Leaside. 2nd ed.

Steve Pitt is a Toronto-based freelance writer and an award-winning journalist. He has written many young adult and children's books, including Day of the Flying Fox: The True Story of World War II Pilot Charley Fox.

In the early 19th century, a family of English farmers named Lea left
their native England to start a new life in the British colony of Upper
Canada. They purchased land on a fertile plateau that overlooked Lake
Ontario. By the middle of the century, the Lea farm had become the
centre of the local community. One of the Lea children became the
resident magistrate and the surrounding township became known by the
name of its peculiar octagonal courthouse, “Leaside.” Although just
a few minutes away from the larger city of Toronto, Leaside remained a
separate community for more than a century. It had its own racetrack,
air field, railroad connection, school board, police and fire
departments, and industrial base. Even though it lost an amalgamation
battle with the Borough of East York in 1967, Leaside has retained its
unique neighborhood identity into the 21st century.

Editor Jane Pitfield is a long-time Leaside resident who has been very
active in the local community. Over the past 16 years, she has served as
a ratepayer president and school trustee, and currently holds the seat
that represents Leaside at Toronto’s city council. Given diverse
background, it is not surprising that Pitfield has crammed so much
agricultural, industrial, residential, military, and even anecdotal
history into this single volume. Many of the chapters are short and
focus on specialized topics. One chapter, for example, explains the
origin of many of Leaside’s street names. Another chapter, “Memories
of Leaside,” consists of a collection of anecdotes by residents told
in their own words. Scores of carefully chosen photographs from public
and private collections help recall the many phases of Leaside’s
history.

This loving portrait of a unique urban enclave is a fine celebration of
Leaside’s special heritage.