Miscellany Toronto Photographs: Then and Now

[FAC33]

Then and Now for Sep 29.




Now. July 2011. Late in the day when I got here, the shadows are long. The deco-ish building on the right certainly appears to be an original from our 1940 picture, but in the 1940 picture a car blocks the view.

That building is a beauty. I was just noticing it last month on a training walk for the Weekend to End Women's Cancers. The moulded/carved details are gorgeous--you can see a little of them in the photo. I wished I'd had my camera that day, because it's a hidden gem.

 

[Abecedaraiana]

Ha! It would be ironic given that his hotel room was bombed in 1967 in the Sutton Place Hotel. Myer Rush, our own Hyman Roth (aka Meyer Lansky) fled to Panama and was sentenced to 10 years in prison for stock fraud. The case enthralled Toronto in the 60's. Not sure what happened to him and Google isn't much help.....

I've been reading the manuscript of the biography of Myer Rush (written by his nephew, Bruce Rosen). Fascinating guy of a type no longer cast. He died in 1999 (Alzheimer's) in a nursing home at the age of 74.

 

[Mustapha]

Has anyone done a then and now of the old canada post delivery building/air canada centre? if not it would be awesome to see one. having trouble finding a picture of the old building pre-acc

http://www.nexusarchitects.com/Projects/AirCanada.pdf

 

[Mustapha]

I've been reading the manuscript of the biography of Myer Rush (written by his nephew, Bruce Rosen). Fascinating guy of a type no longer cast. He died in 1999 (Alzheimer's) in a nursing home at the age of 74.

I think the bomb that went off was under his hotel bed? It was big news in the day, even through the eyes of this 11 year old.

 

[Goldie]

A short distance east of the former Leaside aerodrome we find this old, old "aerial" structure spanning the Don Valley:

 

[Mustapha]

A short distance east of the former Leaside aerodrome we find this old, old "aerial" structure spanning the Don Valley:

Goldie, I've never seen that 'Then'. Wonderful and quite the feat in 1884.

 

[Mustapha]

Oct 3 Then and Now.


Then. 'Queens Quay, looking West, May 27, 27.' To the right of the horse team is the machine - a dump truck - that would obsolete those suffering animals very soon.

Now. July 2011. Well, what's to say; condo development since the late 70s has and continues to change the Toronto waterfront. We are looking W from just W of Yonge street. It's a bit of a 'wall' isn't it (not exactly my original thought on the subject)? It looks the same from a ferry from the middle of the harbour. One thing that hasn't changed is the 1926 Toronto Terminal Building in the centre distance, a mixed use (condos, offices and shops) building for some years now - a real beauty - and a great and elegant example of what re-use is all about. Elegance comes at a price though; the condos within are the most pricey along this strip.

 

[Goldie]

Oct 3 Then and Now.


Then. 'Queens Quay, looking West, May 27, 27.' To the right of the horse team is the machine - a dump truck - that would obsolete those suffering animals very soon.

Now. July 2011. Well, what's to say; condo development since the late 70s has and continues to change the Toronto waterfront. We are looking W from just W of Yonge street. It's a bit of a 'wall' isn't it (not exactly my original thought on the subject)? It looks the same from a ferry from the middle of the harbour. One thing that hasn't changed is the 1926 Toronto Terminal Building in the centre distance, a mixed use (condos, offices and shops) building for some years now - a real beauty - and a great and elegant example of what re-use is all about. Elegance comes at a price though; the condos within are the most pricey along this strip.

If not for that tower on the original Terminal Warehouse, "I'd hardly know ye!"

 

[donoreo]

A short distance east of the former Leaside aerodrome we find this old, old "aerial" structure spanning the Don Valley:

I think if you went down and looked at the footings you could tell. There is a similar bridge, two actually, over the Don if you go down the new trail on the east side of the Don between Lawrence and Wyndford. There is the original bridge, which has footings similar to the ones in the top photo, and the newer bridge built right beside to double the tracks. It has different footings.

 

[Goldie]

I think if you went down and looked at the footings you could tell. There is a similar bridge, two actually, over the Don if you go down the new trail on the east side of the Don between Lawrence and Wyndford. There is the original bridge, which has footings similar to the ones in the top photo, and the newer bridge built right beside to double the tracks. It has different footings.

Good info, donoreo, thanks.
I now wish I had explored further and photographed the footings.

Another"aerial" connection:
Immediately after WWII there was a junk yard near the south end of the bridge that was piled-high with surplus aircraft.
Kids of the time (including yours truly) had great fun climbing over & through the jumble of fuselages.

 

[donoreo]

Good info, donoreo, thanks.
I now wish I had explored further and photographed the footings.

Another"aerial" connection:
Immediately after WWII there was a junk yard near the south end of the bridge that was piled-high with surplus aircraft.
Kids of the time (including yours truly) had great fun climbing over & through the jumble of fuselages.

That sounds fun. Imaginations could run wild there.

 

[Mustapha]

Good info, donoreo, thanks.
I now wish I had explored further and photographed the footings.

Another"aerial" connection:
Immediately after WWII there was a junk yard near the south end of the bridge that was piled-high with surplus aircraft.
Kids of the time (including yours truly) had great fun climbing over & through the jumble of fuselages.

In the 1960s we had a class outing here. The teacher grabbed a handful of little black round but irregular things that where all over the place (about the size of 'sugar pops' cereal) and claimed they were 'clinkers' thrown from the coal fired trains back in the day. I'll make a trip back and see if any are still lying about.

 

[Mustapha]

If not for that tower on the original Terminal Warehouse, "I'd hardly know ye!"

Heya Goldie, that tower is part of the blue job in front of / to the east of the Terminal Warehouse. The perspective makes it look like it's a part of the Terminal but it's not.

 

[Mustapha]

That sounds fun. Imaginations could run wild there.

I wonder if anything can be found in the grass - bits of equipment that fell off...

 

[Goldie]

WWII aircraft disposal yard

I wonder if anything can be found in the grass - bits of equipment that fell off...

The old (1946-47) aircraft graveyard would have been about here, west side of the tracks - see attached thumbnail.
Hope you find something - good luck!