Religious institution.
Details of Site Location: The corner of Iroquois and Mohawk Streets on Centre Island.
Boundary History: The church was on the south side of Iroquois, which was the northern boundary street of a cottage subdivision. The corner was south of Long Pond and east of the Filtration Plant.
Current Use of Property: Parkland.
Historical Description: The area was developed as seven blocks that made up a little cottage subdivision, as shown on Registered Plans 76E and 172E. The blocks were separated by streets named for Indian nations, except for St. Andrews Avenue and Manitou Road. Manitou is one of the Indian names for Great Spirit. A long tongue reached south and west from Long Pond to the end of St. Andrews Avenue, the westernmost of the streets. Along the north side of the blocks ran Iroquois Avenue and along the south side ran Lake Shore Avenue. Mohawk Avenue was in the middle of the group of blocks. The Catholic community had been small or unnoticeable on the Island for a number of years, and their spiritual needs had to be served by mainland churches. That is, they had to take the ferry to Mass. As Catholics acquired cottages, by the early 1920s they were numerous enough to justify building a little church. A lot at the centre of the subdivision was acquired, and the Catholic Islanders raised funds, assisted by the Toronto Diocese. A little wooden church was built and painted brown. On Sunday, 26 July 1922, Archbishop Neil McNeil dedicated the church. Islanders could then go to their cottages for breakfast. The church was threatened by a fire in 1939 but escaped unharmed. But changes were brewing in City and Metro Councils in the 1950s, and these began to affect the Islands generally. Arguments were rife. Metro began to acquire houses and lots in the early 1950s, and by the 1960s over a third of the Island’s buildings had been acquired and demolished. St. Rita’s Church was moved to a new location near Ward’s Island. But the land acquisitions and demolitions continued. In the 1970s, Islanders were in a state of furor, trying to defend themselves. But the game was over for St. Rita’s Church, which closed in the late 1970s and was demolished shortly after. Today, even the streets of its subdivision have vanished along with all of the cottages.
Relative Importance: St. Rita’s Church gave 50 years of service to Islanders and their guests. Its experience ranged from a period of happy contentment and great hospitality towards all, to a period of redevelopment built upon anger and resentment on the part of cottagers.
Planning Implications: The original location of St. Rita’s Church should be marked with a plaque in the existing parkland, along with information about the displacement of Island residents. Metro could have acquired properties as they become available, but forced the issue against the will of stakeholders – a point that should not be forgotten. In forcing the conversion to highly manicured parkland and locations of entertainment, the city lost good will and respect, and deprived itself of a summer colony where everyone was welcome. Instead, remaining Islanders, confined to Algonquin Island, continue defensive and much less open.
Reference Sources: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto; Toronto Reference Library.
Acknowledgements: Maps Project.