Our November 24th programme was also the date of our annual general meeting. Don Allen, S.H.S. President, welcomed everyone to the meeting and all the committees presented their annual reports. The Programme Committee has been responsible for putting together more than 300 programmes over the years and our current programme committee was introduced and recognized for their work. The top photo shows Jan Howe (committee chair) and the programme committee.
Our guest speaker for the evening was P.C. Richard Baker, a Community Service Officer with the Toronto Harbour Police. He spoke about the Toronto Police Services Marine Unit. It was named the Toronto Life Saving & Police Patrol Service in 1920 but had operated under other names since 1850. Their first lifesaving boat was purchased in 1857. Capt. W. Ward Sr. set up an Aux. Police Unit for lifesaving in 1880. In 1921 the Toronto Life Saving & Police Patrol Service came to be operated by the Toronto Harbour Commission at the expense of the City of Toronto. They were in service at the Noronic fire in 1949 and made 28 rescues during Hurricane Hazel.
Currently known as the Toronto Police Marine Unit they have a fulltime staff of 57. They operate out of 4 locations in the Toronto Harbour from the Humber River to Bluffers Park. Every spring they hire 93 seasonal personnel for the Toronto Police Lifeguard Service. This Service provides beach lifeguards, and rescue personnel on the thirteen beaches stretching along Toronto’s shoreline.
Among its many responsibilities the Marine unit also operates an Underwater Search and Recovery Team, it provides support to the Billy Bishop Island Airport, and works with enforcement agencies that include US Department of Homelands Securities, Canada Border Services, RCMP, and the OPP.
The Scarborough Historical Society hosts programmes on the 4th Tuesday of each month from January to April and from September to November. All programmes begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Bendale Public Library and are free and open to the public.