Some photos from the Toronto Islands’ first week back in business

Some photos from the Toronto Islands’ first week back in business

After a season of devastating flooding and limited public access, the Toronto Islands finally fully reopened last week. Torontonians, deprived for months of their favourite summer day-trip destination, made their way back to the ferry terminal over the weekend, filling Instagram with images of long-deferred Lake Ontario revelry. Here are some of those shots:

The Islands’ beaches, whose sand was depleted by the floods, seem as though they had a little trouble accommodating the crowds:

A summer tradition is back! ☀️⛱? #hanlanspoint #torontoisland #summertime #beachday #sunshine #lakeontario A post shared by Andrew Scanlon (@andrewbscanlon) on Aug 6, 2017 at 5:02pm PDT

Dogs once again have a place to roam free. This one is learning to swim:

Surfs up ?? Does your dog do this? A post shared by Iggy Joey (@iggyjoey) on Aug 7, 2017 at 12:25pm PDT

There is such a thing as too many dogs, though:

It was a crowded ferry ride back from the Toronto Islands! A post shared by Michael Olin (@_olin_nilo_) on Aug 7, 2017 at 5:28pm PDT

The ferry terminal ordered up some new signage for the occasion:

Jack Layton Ferry Terminal welcomes you back. We at Walk Ward's Island do too. #torontoisland #Toronto #walkingtour A post shared by walkwardsisland@gmail.com (@walkwards) on Aug 8, 2017 at 4:31pm PDT

The Centre Island ferry hasn’t seen this much action since last year:

Toronto island ⛴⛵️???⛱?? A post shared by Nathalie D (@angelica.duarte65) on Aug 4, 2017 at 8:47am PDT

The Islands’ quadricycle rental service was almost wiped out by a city contract snafu earlier this year, but now they, like everything else on the Islands, are back at it:

4 Seat Quadricycle, a perfect way for families to bond #shotsbywes A post shared by Weston Thai (@_shotsbywes) on Aug 5, 2017 at 5:02am PDT

Centreville had to sell off this rare wooden carousel for $3 million in order to defray some of the owners’ losses from this dismal season. The ride will be moving to Carmel, Indiana later this year:

Had to get a shot of the #antiquecarousel, one of 30 wood carved left in the world! #TorontoIsland A post shared by TrishLaDish (@trishdishworsley) on Aug 3, 2017 at 11:56am PDT

At the peak of the flooding, sandbags were all that prevented Lake Ontario from swallowing the Islands completely. Not all of them have been removed:

Aftermath of the floods. #torontoisland #centreisland #torontoisland #toronto #the6ix A post shared by scarlet (@crankyscarlet) on Aug 2, 2017 at 2:46pm PDT

But you know who’s happiest that the Islands are up and running again? The seagulls: