Along the Shore examines the Toronto waterfront, past and present, through the lens of four lakefront communities and districts — the Scarborough shore (including the Bluffs), the Beach, the Island, and the Lakeshore (New Toronto, Mimico, Humber Bay, and Long Branch). Each retains a direct and immediate connection with Lake Ontario and the natural world. Exploring the history, landscape, geography, and people of each of these waterfront areas reveals a rich heritage that has gone largely unrecognized and is for the most part forgotten.

The book brings to life the stories, many of which have never been told, of the lakefront and the people who have inhabited these special places. It features original interviews with wellknown Canadians like director Norman Jewison, who was raised in the Beach, and swimmer Marilyn Bell. Attention is also paid to the early First Nations presence in each of the featured areas. Historical, anecdotal, descriptive, and at the same time deeply personal, Along the Shoreis more than a local history, it is a layered journey that focuses on the connection between Toronto’s natural waterfront heritage and its people.

Jane Fairburn's profile page

• Commended, Heritage Toronto Book Awards

Jane Fairburn is a Toronto lawyer and has lived for many years along the north shore of Lake Ontario. She is deeply connected to the ecology, history, and landscape of the Toronto shore.

"And though there are a wealth of photos, paintings and archival images, it's not simply a coffee table book, it's a visual historical study well worth taking the time to read." — Beach Metro Community News

“Along the Shore: Rediscovering Toronto’s Waterfront Heritage is Fairburn’s ten-year literary labour of love . . . A marvellous book that generously evokes the nature of the four shore communities she chronicles.” — Literary Review of Canada