This website contains colour pictures of the Etobicoke Motel Strip taken by Roger D. Moore in 1989. The photos are in seven groups which can be accessed via the map below
North Strip | Northern Beach | HOME |
Central Strip | Central Beach | Misc |
South Strip | Southern Beach | Aerial Photos |
Directory |
Motel Strip southern part; North American and Hillcrest are off the top of map. Silver Moon frontage is where modern Silver Moon Drive intersects Lakeshore Blvd W.
Beach Motel was the last to be demolished (15 November 2012).
Shore Breeze was a small motel operated by the Butwell family.
Sunshine Tourist Court burned down sometime around 1982/1983. The owners wanted to replace it with a twenty story hotel but were denied permission by Etobiocke as the future plans for the Motel Strip were incomplete.
Rainbow Motel was one of the two especially notorious motels on the strip. On January 19, 1991 two fugitives rented a room and parked their stolen Porsche outside. A police check of the vehicle resulted in a seven-hour shootout between the Emergency Task Force of the Metropolitan Toronto Police and the fugitives. Chief Mark Saunders mentioned this incident on January 20, 2016 when discussing the need for some assault rifles.
The bullet holes were still present when the Rainbow was demolished.
Casa Mendoza was one of the two motels east of Mimico Creek which had a licensed restaurant. On weekend evenings the piano bar attracted singles from the two local condominiums. In the 21st century a flat roof at the rear was transformed into a licensed patio with a magnificent view of Humber Bay and the city.
In 1931 Hans Sachau founded Sachau Marine Construction on property which was later used for Casa Mendoza. The Sachau shipyard built Fairmile motor launches for the RCN during WWII.
Silver Moon Motel was owned by the Young family who also owned the Beach Motel.
Twenty One Fifty One Motel front