Etobicoke, Ontario
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Etobicoke (pronounced ) is the western portion of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the east by the Humber River, on the west by the city of Mississauga, and on the north by the city of Vaughan.
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History
It is thought that the French explorer, Étienne Brűlé, was the first European to visit the area, circa 1615.
The name "Etobicoke" was derived from the Mississauga word wah-do-be-kang, meaning "place where the black/wild alders grow", which was used to describe the area between Etobicoke Creek and the Humber River. The first provincial land surveyor, Augustus Jones, also spelled it as "ato-be-coake". Etobicoke was finally adopted as the official name in 1796.
The township of Etobicoke was incorporated in 1850. In 1953, Etobicoke Township became a part of the newly-formed regional government, the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto ("Metro").
In 1967, the township of Etobicoke was merged with three small lakeside villages — Long Branch, New Toronto and Mimico — to form the borough of Etobicoke. The municipality was incorporated as a city in 1984.
In 1998, the six municipalities merged to form the amalgamated city of Toronto.
Etobicoke has numerous public parks. Notable among them is James Gardens on the banks of the Humber River. The park includes seasonal flowers, walkways, a rock garden, streams, and waterfalls. It is a very popular site for taking wedding photographs.
Notable residents of Etobicoke
- Étienne Brűlé - explorer
- Father Robert Cavelier de la Salle
- Jean Baptiste Rousseau
- Brendan Shanahan - professional hockey player
References
- Inside Toronto - The Weekender; March 27, 2005.
- New Toronto Historical Society, [1] (http://www.newtorontohistorical.com/).