Accommodation, refreshment stop.

Details of Site Location: At the original shoreline west of the mouth of the Humber River, south of the Lake Shore Road.

Boundary History: The hotel and its outbuildings were spacious and extended from the Lake Shore Road to the lake, approximately 6 acres

Current Use of Property: Today, the site is buried with infill and has some parkland along the present shoreline.

Historical Description: John Duck gave his hotel a name that expresses his native land, but he adapted himself and his business to the less measured pace of life in Upper Canada. He arrived in Canada and established his business in 1872. By this date, his land was accessible by road, rail, and water. Built right at the water’s edge, the hotel was L-shaped in plan and two storeys in height in each arm of the L. A drive led right to the front door, which was recessed under an upper-level balcony of sorts. Drive sheds were on the inland side at the west end. Twelve multi-light windows were on the entire distance of the second storey. On the grounds were a dance floor, a refreshment stand, a carousel-type of gazebo, and stands of mature trees. Most areas were connected with white picket fences, which marked the route of the Lake Shore Road past the hotel. Most interesting of all is Duck’s plan to draw his clientele from various distances and by various means. As there was a small wharf at the property when he bought it, Duck simply extended it, both in width and length, out into the lake far enough for paddlewheel steamers to moor. The ships brought picnickers from Toronto and various places west to enjoy the facilities and entertainment offered by Duck. The most notorious of his entertainments was an ox-roast that ended in a riot. While the ox rested upon a huge iron grill, holidayers and others from the region mixed to form a large crowd, enjoying themselves at the open-air bar. It seems that no one was renting the boats for hire or enjoying the zoo with its wildcat, raccoons, deer, or bear. The ox must have been slow to roast, as some women began fighting with horsewhips and the entire crowd erupted into violence. It seems that Duck never held another ox-roast. After it had been the centre of social life for 40 years, the fun and games ended when the hotel burned down in 1912.

Relative Importance: Duck’s was an entertainment “hot-spot” during its existence, but did function as a real hotel with meals and accommodation for travellers – even if the travellers were returning home after a day or two. In many ways, Duck’s was a precursor to Sunnyside Amusement Park.

Planning Implications: A plaque might be mounted in the parkland close to the site of the hotel, explaining that Duck’s was part of Etobicoke Township’s entertainment history. The ox-roast riot is special: other hotels had riots, although not as interesting.

Reference Sources: Miles’ Atlas (1878); Edwin C. Guillet, Pioneer Inns and Taverns (1954).

Acknowledgements: Maps Project.