The Toronto Island Ferry ServiceA History |
TRANSFER POINTS Vol. 2, No. 4, March 1976 by Larry Partridge |
THE SECOND of two larger ferries to increase passenger service made its appearance in 1910, four years after the completion of the BLUEBELL. This new vessel was a complete duplicate of the latter in everything from side paddle-wheels to the spacious observation decks. However, this particular ferry would receive probably more attention in years to come. This was the TRILLIUM.
As all the previous three ferries had been named for various flowers, the TRILLIUM received her name from the flower which is the symbol of the province of Ontario.
Entering service in 1910, she soon rose in popularity second only to that of her sister ships. These ferries, as I have mentioned previously, were often used as a means of increasing passenger service, and the TRILLIUM and the BLUEBELL were often used together for shuttle service to Hanlan's Point.
In 1919 the Prince of Wales made a special visit to Toronto, and in honour of his visit the TRILLIUM was chartered to carry the Royal Party for a visit to the Toronto Island. This was a special honour, seldom granted, and has never been duplicated for any other boat in service since that time.
The TRILLIUM was in service mainly to Hanlan's Point and Centre Island from 1910 to 1926. From then until 1952 she catered mostly to Centre Island fanciers, with the occasional trip to Ward's Island and Hanlan's.
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By 1952 several new diesel-powered ferries had been introduced into the fleet, which provided a shorter crossing time and cut out the air pollution which had been caused by the thick, black smoke belching forth continuously from the old paddle-wheeler's stack. Citing these new strides in efficiency, the TRILLIUM was removed from active service and placed on standby, for emergency use.
However, between 1952 and 1957 no major emergency arose, and so the worn-out steamer, suffering from extensive dry rot to her superstructure, was retired from all service in 1957.
Unlike her sister ships, the TRILLIUM was the focal point of many rumours. Many times individuals had proposed to make the old ferry into a floating restaurant or museum, but these plans never came to fruition. However, in 1974, Mike Filey—Toronto's unofficial historian—and Alan Howard—curator of the Marine Museum in Toronto's Exhibition Place Park—put new interest in the restoration of the TRILLIUM, and eventually saw the day when a $1 million refit was ordered for the aging vessel, after tests disclosed that the hull was sound. This restoration came about when Tommy Thompson, Commissioner of Metro Parks Department, pointed out that the huge crowds coming to the Island in the summers of past years had increased to the point where the present fleet of four vessels couldn't handle the traffic, and that another boat was needed. He explained that rebuilding the TRILLIUM for use would cost less in the long run than the building of a new boat. The TRILLIUM has been adapted to use diesel fuel, however, her interesting engine and side paddle-wheels have been retained for operating purposes. At the time of writing, the TRILLIUM had been completely restored to the way she looked in 1910, when she was under the ownership of the Toronto Ferry Company.
She operated only on special charter service in 1976; because of her large size she could not fit into existing docks either at the Island or the mainland as these were rebuilt in recent years.
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