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Miscellany Toronto Photographs: Then and Now

adma said:
One "bad old days" vestige still extant in the "former" photo is the General Welding School...
Click to expand...

The school is amazingly still in business up on Keele street.

I know a welder personally. He makes bank vice president money; that's after he pays his staff, his fleet expenses,
 
Mustapha said:
Thanks thecharioteer. By the way, if anyone wants a truly old school army surplus experience, get thee to the one on the NW corner of Queen and Jarvis. I'm guessing it's been there for 50 or 60 years from the looks of the place. Not really conducive to browsing; the staff seem to keep an eye on you; but they're still friendly. A couple of years ago I scored a genuine new unissued Canadian Forces issue 'Marathon watch' for $80. Plastic case and nylon strap but Swiss movement and the luminous dial was just something else to behold.
Click to expand...

When I bought my shearling bomber jacket there ( a repro of the famous U.S. airforce one from the 1940s, a very practical design classic ... and warmer than my Canada Goose Expedition parka ) the salesman told me they've been around since the mid-1950s.

Yes, they watch you like a hawk. A young guy came in asking for a gas mask when I was there once. An anarchist itching for a run-in with the riot squad, I like to think.
 
"and warmer than my Canada Goose Expedition parka )"
QUOTE Urban Shocker.

The parka, with drawstring waist, is only really good if the vest is included, and for

really cold weather, additionaly the coveralls.


Regards,
J T
 
Urban Shocker said:
When I bought my shearling bomber jacket there ( a repro of the famous U.S. airforce one from the 1940s, a very practical design classic ... and warmer than my Canada Goose Expedition parka ) the salesman told me they've been around since the mid-1950s.

Yes, they watch you like a hawk. A young guy came in asking for a gas mask when I was there once. An anarchist itching for a run-in with the riot squad, I like to think.
Click to expand...

About 10 years ago I bought a pea coat from them; this before they became the 'in' thing these past few years. The label was "Brush Fire - Made in Winnipeg Canada." I seem to recall it cost $80. How cool even then, made right here in Canada. I'm guessing the people that made it are long gone; it even smelled ancient, but it was new, 100% wool and I still wear it. Real military clothing has to be experienced to be believed; they are so strongly constructed. I do believe the Metro Police above a certain rank wear something like them for full dress affairs; I've seen Chief Blair in something like mine.
 
Re: King & Jarvis

This view, from the Toronto Telegram archives at York, 1974, shows the soon-to-be demolished block west of Jarvis, now St. James Park. The fruit market is the St. Lawrence Hall:

ASC06605.jpg


And in colour:

20-68-2.jpg


Two earlier views by Micklethwaite:

f1478_it0030.jpg


Untitled-1.jpg
 
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Mustapha said:
Yes, a bit of nomenclature to assure the potential guest of a higher class experience. As opposed to the 'bus' hotel contemporary of the day - the Ford on Bay street. :)
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It also dates from the era where vacation travel by car began to be more common. Motor hotels were supposed to provide the amenities and services of an upscale, traditional downtown hotel, but usually away from the downtown core along major highways. Eventually they became known simply as motels.
 
FAC33 said:
It also dates from the era where vacation travel by car began to be more common. Motor hotels were supposed to provide the amenities and services of an upscale, traditional downtown hotel, but usually away from the downtown core along major highways. Eventually they became known simply as motels.
Click to expand...

A rare downtown-core example of the sort was the Four Seasons on Jarvis, i.e. that which launched Issy Asper's lodging empire.

Of course, we must remember that the word "motel" not only already existed at this time, but had already taken on negative connotations (let's just say, the Lakeshore and Kingston Rd strips already "had a reputation") that the label "motor hotel" was meant to mollify. (Likewise with the rise of middle-class chains like Holiday Inn.)
 
adma said:
A rare downtown-core example of the sort was the Four Seasons on Jarvis, i.e. that which launched Issy Asper's lodging empire.

Of course, we must remember that the word "motel" not only already existed at this time, but had already taken on negative connotations (let's just say, the Lakeshore and Kingston Rd strips already "had a reputation") that the label "motor hotel" was meant to mollify. (Likewise with the rise of middle-class chains like Holiday Inn.)
Click to expand...

Issy Sharpe, not Izzy Asper. I get them mixed up too. :)
 
thecharioteer said:
Re: King & Jarvis

This view, from the Toronto Telegram archives at York, 1974, shows the soon-to-be demolished block west of Jarvis, now St. James Park. The fruit market is the St. Lawrence Hall:

ASC06605.jpg
Click to expand...

This picture, taken on its own merits, and not to us UT-ers as just another 'Then' picture, is a real standout. The twilight graininess, the hatted man and the streetcar add up to more than the individual components.
 
Then and Now for April 30.


Then. 434 University Avenue. c1917. 'Garage, Automobile and Supply Co. Shepard and Calvin, Consulting Architects.' You can just see a bit of the 'RCMI' building on the left edge of the picture.

520434UniversityAvec1917.jpg



Now. October 2011. Don't let the hoarding fool you - it's for the RCMI condos construction. Our old 'Garage' is many many decades lost.

521.jpg
 
adma said:
A rare downtown-core example of the sort was the Four Seasons on Jarvis, i.e. that which launched Issy Asper's lodging empire.

Of course, we must remember that the word "motel" not only already existed at this time, but had already taken on negative connotations (let's just say, the Lakeshore and Kingston Rd strips already "had a reputation") that the label "motor hotel" was meant to mollify. (Likewise with the rise of middle-class chains like Holiday Inn.)
Click to expand...

Yep. The ones that stuck with the "motor hotel" monker were specifically playing up the "hotel" part. It used to be one of the big differences was that a motel typically had individual entrances and was built in a strip style, while the motor hotel typically had two or three floors (or more) and entrances from an interior hallway. Motels rarely had bellhops, but motor hotels sometimes did. Motor hotels usually also had an onsite restaurant with some aspirations above that of greasy spoon diner.
 
"from the Toronto Telegram archives at York, 1974, shows the soon-to-be demolished "
QUOTE thecharioteer.

1974?


Regards,
J T
 
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