Compiled by Peter Coulman
Map by James Bow

Background

Unlike Coxwell Avenue to the west, Woodbine remains a residential street throughout its length. Before 1954, the portion of Woodbine Avenue north of the Danforth was in the territory of the Township of East York, and bus service was provided by the Danforth Bus Lines, which did not have a charter to provide any service on Woodbine south of the Danforth.

With most of the passengers on the Danforth Bus Lines transferring onto the Bloor-Danforth streetcar and with most passengers south of the Danforth within walking distance of streetcars on Gerrard, Kingston Road and Queen, transit service on this portion of Woodbine did not begin until the mid 1950s, even after the TTC took over the Danforth Bus Lines’ operations and established the 91 WOODBINE bus route. Once service started south of the Danforth, it was only to serve passengers heading to the eastern beaches. It would take ten years before dedicated local service would come to southern Woodbine Avenue.

BEACH SPECIAL

June 30th, 1956

A new summer service, operating only on weekends and holidays, starts running on this day from the intersection of Danforth and Woodbine, south on Woodbine to Queen, looping counterclockwise via east on Queen, south on Kippendavie, east on Kew Gardens, north on Kenilworth and west on Queen to Woodbine. One bus operating from Russell Division provides a 20 minute service. Double-punched SHERBOURNE transfers used. Service ends on September 3rd.

July 13, 1957

Summer service resumes, except with the route now looping via west on Queen, south on Coxwell and east on Keating Extension (today’s Lakeshore Bouelvard?) to Woodbine. Service ends on August 18.

BEACHES’ SPECIAL

June 30, 1963

New summer service established, looping at the north end via Strathmore, Cedarvale and Milverton, running south on Woodbine to Queen, west on Queen to Eastern and south and west on Eastern to Coxwell, south on Coxwell to Lakeshore.From there, buses run east on Lakeshore, through the Beach Parking Area, to Woodbine, running north from there to return to the route. Service initially looped at Queen via Kippendavie, Kew Beach west to Woodbine, but this was altered to provide service closer to the beaches. Service operated at 15 minute intervals out of Danforth Division.

Zone 1 fares and transfers provided. Service ends on September 2nd.

June 28, 1964

Summer service resumes, on same routing as previous year. Service ends September 7.

91C/D WOODBINE

October 5, 1964

A new rush hour service running south of the Danforth to Queen Street looping via west on Queen, north on Rainsford and east on Columbine. This extension is intended to take pressure off the BLOOR cars by routing some passengers down to QUEEN.

January 20, 1965

• 91 WOODBINE Pocket Timetable - Front
• 91 WOODBINE Pocket Timetable - Back

June 27, 1965

The BEACHES SPECIAL service resumes for the summer, running on the same route as the previous year, until September 6th.

September 5, 1965

Service south of Woodbine and Danforth via Woodbine to Queen (91C / 91D) increased to 7 days a week, 16 hours a day

February 26, 1966

BLOOR-DANFORTH SUBWAY opens between Keele and Woodbine. All 91 WOODBINE service enters the bus terminal and terminates at Woodbine Station. Service south of the Danforth to Queen is now restructured as follows:

June 26, 1966 - September 5, 1966 and June 25, 1967 - September 4, 1967

In place of the BEACHES SPECIAL, a branch of of the 91 WOODBINE bus is extended south of Queen Street to the Beaches Olympic Pool and Woodbine Beach. Buses on the 91C branch follow the 91B to Queen and then loop via west on Queen, south on Coxwell, east on Lakeshore, through the Beaches Parking Lot, east on Lakeshore and north on Woodbine to return to the route. Service operated at 15 minute intervals replacing 91B buses at all times save during rush hours.

The June 1966 issue of Headlights states, “Starting June 26th,1966 the WOODBINE SOUTH bus route will be extended south of Queen to the Beaches Olympic Pool” for the summer (see the article here). Again, the map beside this blurb shows a 91B bus heading south to Queen, and a 91C branch running in dotted lines as the summer extension to the pool.

• 91 WOODBINE Pocket Timetable, November 20, 1967 - Front
• 91 WOODBINE Pocket Timetable, November 20, 1967 - Back

92 WOODBINE SOUTH

May 11, 1968

BLOOR-DANFORTH SUBWAY extended from Keele and Woodbine to Islington and Warden respectively. Former WOODBINE SOUTH 91B service now designated as 92 WOODBINE SOUTH.

There is no change to routing, buses continue to run from Woodbine Station, looping via Queen, Rainsford and Columbine.

June 21, 1968

Summer seasonal extension (weekends and daily between the rush hours) from Queen via Eastern, Coxwell and Lakeshore (formerly 91C WOODBINE), come into effect as the 92A branch of WOODBINE SOUTH. Service continues until Labour Day.

The 92A “Lakeshore” summer service to the beaches would continue every summer from mid-June to Labour Day until 1991.

September 1, 1991

As a result of the closure of Greenwood Racetrack and the redevelopment of its lands into a new residential neighbourhood, 92A buses operate to the Lakeshore at all times, except during rush hours, when 92 buses turn back at Queen.

February 18, 1996

Due to system-wide reductions as a result of provincial funding cutbacks, all service after 10:00 p.m. cut.

1996-2004

As the new racetrack-lands neighbourhood continue to develop, the TTC proposes adjusting its Lakeshore service to run both ways on Woodbine and Lakeshore between Queen and near Coxwell. However, local residents object to the initial proposal, looping buses on-street through the neighbourhood, and so the long loop around Eastern Avenue, Coxwell and Lakeshore continues, until…

October 17, 2004

In anticipation of a new bus loop in the corner of Northern Dancer and Lakeshore, all service at all times operates south from Woodbine station, beyond Queen, looping via Queen, Eastern and Coxwell. 92A branch redesignated 92, and service on Rainsford and Columbine removed. Service would have operated to the loop on this day, with service will be removed from Queen, Eastern and Coxwell, but delays in construction require the continuation of this looping until…

January 2, 2005

Loop at Northern Dancer and Lakeshore completed.

November 23, 2008

As part of the TTC’s Ridership Growth Strategy, late evening service is added, seven days a week. Buses now run whenever the subway is open.