The community in The Beaches area in Toronto started in 1793 has a long and vibrant history. It started when the area was divided into lots by Alexander Aitken for Lieutenant Governor John Simcoe and the new owners, or their heirs, developed roads and settlements. As the villages grew, some owners fashioned recreational areas, which they often opened to the local population. Word spread and by the 1870's The Beaches became the summer resort for the residents of Toronto. As these small villages grew into Towns the City of Toronto eventually incorporated them into the City framework.