Centreville Amusement Park in Toronto Islands, Ontario, Canada, is a popular recreation destination. Want to know more about it? Allow Tita S to tell you 17 facts about its nature and history.
1.Centreville Amusement Park, or Centreville Theme Park, is a children’s amusement/theme park located on Centre Island1, part of Toronto Islands2, offshore of the city of Toronto, in the province of Ontario, Canada.
2. The park has been operated by the Beasley family since 1967, currently through Etobicoke3-based William Beasley Enterprises Limited, on land leased from the City of Toronto government.
Photo source: https://www.facebook.com/CentrevilleAmusementPark/photos/?ref=page_internal
3. Centreville Amusement Park is open daily, from 10:30AM – 8PM, from July to early September. It would be best to check its website https://www.centreisland.ca/ for days/hours of operation from May to June and mid-late September.
Photo source: https://www.facebook.com/CentrevilleAmusementPark/photos/?ref=page_internal
4. See chronology in footnote 4.
5. There are several parking lots located within a 5-minute walk to/from the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal5 at 9 Queens Quay West in mainland Toronto. However, these parking lots are not owned or operated by Centreville Amusement Park.6 Google parking options, especially if you will park the whole day.
You need to go to Jack Layton Ferry Terminal to ride a ferry to Centre Island1 where this park is located. You can also ride a water taxi or limo.
Ferry to Centre Island, August 2018 – Photo source: https://www.facebook.com/CentrevilleAmusementPark/photos/?ref=page_internal
Photo sources of Water Taxi picture-collage (top-bottom, l-r): https://www.facebook.com/PirateWaterTaxi/photos/3557983040937850, https://www.facebook.com/Torontoharbourtours/photos/1044139282318925, https://www.facebook.com/totikitaxi/photos/1277735162559027, https://www.otterguy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/otterguy-gal-43.jpg, and https://i0.wp.com/www.torontoharbourwatertaxi.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/TorontoHarbourWaterTaxi-WaterTaxis-13.jpg?ssl=1
See related posts: TORONTO ISLAND FERRIES: HISTORY AND FLEET, TORONTO ISLANDS FERRY TICKETS AND ISLAND DOCKS and THE TORONTO WATER TAXIS.
6. The island and theme park are wheelchair accessible. There are wheelchairs available for rent at the First Aid and Lost Children Centre after showing 2 government-issued IDs, on a first-come-first-served basis.
7. You can also rent wagons at the Island Outfitters kiosk, just left of the Centre Island ferry docks, for a rental fee of CAD15 (PHP566) for the day until one hour before the park closes at 8PM. Or you can pay CAD25 (PHP945) for the day and return the wagon when the park closes.
There is a security deposit of CAD200 (PHP7,547) on all wagon rentals on a Visa or Mastercard, but it will be voided and returned to the customer upon return of the wagon.6
8. There are lockers located in Centreville across from the General Store, at CAD2 (PHP76), and are one time use only. They measure 26 in x 16 in x 16 in.6
9. For large families and groups, you can barbecue on the Island but it must be charcoal operated. You need to book a picnic site if you have more than 25 people in your group. You can call 416-392-8188 to reserve a picnic site. For special events and catering, you can contact Centre Island Catering Summer Office (416) 203-0405/Winter Office (416) 234-2345.6
10. There is no general admission fee for both Centreville Amusement Park and Far Enough Farm nearby.6
11. If you like to enjoy the rides in the park, you must purchase ride tickets or an All-Day Ride Pass.
Centreville Tickets and Information Booth, August 2017 – Photo source: https://www.facebook.com/CentrevilleAmusementPark/photos/?ref=page_internal
All games are pay-to-play. There are also Family of 4 All-Day Ride Pass for families/groups, Season passes for individuals, and special group rates for more than 20 people.
12. Great news, dog-lovers! You can bring your “best friends” on the ferry, on the island, and in Centreville Amusement Park. However, keep them on a leash at all times, and they are not permitted on the rides. Dogs are not allowed at the Far Enough Farm too, with the exception of service dogs.6
13. This amusement park offers exciting rides and games suitable for all ages, especially children, 12 years-of-age and under.6 Visit http://stg.centreisland.ca/centreville-amusement-park/rides-and-amusement.
Some of the rides of Centreville Amusement Park (top-bottom, l-r): Frog Hopper, Antique Car Ride, Bumper Boat Ride, Beasley Bear Ride, Antique Carousel, Kiddie Boat Ride, Bumble Bees, Windmill Ferris Wheel, and Twirling Tea Cups – Source of photos: https://www.facebook.com/CentrevilleAmusementPark/photos/?ref=page_internal
14. There are several food concessions throughout Centreville Amusement Park, so no worries about getting hungry or thirsty: BeaverTails, Candy Floss Factory, Carousel Café, Cider Bar, Funnel Cake Shop, Mr. Fipp’s Popcorn Wagon, O’Bumble’s Ice Cream Parlour, Pizza Pizza, Scoops Ice Cream Wagon, Sister Sara’s Cake Shoppe, Subway, and Uncle Al’s Smokehouse Grill.7
Beaver Tails, Centreville Amusement Park – Photo sources: https://www.facebook.com/BeaverTails/photos/pcb.10155686081823923/10155686072443923/ (August 2017) and https://www.facebook.com/CentrevilleAmusementPark/photos/?ref=page_internal (March 2016)
Carousel Café – Photo source: https://www.facebook.com/CentrevilleAmusementPark/photos/?ref=page_internal
Pizza Pizza – Photo source: http://www.toronto-travel-guide.com/centreville-amusement-park.html#.YDOEY-gzbIU
15. There are other places to explore, or things to do that a child would enjoy: a wading pool, pony rides, miniature golf, playgrounds, water play areas, gardens, beaches, and a gift shop.
The operator of this park also operates the Far Enough Farm, adjacent to the park, and there is no admission fee.
See the post about this farm: MY FAR ENOUGH FARM EXPERIENCE (Toronto Islands, Ontario, Canada)
Visit this site: https://www.torontoisland.com/centreville.php and check out its link, or https://www.centreisland.ca/.
16. You can also visit the other islands. Toronto Islands2 has 15 islands and they are all interconnected by pathways and bridges. You can walk from one end of the Island to another, which is approximately 6 kms. long (about 90 minutes on foot, if you walk straight) from the Ward’s Island to Hanlan’s Point (you will know more about these places in a related post). Younger people can rollerblade while adults and seniors can rent bikes or quadracycles to easily get from one island to another. Visit https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/parks-gardens-beaches/toronto-island-park/.
17. There are two bank machines located on Centre Island – one in Centreville Town Hall Gift Shoppe and another in Carousel Café.6
The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Centreville Amusement Park”.8
This is not a sponsored post. We paid for our ferry ride, food, drinks and rides.
Did you find this post informative? I would like to hear your comment about Centreville Amusement Park and/or if you were able to visit it already.
See other interesting places through other posts in this category and other categories of SCapades, Pinoy Delights, and Smart Travelers – Foreign Travelers Ask, Now You Know, and Say, Say, Say. Happy reading, and I hope that you will appreciate what I shared and some of the featured destinations will be part of your future travel plans!
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The following terms are defined for interested readers, especially those with “Senior-Moments”, not familiar with the terms used in this post, and those too busy or lazy to Google such terms:
1Centre Island is the largest and outermost island of Toronto Islands2. This crescent-shaped island is the middle of the three primary Toronto Island destinations. It is sandwiched between Ward’s Island on the east and Hanlan’s Point on the west.
Boats from the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal5 go more often to this island, compared to other islands, since it is the location of the Centreville Amusement Park and nearby Far Enough Farm (a petting zoo), a beach, the Franklin’s Children’s Gardens and a busy playground and splash pad nearby, fountains, gardens, a pier that extends into Lake Ontario, food concessions, and other attractions.
Families can have a picnic and cook barbeque in designated areas. Centre Island is also the location of the Toronto Island boathouse, the Island Public and Natural Science school, Artscape’s Gibraltar Point Centre for the Arts (artist residences, studio rentals, group event venue), and a water treatment facility.
The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Toronto Islands”9, https://www.torontoisland.com/center.php, https://www.torontoisland.com/boathouse.php and https://artscapegibraltarpoint.ca/.
2Toronto Islands are a chain of 15 small islands in Lake Ontario, south of mainland Toronto, in the province of Ontario, Canada. The Islands is a popular recreation destination. It was formerly known as the Island of Hiawatha or Menecing, meaning “on the island” in the Ojibwa10 language. Thirteen are named: Centre Island, Algonquin (Sunfish Island), Forestry Island, Olympic Island, Mugg’s Island, Snake Island, South Island, Ward’s Island, Hanlan’s Island, Doughnut Island, Middle Island, South Chippewa Island, and RCYC (Royal Canadian Yacht Club) Island.
Source of photos: https://www.facebook.com/CentrevilleAmusementPark/photos/?ref=page_internal
The Toronto Islands community is considered to be the largest urban car-free community in North America. However, some service vehicles are permitted. Access to the islands is by ferry from Jack Layton Ferry Terminal5 at the foot of Bay Street, or by water taxi or limo.
The information was obtained from https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/toronto-islands and the Wikipedia page “Toronto Islands”9.
3Etobicoke is an administrative district and one of six municipalities amalgamated into the city of Toronto, in the province of Ontario, Canada. It is located at the west-end of the city, bordered on the north by Steeles Avenue West, on the west by Etobicoke Creek, the city of Mississauga and a small portion of the Toronto Pearson International Airport, on the east by the Humber River, and on the south by Lake Ontario. It was first settled by Europeans in the 1790s, and grew into city status in the 20th century. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Etobicoke”.11
4Here is the chronology of Centreville Amusement Park:
1959 – The Far Enough Farm opened.
See a related post: MY FAR ENOUGH FARM EXPERIENCE (Toronto Islands, Ontario, Canada)
1967 – Centreville Amusement Park opened and was operated by Bill Beasley Sr., father of the current president of William Beasley Enterprises. Its buildings have a 1900s turn-of-the-century village theme. It originally had 7 rides, and has expanded over the years, adding one or two rides a year.
The park was built as part of a master plan to convert the Toronto Islands2 land usage from residential to recreational use. The park replaced the old Sunnyside Amusement Park which closed in 1955, as well as Hanlan’s Point Amusement Park, which closed in the 1930s to make way for the island airport.
An 1870s cast iron planter to commemorate Queen Victoria’s birthday that was originally located in front of St. Lawrence Market, is now featured in the center of the park.
1968 – The Sky Ride, an aerial ride, was installed.
1989 – A Ferris wheel was acquired from Crystal Beach Amusement Park, in Fort Erie, Ontario.
Source of photos: https://www.facebook.com/CentrevilleAmusementPark/photos/?ref=page_internal
1995 – An accident occurred when a sailboat hit the Sky Ride and knocked a passenger out of her seat; she hung upside down for 45 minutes before being rescued.
2010 – A patron was injured while being loaded onto a chair of the Sky Ride. A court case that lasted till 2015 ensued.
2013 – Centreville Amusement Park took over operations of Far Enough Farm, which was threatened with closure. At the same time, the City of Toronto extended its lease to 2022.
2015 – Beasley lost the court case on the 2010 Sky Ride accident, and was asked to pay CA$250,000. The Sky Ride was subsequently closed and remained so until 2017.
2017 – In May, the park did not open because of flooding in many areas. The animals at Centreville Far Enough Farm were moved off the island in late June, and sheltered at the family’s equine facility in nearby Schomberg, Ontario.
In the summer, the carousel of the Park was conditionally sold to the city of Carmel, Indiana, USA. The sale was due to an estimated CA$6 million loss when it was unable to open due to flooding of the area by high lake levels, according to the president of Beasley Enterprises. The estimated selling price was CA$3 million, approximately US$2.25 million.
In June, the park purchased a used ferry boat, the Dartmouth III, from Halifax Transit in Nova Scotia for CA$100,000, to add to the island’s ferry fleet. It was privately run and not part of the city-run ferry service.
On July 31, the park reopened, except for the Far Enough Farm, which remained closed until 2018 due to flood damage.
On July 20, an announcement on Centreville’s Facebook page indicated that the carousel would continue in operation on the island for the 2017 season.
On July 31, Beasley was quoted as saying he has not yet accepted the offer and that Toronto Mayor John Tory was interested in keeping the carousel in Toronto. Beasley considered the purchase of a new carousel that would be on site at Centreville by the 2018 park season.
In early August, a new version of the Sky Ride opened to replace the old version.
Sources of photos: https://www.facebook.com/CentrevilleAmusementPark/photos/?ref=page_internal
Three rides were not operational: the Swan Ride, and the bumper boat ride (due to high water levels), and the train ride (due to flood damage to the tracks).
Swan Ride, Bumber Boat Ride, Train Ride – Source of photos: https://www.facebook.com/CentrevilleAmusementPark/photos/?ref=page_internal
A park spokesman said that the loss in revenue was CA$8 million due to the flood, and the cost of repairs was estimated at CA$6 million.
In mid-September, the sale of the carousel was in doubt after the city’s finance committee recommended that this item be removed from the budget for the redevelopment plan. By mid-month, it was confirmed that Carmel will not purchase the ride and will stay put to solicit other buyers.
2018 – In the early part of the year, Dartmouth III ferry was in Toronto.
The carousel remained after negotiations with the city over rent and debts forgiven by Beasley’s suppliers.
The Far Enough Farm reopened.
2019 – Dartmouth III ferry was decommissioned.
5Jack Layton Ferry Terminal, formerly called the Toronto Island Ferry Docks, is a ferry slip12 for Toronto Island ferries, operated by the City of Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division.
It is located at 9 Queens Quay West, in the Toronto Harbour, in the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was named in honor of the former city councilor and federal Member of Parliament, Jack Layton, in 2013.
It offers 3 ferry routes between mainland Toronto and Toronto Islands: Centre Island, Hanlan’s Point and Ward’s Island. There is about 1.2 million passengers yearly, mostly during the summer months.
The information was obtaoned from the Wikipedia page “Jack Layton Ferry Terminal”.13
6https://www.centreisland.ca/centreville-amusement-park/faq
7www.centreisland.ca/centre-island-food-and-drink/island-food-outlets
8“Centreville Amusement Park,” accessed May 29, 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centreville_Amusement_Park
9“Toronto Islands,” accessed May 29, 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_Islands
10The Ojibwa, Ojibwe, Chippewa, or Saulteaux, are an Anishinaabe people14 of southern Canada and the northern Midwestern United States. In Canada, they are the second-largest First Nations15 population, surpassed only by Cree16. They are one of the most numerous indigenous peoples north of the Rio Grande, one of the principal rivers in the southwest United States and northern Mexico.
They traditionally speak the Ojibwa language, an indigenous language of North America of the Algonquian language family, characterized by a series of dialects that have local names and local writing systems.
They are known for their birch-bark canoes, birch-bark scrolls, mining and trade in copper, as well as their cultivation of wild rice and maple syrup.
They underwent colonization by European-descended Canadians. They signed treaties with settler leaders, and many European settlers inhabited the Ojibwe ancestral lands.
The information was obtained from the Wikipedia pages “Ojibwe”17 and “Rio Grande”18.
11“Etobicoke,” accessed May 29, 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etobicoke
12A ferry slip is a specialized docking facility that receives a ferryboat, according to the Wikipedia page “Ferry slip”.19
13“Jack Layton Ferry Terminal,” accessed May 29, 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Layton_Ferry_Terminal
14The Anishinaabe are a group of culturally-related indigenous peoples resident in what are now Canada and the USA. They also include the Odawa, Saulteaux, Ojibwe, Potawatomi, Oji-Cree, and Algonquin peoples. The word Anishinaabeg translates to “people from whence lowered”. Basil Johnston, on Ojibwe historian, wrote that the term’s literal translation is “beings made out of nothing” or “spontaneous beings”. Anishinaabe claim that they were created by divine breath. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Anishinaabe”.20
15The First Nations are the predominant indigenous peoples in Canada, south of the Arctic Circle. Those in the Arctic Circle are distinct and known as Inuit. The Métis, another distinct ethnicity, developed after European contact, and relations primarily between First Nations people and Europeans. There are 634 recognized First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “First Nations”.21 Gosh, I did not know there were that many!
16The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations15 in North America. The over 350,000 Cree in Canada live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Quebec and the Northwest Territories. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Cree”.22
17“Ojibwe,” accessed May 29, 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ojibwe
18“Rio Grande,” accessed May 29, 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Grande
19“Ferry slip,” accessed May 29, 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferry_slip
20“Anishinaabe,” accessed May 29, 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anishinaabe
21“First Nations,” accessed May 6, 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Nations
22“Cree,” accessed May 29, 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cree
Some of the animals in far Enough Farm – Photo sources (top-bottom, l-r): 
You can use a ferry or a water taxi to go to Toronto Islands.
Centre Island dock – Photo source: 
The Toronto Island BBQ & Beer Co. is strategically located to the right of the Centre Island dock, upon entry to the island.
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Water Limo – Photo source: 
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Tita S Travels 
