Hanlan's Point Beach
Encyclopedia
Hanlan's Point Beach is a public beach situated at 43°36′55"N 79°23′28"W on Hanlan's Point near Toronto
, Ontario
on the shore of Lake Ontario
. A kilometre long part of the beach was officially recognized by the city in 2002 as being clothing optional.
Hanlan's Beach can be reached most directly by taking the Hanlan's Point ferry at the foot of Bay Street
at Queens Quay
. The ferry cost is currently $6.50 CAD per adult for a return trip and the schedule varies depending on the day of the week and season. After the fifteen-minute trip, it is necessary to walk or cycle another ten or fifteen minutes along a paved path. The beach is shielded from the path by a stand of natural brush and trees. There are designated wooden walkways through this natural area to ensure that foot traffic does not degrade it. Aside from the cost of the ferry there is no admission fee.
It may assist potential first-time visitors to know that the beach features: a lifeguard
station; an emergency telephone; refuse and recycling bins; well-maintained washrooms and a shower nearby, as well as a licensed snack bar and ice for sale (limited opening hours). Lockers ($2.00 exact change in the form of a 'Toonie
'), lounge chairs ($6.00 with $2 deposit required) and umbrellas ($10.00) are available for rent. Signage, walkways, frequency of ferry
service and other physical facilities are noticeably upgraded each year. A volleyball court is situated on one end of the kilometre length of sand, but the beach offers little else in the way of formal recreation opportunities. The mood can be described as low-key and laid-back, with people there to sun, swim, and converse. Canada's only other official clothing-optional beach is Wreck Beach
in Vancouver
, British Columbia
.
The effective beach season starts in late May and ends in late September, while actual swimming off the beach is possible only well within this period. On low-attendance days, there are usually fifty or more people on the clothing-optional side of the beach at any one time, with almost none to be seen on the "textile" side. On hot and sunny weekends, five hundred or more people can often be found. Again, the end of the beach reserved for those who prefer swimsuits is usually only sparsely populated. Although there is no requirement for nudity in the clothing-optional end, almost everyone takes the opportunity to completely shed their clothes. Sailboats and motorboats often anchor just offshore while their owners also enjoy the beach.
Prior to becoming "officially" clothing optional in 2002, Hanlan's Point Beach was a traditional site for nude sunbathing for decades. It was also an infrequent target of police crackdowns for nude sunbathing. Its official status has resulted in a distinct increase in ferry traffic, and it appears to be a profitable component of public- and private-sector advertising campaigns, since it draws visitors to Toronto. Police and park officials now work in partnership with the beachgoers to maintain the friendly atmosphere.
As is common for most public nudist-friendly venues, males make up a large percentage of the users of the beach, but women can make up to one quarter of the total on popular weekends. Recent years continue to see an increase in the number of families who attend.
This beach is the regular site of day trips by several local nudist organizations. It is the second officially recognized clothing-optional beach in Canada and the only one created by a municipal bylaw.
Despite its proximity to Toronto Harbour
, the beach can boast extremely good water quality
since it faces southwest and away from the mainland. Water quality is monitored daily (on weekdays) during the summer and meets a Blue Flag standard set by the Foundation for Environmental Education
.
Since 2008, Hanlan's Point Beach is the home of "The Beach Ball", an outdoor event that occurs on the sand. The daytime dance party, which includes local and international DJs and performers, is a benefit for the AIDS Committee of Toronto.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
on the shore of Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
. A kilometre long part of the beach was officially recognized by the city in 2002 as being clothing optional.
Hanlan's Beach can be reached most directly by taking the Hanlan's Point ferry at the foot of Bay Street
Bay Street
Bay Street, originally known as Bear Street, is a major thoroughfare in Downtown Toronto. It is the centre of Toronto's Financial District and is often used by metonymy to refer to Canada's financial industry since succeeding Montreal's St. James Street in that role in the 1970s...
at Queens Quay
Queens Quay
Queens Quay or Queen's Quay may refer to:*Queen's Quay, Belfast, a district in Belfast*Queen's Quay , a street in Toronto**Queens Quay , an underground streetcar station in Toronto...
. The ferry cost is currently $6.50 CAD per adult for a return trip and the schedule varies depending on the day of the week and season. After the fifteen-minute trip, it is necessary to walk or cycle another ten or fifteen minutes along a paved path. The beach is shielded from the path by a stand of natural brush and trees. There are designated wooden walkways through this natural area to ensure that foot traffic does not degrade it. Aside from the cost of the ferry there is no admission fee.
It may assist potential first-time visitors to know that the beach features: a lifeguard
Lifeguard
A lifeguard supervises the safety and rescue of swimmers, surfers, and other water sports participants such as in a swimming pool, water park, or beach. Lifeguards are strong swimmers and trained in first aid, certified in water rescue using a variety of aids and equipment depending on...
station; an emergency telephone; refuse and recycling bins; well-maintained washrooms and a shower nearby, as well as a licensed snack bar and ice for sale (limited opening hours). Lockers ($2.00 exact change in the form of a 'Toonie
Toonie
The Canadian 2 dollar coin, commonly called Toonie, was introduced on February 19, 1996 by Public Works minister Diane Marleau. The Toonie is a bi-metallic coin which bears an image of a polar bear, by Campbellford, Ontario artist Brent Townsend, on the reverse. The obverse, like all other current...
'), lounge chairs ($6.00 with $2 deposit required) and umbrellas ($10.00) are available for rent. Signage, walkways, frequency of ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
service and other physical facilities are noticeably upgraded each year. A volleyball court is situated on one end of the kilometre length of sand, but the beach offers little else in the way of formal recreation opportunities. The mood can be described as low-key and laid-back, with people there to sun, swim, and converse. Canada's only other official clothing-optional beach is Wreck Beach
Wreck Beach
Wreck Beach is a popular clothing-optional beach located in Pacific Spirit Regional Park, which is in turn part of the University Endowment Lands just west of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...
in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
.
The effective beach season starts in late May and ends in late September, while actual swimming off the beach is possible only well within this period. On low-attendance days, there are usually fifty or more people on the clothing-optional side of the beach at any one time, with almost none to be seen on the "textile" side. On hot and sunny weekends, five hundred or more people can often be found. Again, the end of the beach reserved for those who prefer swimsuits is usually only sparsely populated. Although there is no requirement for nudity in the clothing-optional end, almost everyone takes the opportunity to completely shed their clothes. Sailboats and motorboats often anchor just offshore while their owners also enjoy the beach.
Prior to becoming "officially" clothing optional in 2002, Hanlan's Point Beach was a traditional site for nude sunbathing for decades. It was also an infrequent target of police crackdowns for nude sunbathing. Its official status has resulted in a distinct increase in ferry traffic, and it appears to be a profitable component of public- and private-sector advertising campaigns, since it draws visitors to Toronto. Police and park officials now work in partnership with the beachgoers to maintain the friendly atmosphere.
As is common for most public nudist-friendly venues, males make up a large percentage of the users of the beach, but women can make up to one quarter of the total on popular weekends. Recent years continue to see an increase in the number of families who attend.
This beach is the regular site of day trips by several local nudist organizations. It is the second officially recognized clothing-optional beach in Canada and the only one created by a municipal bylaw.
Despite its proximity to Toronto Harbour
Toronto Harbour
Toronto Harbour or Toronto Bay is a bay on the north shore of Lake Ontario, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is a natural harbour, protected from Lake Ontario waves by the Toronto Islands. It is a commercial port on the Great Lakes as well as a recreational harbour...
, the beach can boast extremely good water quality
Water quality
Water quality is the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water. It is a measure of the condition of water relative to the requirements of one or more biotic species and or to any human need or purpose. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which...
since it faces southwest and away from the mainland. Water quality is monitored daily (on weekdays) during the summer and meets a Blue Flag standard set by the Foundation for Environmental Education
Foundation for Environmental Education
The Foundation for Environmental Education is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation promoting sustainable development through environmental education...
.
Since 2008, Hanlan's Point Beach is the home of "The Beach Ball", an outdoor event that occurs on the sand. The daytime dance party, which includes local and international DJs and performers, is a benefit for the AIDS Committee of Toronto.
External links
- http://www.beachballparty.com
- http://blueflag.ca/drupal/?q=node/108
- http://www.fcn.ca/