thecharioteer
Senior Member
Yonge & Wellington (Roadwork still on-going!)
1950:
2024 (pic by mburrr):
1950:
2024 (pic by mburrr):
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Miscellany Toronto Photographs: Then and Now
- Thread starter Mustapha
- Start date
lenaitch
Senior Member
^^ Same job??? 
Two guys using a double ended crosscut saw and not a hardhat in sight. How times have changed.
Two guys using a double ended crosscut saw and not a hardhat in sight. How times have changed.
thecharioteer
Senior Member
Missed this pic. The work actually began in 1912:^^ Same job???
Two guys using a double ended crosscut saw and not a hardhat in sight. How times have changed.
thecharioteer
Senior Member
Victory Soya Mills 1990:
Today (pic by globalexpress):
Today (pic by globalexpress):
TwinHuey
Active Member
LPCI
Active Member
My mother took her private pilots licence school at Buttonville in the very early 1960’s. Oh the math was hard! My father helped her a lot, (observer in the Fleet Air Arm WW2). We children spent many a weekend roaming around the facility, it was in the middle of nowhere at the time. One time her instructor (a famous WW2 vet, who for the life of me I cannot remember his name now) took us children up in the air and did all sorts of manoeuvres which aren’t allowed now. LOVED IT, I have 8 mm movie film from that time, which I offered up to Buttonville for their archives, but alas no response.
Northern Light
Superstar
A post inspired by one from The FB group Friends of Vintage Toronto; but I'm giving UT the full-sized photos:
St Clair and Vaughan looking south-east: (then)
Now:
St Clair and Vaughan looking south-east: (then)
Now:
Tim MacDonald
Senior Member
I have good memories of Buttonville. I think it was back in 1983 or 1984 when my dad took me to a static display there and I have a shot of the very first DHC Dash-7 taxi out while we were standing right on the edge of the taxiway. It was cool to see that same airplane 20 years later in the museum at Ottawa, also with my dad. Now I'm gonna have to dig through my files for the photos of it from that day. He's been gone more than eight years now and there isn't a day that goes by where I don't have at least one thought of him.
TwinHuey
Active Member
A touching memory Tim. Looking forward to seeing any photos you may find from that day.
Buttonville has rich history, including being the home to Canada's first dedicated EMS helicopter operation.
Started by the Province in 1977, under contract to Buttonville's Toronto Helicopters Limited (THL), the HEMS operation was based there for 15 years until it moved to YTZ.
To enable the rapid deployment of the10,000+ lb helicopter THL had a large platform constructed that moved on railway tracks along a trench that entered the hangar.
It can be seen in this photo on the left with the EMS helicopter parked on it.
The helicopter could be moved out of the hangar and ready for engine start in about 2 minutes. When a call came in to the crew on the 'hot line' it simultaneously rang in the tower so that the controllers could listen in and have advance knowledge of the expected call for departure clearance direction.
The tricky part was landing between the lines so the helicopter would fit into the hangar.
Initially staffed for 12 hours per day (crews were called back from home for the other 12 hours), the service was increased to 24 hrs on site staffing in the 80's.
Here is the brochure the Ministry of Health distributed to all the hospitals / emergency services in the catchment area. It was called a pilot program as it was initially for a 1 year trial.
Photo was taken at Buttonville with the aircraft on the landing cart.
Today's crews would find this amusing.
Fun facts, the registration of the original helicopter was C-GONT.
It was a Bell 212 (quite advanced for the time).
That type was commonly known as a Twin Huey.
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Tim MacDonald
Senior Member
I know I have a shot of the 212 on the platform since i shot it the same day as the dash 7!. Looks like I'll be digging through the archives this aft!A touching memory Tim. Looking forward to seeing any photos you may find from that day.
Buttonville has rich history, including being the home to Canada's first dedicated EMS helicopter operation.
Started by the Province in 1977, under contract to Buttonville's Toronto Helicopters Limited (THL), the HEMS operation was based there for 15 years until it moved to YTZ.
To enable the rapid deployment of the10,000+ lb helicopter THL had a large platform constructed that moved on railway tracks along a trench that entered the hangar.
It can be seen in this photo on the left with the EMS helicopter parked on it.
View attachment 522966
The helicopter could be moved out of the hangar and ready for engine start in about 2 minutes. When a call came in to the crew on the 'hot line' it simultaneously rang in the tower so that the controllers could listen in and have advance knowledge of the expected call for departure clearance direction.
The tricky part was landing between the lines so the helicopter would fit into the hangar.
View attachment 522971
View attachment 522972
Initially staffed for 12 hours per day (crews were called back from home for the other 12 hours), the service was increased to 24 hrs on site staffing in the 80's.
Here is the brochure the Ministry of Health distributed to all the hospitals / emergency services in the catchment area. It was called a pilot program as it was initially for a 1 year trial.
Photo was taken at Buttonville with the aircraft on the landing cart.
Today's crews would find this amusing.
View attachment 522969
Fun facts, the registration of the original helicopter was C-GONT.
It was a Bell 212 (quite advanced for the time).
That type was commonly known as a Twin Huey.
Great shots @TwinHuey
lenaitch
Senior Member
That cart looks like a pretty small target to land on, especially at night and/or with a crosswind.
TwinHuey
Active Member
Good observation. Do you have an aviation background?
The helicopter had to be landed on the cart facing east. Prevailing winds are from the west. Particularly tricky in the dark with a strong quartering tail wind. I recall the tolerance between the lines being approximately 12" and the skids had to be exactly parallel to the lines or the helicopter would not fit in the hangar.
This was sometimes compounded by being bleary eyed having worked more than 24 hours straight (regulations with respect to duty day limits were almost non existent).
The real stress was from being closely watched by the other 3 crew members on board who could be merciless with their teasing post landing.
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thecharioteer
Senior Member
Yonge looking north at Dundonald 1953:
Now:
Now:
LPCI
Active Member
What amazes me, for all that we lose…these days there’s so much still existing!