k10ery
Senior Member
Beautiful find. Looks like it must be Ford plant? Goad's 1924:
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Evocative Images of Lost Toronto
- Thread starter LowPolygon
- Start date
gary133
New Member
From the website of the Danforth Village BIA:
In 1921 the Ford Motor Car Company built an assembly plant for Model T and Model A cars, east of the Luttrell Loop, south of Danforth. The building is still there - Shoppers World. During WWII it was a munitions plant too. Ford moved to Oakville in 1953. AMC then took it over for a few years. In 1962 Shoppers World was developed by Peel Elder on the car assembly property - one of the very first enclosed Shopping Malls in Canada. Eatons was the anchor with other retailers such as Marks & Spencer and Koffler's Drugs, which took its name today - Shoppers Drug Mart - from Shoppers World, Danforth.
In the mall's early years the southern portion of the old auto plant was a bowling alley. (Spent a few Saturday afternoons there) Eaton's eventually expanded into that space.
Curious that the Luttrell Loop isn't shown on the 1924 Goad's. I believe it was put in about 1923 and was the eastern terminus of the Bloor/Danforth streetcar line. It ran between Kelvin and Luttrell just behind the properties on Danforth.
In 1921 the Ford Motor Car Company built an assembly plant for Model T and Model A cars, east of the Luttrell Loop, south of Danforth. The building is still there - Shoppers World. During WWII it was a munitions plant too. Ford moved to Oakville in 1953. AMC then took it over for a few years. In 1962 Shoppers World was developed by Peel Elder on the car assembly property - one of the very first enclosed Shopping Malls in Canada. Eatons was the anchor with other retailers such as Marks & Spencer and Koffler's Drugs, which took its name today - Shoppers Drug Mart - from Shoppers World, Danforth.
In the mall's early years the southern portion of the old auto plant was a bowling alley. (Spent a few Saturday afternoons there) Eaton's eventually expanded into that space.
Curious that the Luttrell Loop isn't shown on the 1924 Goad's. I believe it was put in about 1923 and was the eastern terminus of the Bloor/Danforth streetcar line. It ran between Kelvin and Luttrell just behind the properties on Danforth.
EVCco
Senior Member
^That's it. Thank's everyone!
I neglected to see if there was a notice posted to see what they were doing at the site.
Hopefully they're keeping that old facade, instead of just slapping a giant Target sign over it, or whatever.
Wouldn't count on it though...
I neglected to see if there was a notice posted to see what they were doing at the site.
Hopefully they're keeping that old facade, instead of just slapping a giant Target sign over it, or whatever.
Wouldn't count on it though...
AlbertHWagstaff
Senior Member
I recall reading in old newsletters that some of the rail leading into the auto plant was salvaged after the auto plant closed and re-used at the Halton County Radial Railway in its early years.
Anna
Active Member
A photo of the plant under construction
the lemur
Senior Member
Goldie
Senior Member
This is an amazing reveal of the remnants of the old Ford Plant on Danforth.
Thanks to 'the lemur' for the colour pix and 'EVCco' for the archive find.
Quite surprising to see the same brickwork 91 years earlier!
Thanks to 'the lemur' for the colour pix and 'EVCco' for the archive find.
Quite surprising to see the same brickwork 91 years earlier!
EVCco
Senior Member
saleen01
New Member
growing up in EY, i spent a lot of time at shoppers world...in the 80s i remember, eatons and all the stores there...i drive by now and am fascinated by the exposed brick...
does any remember that right near the corner of VP and Danforth, they used to have those travelling fairs....there used to be a raised circle with some cemented in tracks there...(gone now to Burger King new building) always wondered what that was...
one other thing about the inside of that mall, does anyone remember the Yellow Hot Dog Stand right around Eatons and that Shoe store near the North exit into the mall by eatons?
does any remember that right near the corner of VP and Danforth, they used to have those travelling fairs....there used to be a raised circle with some cemented in tracks there...(gone now to Burger King new building) always wondered what that was...
one other thing about the inside of that mall, does anyone remember the Yellow Hot Dog Stand right around Eatons and that Shoe store near the North exit into the mall by eatons?
Goldie
Senior Member
Thanks for the tip, r937.
This map shows the extension of East York into the area of Shoppers World.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Old_East_York_map.PNG
Goldie
Senior Member
Beautiful find. Looks like it must be Ford plant? Goad's 1924:
Thanks for that map of the Ford Plant, k10ery.
I was immediately reminded of the Drummond family that once lived nearby.
The Drummond home was on the north side of Danforth across the road from Mr. Drummond's Coal & Fuel business (today's site of a Canadian Tire store).
The view from the Drummond's verandah shows the rail siding that once crossed Danforth Ave.
Goldie
Senior Member
Scarborough's Guild Inn - one of the most restful places to spend an afternoon.
And it's full of Urban Toronto history, too.
Building demolished to make way for Toronto's New City hall
And it's full of Urban Toronto history, too.
Building demolished to make way for Toronto's New City hall
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Mustapha
Senior Member
Great tour of the Guild Inn, Goldie, thank you.
thecharioteer
Senior Member
Three pictures of the Yorkville area from the TPL, which I've never seen before.
Labeled "Looking north from Lowther/Bedford, 1880's". (Could that be the Nordheimer's mansion Glen Edyth up on the hill, to the left?)
The Primitive Methodist Church 1907, NW corner of Yonge and Davenport, (pre-dating the Masonic Hall):
Yorkville Avenue 1912: Toronto Railway Co., Yorkville carhouse, Yorkville Ave., n. side, between Yonge & Bay Sts. (was this re-used for the Lincoln dealership, which added some storeys and was demolished for the Four Seasons?):
Labeled "Looking north from Lowther/Bedford, 1880's". (Could that be the Nordheimer's mansion Glen Edyth up on the hill, to the left?)
The Primitive Methodist Church 1907, NW corner of Yonge and Davenport, (pre-dating the Masonic Hall):
Yorkville Avenue 1912: Toronto Railway Co., Yorkville carhouse, Yorkville Ave., n. side, between Yonge & Bay Sts. (was this re-used for the Lincoln dealership, which added some storeys and was demolished for the Four Seasons?):
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