Port Union is a neighbourhood on the eastern border of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is bounded by the Rouge River on the east, Port Union Rd. on the west, Lake Ontario to the south, and (nowadays) Highway 401 to the north. The former northern limit to Port Union was Lawrence Ave. The last eastern exit on the highway is located here. Most residents are commuters who travel downtown each day via the 401 or Kingston Road (Highway #2). Average commute times are 40 minutes to 1 hour depending on the level of congestion.
Port Union was part of the Township of Pickering, Ontario until 1984, when municipal reforms in Ontario transferred the neghbourhood to the City of Scarborough. Scarborough was merged with five other municipalities and a regional government to form the new "City of Toronto" in 1998.
The places of interest or note in Port Union are the eastern edge of the Scarborough Bluffs, Rouge Beach and waterfront trail, and the Rouge Hill GO Transit commuter train station. Rouge Beach is bordered by a natural marsh area which forms part of the Rouge Park reserve, which extends north along the river watershed to the Oak Ridges Moraine. The area west of the Go Transit station has been developed, in recent years, as a community park on the site of old Port Union village. A pioneer hotel structure which was to have been part of the park was torched by vandals during the park construction work. Now surrounded by new residential development, the park is linked by tunnel to a bike trail and shoreline restoration which is part of a waterfront revitalization plan by the Toronto Regional Conservation Authority. Phase I of that project opened in October 2006, part of a waterfront bike trail which will eventually link the lakeshore parks and beaches through Scarborough and Pickering.
This also describes the boundaries of West Rouge, which became part of Scarborough in the mid 1970's.
http://www.boldts.net/PortUnion/Port-Union-Commons.shtml
http://www.thetorontorealestate.com/
The neighbourhood originated as the small lakefront town of Port Union in the 1800s. It was later developed as a suburban bedroom community after the Second World War. In recent years the industrial lands along the waterfront have transformed into new subdivisions. The neighbourhood has many mature trees, parkland and waterfront. It is an affluent neighbourhood with 93% home ownership. Port Union is home a large percentage of people with British ancestry.
In 1976, a proposal for the regeneration and restoration of the old harbour lands at the southern terminus of Port Union road was proposed by the NANCY-GRIFFOn Foundation Inc and was fully supported by Mayor Gus Harris [and all subsequent Mayors except Joyce Trimmer who blocked the project along with Controller Ken Morish]and the Parks Commissioner Bruce Fleury and Metro Parks Commissioner Robert Bundy. In 1979 the Foundation was incorporated and a fund raising drive was started. Of note was the enthusiastic support of the Commissioner of the Toronto and Regional Conservation Authority, Mr.Dave McLean, then Craig Mather and finally Mr. Brian Denny, in succession. Finally in 2001 land acquisition was begun by the TRCA with public funding. While the old winter harbour can not be restored, the summer harbour and the lands associated with it are being regenerated under a design concept called the King's Harbour Marine Parksponsored by the Nancy Griffon Foundation since 1976 for the restoration of "Olde Port Union" including the re-opening of the old "Adams Creek" as required under the Environmental Assessment which flowed from north of the current Hwy 401 into Lake Ontario. This time the Adams Creek will flow into the restored Port Union sailing harbour and marina.
