heritage and display the archives’ extensive photo collection for all to view.
Residents were invited to come look at the hundreds of post war aerial photographs showing the development of Scarborough and look through community photo albums filled with street scenes and historic landmarks.
Those interested in Scarborough’s history can also visit our Facebook page: “Scarborough, Looking Back“
