Polson Pier and Cherry Beach is located in the industrial Port Lands on the Toronto waterfront. It offers excellent, unobstructed views of the Toronto skyline and is one of the best locations for watching the sunset. It’s also a great place for photographers and armature photographers to get some amazing pictures. This trip is one of my favorites, I’ll go to Cherry beach in the afternoon then go over to Polson pier to get a few shots latter that night. The picture at the top of this page is from one of my visits. Cherry Beach is located just south of Polson Pier, it has foot paths and bike trails throughout the area. It even has an off leash dog park for the few of you who have side cars.
Unfortunately the pier has mostly been blocked off and it’s down to just a small section, also there are no small restaurants or cafe’s in the area. If you are lucky there might be a food truck when you get there. It’s definitely worth a visit for the view, just don’t expect to fill your hole day there.
A Little History
Wm. Polson & Sons an engine-building firm that started in 1878 in Cobourg, Ontario. The company moved to Toronto in 1883, and became Polson Iron Works in 1886 under William Polson and his son F.B. Polson. The company specialized in steel ships, including freighters and barges for Great Lakes shipping. Fueled by the ever increasing demand for grain, coal, and lumber. The Company had a man-made extension into the Harbour that facilitated deep-water access for large vessels, in 1918 they employed up to 1,500 workers. By 1919 the post-war shipping slump and competition from larger U.S. yards, contributed to its closure.
The area continued to deteriorate with structures falling into disrepair and minimal economic activity in the 1970s. By the 1980s and 1990s the area was largely vacant or used for low-intensity storage. A Royal Commission report on Toronto's waterfront in 1991, highlighted the need for ecological restoration of the lakefront. In 1998 the City of Toronto leased the 11-hectare site to private operators for recreational and entertainment development.
From 1999 to 2017 the site was converted into a drive-in theater. It was the only drive-in movie theatre in downtown Toronto. Open on summer weekends, the drive-in could accommodate up to 500 vehicles. The drive-in closed in 2017, with their final showing occurring on September 3. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The area has also been home to a driving range, a go cart track, and even include the 2025 certification and opening of the Chartright Polson Pier Heliport by Transport Canada, transforming a portion of the site's parking area into a Visual Flight Rules facility operational from dawn to dusk. The area is still largely undeveloped to this day.
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