This is an extract of an article submitted by Sunnybrook school to The Town Crier: In 1950, a pregnant woman, her husband and their small son travelled from Vienna to Toronto to start a new life. Irmingard Hoff, the daughter of a prominent Viennese surgeon and a pharmacist, had studied early childhood education in Vienna and brought with her to Canada a dream — to start a nursery school. Two years later, through sheer determination, Hoff’s vision took shape. She rented space in the basement of St. Augustine of Canterbury church on Bayview Avenue — just south of Sunnybrook Hospital and north of the recently opened Sunnybrook Plaza. With eight students and one committed teacher, Sunnybrook School was born. By 1960 Sunnybrook School had 40 students and a waiting list. The classroom space was cramped, and Hoff wished for outdoor space where she could have a proper age-appropriate playground and a garden. With the help of some supportive parents, the Hoffs were able to raise the money to build the first privately owned nursery school in Toronto housed in a building designed for the purpose. In September of 1960 Sunnybrook School opened its doors at 469 Merton St. with 65 students in five classes. Town Crier
