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City Adult Learning Centre

Toffee95

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If this is the wrong area, feel free to move it... but it is sort of a building and architecture question.

I have wondered about this ever since I moved to Toronto almost a decade ago, and I thought someone here must know.

The City Adult Learning Centre (Adult High School) at 1 Danforth, what did it used to be? It is huge, almost looks like an early community college from the 1960s. I am quite sure it wasn't built for adult learning.

Anyone know its history?
 
Definitely in the wrong forum. Would belong in the Toronto forums.

As for the building, I am not entirely sure which one it would be. Anyone got a photo of it?
 
Good question. It's an interesting building. I found a Facebook group which says that the building was Parkview Secondary School until 1983. Otherwise there is not a lot of information online. It's an easy building to miss, as it is substantially set back from the Danforth.

Khristopher:

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Walked by this building on the weekend. It's a fascinating building -- ambitious, different, compelling. Sadly, it's slowly being left to rot. Some day this site is going to be sold to developers and the building will be bulldozed.
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A few more.
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Thanks! Given how close it is to Broadview Station, redevelopment should rightly occur - though it would be nice to see a portion of the complex restored and preserved for community use.

AoD
 
If this is the wrong area, feel free to move it... but it is sort of a building and architecture question.

I have wondered about this ever since I moved to Toronto almost a decade ago, and I thought someone here must know.

The City Adult Learning Centre (Adult High School) at 1 Danforth, what did it used to be? It is huge, almost looks like an early community college from the 1960s. I am quite sure it wasn't built for adult learning.

Anyone know its history?
From 1963 to 1973 it was known as Parkway Vocational School, Primarily a trade school for just boys. In 1974 it changed its name to Parkview Secondary and became Co-Ed. It closed down in the early 90's It was known for several construction trades and automotive trades. it had a top of the line cooking/baking commercial kitchen program, shoe repair shop, Printing shop (every aspect from making plates to offset printing as well as letter presses) Drafting shop, masonry/bricklaying shop, Electricians shop, Plumbing shop, Auto body repair and full paint booth shop, Small Engine repair shop, Decorating shop, Carpentry shop, Machine and sheet metal shop, Chemistry classes, Combination Auditorium and Cafeteria, Upholstery shop, barber shop. in the south block is the swimming pool, gyms, auditorium, cafeteria, music rooms, staff cav. i am including a pdf copy of the 1965 information book for the school. hope this provides the info your after. btw, i was a student there in the early seventies
 

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If this is the wrong area, feel free to move it... but it is sort of a building and architecture question.

I have wondered about this ever since I moved to Toronto almost a decade ago, and I thought someone here must know.

The City Adult Learning Centre (Adult High School) at 1 Danforth, what did it used to be? It is huge, almost looks like an early community college from the 1960s. I am quite sure it wasn't built for adult learning.

Anyone know its history?
 

Attachments

  • Parkway Vocational School.pdf
    9.5 MB · Views: 461
how in the righteous hell is the old public toilets on the north-east corner of this site heritage designated but yet the main school not even listed?

The city badly needs some new heritage planners to go through and designate our excellent modernist stock. It's falling all too quickly these days.
 
how in the righteous hell is the old public toilets on the north-east corner of this site heritage designated but yet the main school not even listed?

The city badly needs some new heritage planners to go through and designate our excellent modernist stock. It's falling all too quickly these days.

I know I'm terrible here, to some for lacking a great enthusiasm for modernism.

But honestly, I've never found this building appealing.

Not at a distance, not in person, especially the outside.

Its relationship to the street is poor, its cut off on 3 sides by the on-ramp to the DVP, and the DVP itself.

It features excessive parking infrastructure, too many ramps, an odd and dysfunctional landscape layout, and it frankly, looks blah, especially from Danforth.

There are building I was, and would be genuinely upset to lose; this is not one of those.
 
I know I'm terrible here, to some for lacking a great enthusiasm for modernism.

But honestly, I've never found this building appealing.

Not at a distance, not in person, especially the outside.

Its relationship to the street is poor, its cut off on 3 sides by the on-ramp to the DVP, and the DVP itself.

It features excessive parking infrastructure, too many ramps, an odd and dysfunctional landscape layout, and it frankly, looks blah, especially from Danforth.

There are building I was, and would be genuinely upset to lose; this is not one of those.
Then don't designate those. I personally would love to see a redevelopment scheme with the old shop facilities in the north block of the complex demolished with all the associate vehicle ramps, and the retention of the more architecturally significant south blocks. Maybe see if you can bring a new public street up between the existing building and the DVP, and stick a 2 or 3 tower development along The Danforth.. You can keep the buildings while rectifying the poor landscaping.
 

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