Evocative Images of Lost Toronto

[DSC]

This is (sort of) this view - posted here in June 2027 by @Big Daddy but looking north. See: https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/threa...ce-properties-architectsalliance.3954/page-61

In the photo, there is what looks like a strip of concrete running diagonally - this was carefully preserved during excavation and I always assumed it was a culvert of some kind. I now suspect CastleFrank Brook but at the time people said "The Garrison Creek sewer runs through the site. The new building is being built around it." This sounds more likely as Castle Frank is a LONG way from Bathurst.

 

[Northern Light]

This is (sort of) this view - posted here in June 2027 by @Big Daddy but looking north. See: https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/threa...ce-properties-architectsalliance.3954/page-61

In the photo, there is what looks like a strip of concrete running diagonally - this was carefully preserved during excavation and I always assumed it was a culvert of some kind. I now suspect CastleFrank Brook but at the time people said "The Garrison Creek sewer runs through the site. The new building is being built around it." This sounds more likely as Castle Frank is a LONG way from Bathurst.


View attachment 257649

Garrison Creek is correct.

That's exactly where that sewer is.

Castlefrank Brook originally flowed through the Rosedale Valley Ravine, and into the Don River.

Today, its waters are re-routed north (mainly) through a sewer under Park Drive Ravine, which also contains the buried Yellow Creek.

From www.lostrivers.ca This is the final reach of Garrison Creek as it heads towards the Lake.

This is the tail end of Castlefrank Brook:

 

[Towered]

Councillor Josh Matlow posted this photo to his Twitter the other day.

Its from 1935 and shows the site of the current Loblaws, just east of Bathurst.

View attachment 257644

Note that the site was a garbage dump.

Note the prescence of housing right up to the dump edge.

Also, that trickle of water? Castlefrank Brook! (poor thing, been abused for so long).

That Brook is what is buried under the Cedarvale and Nordheimer Ravines, and what once flowed through the now Ramsden Park and then the Rosedale Valley.

It's kind of hilarious how little concern was given to public health.

 

[W. K. Lis]

From 1910 to 1963, there existed High Park Forest School. The building still exists in High Park.

From link.

From link.

From link

 

[wikiyameen]

Fascinating Flashback Photos Of Toronto From The 1970s

 

[adma]

Fascinating Flashback Photos Of Toronto From The 1970s

There's a *lot* of misdating and sloppy dating on that site (from the very beginning: the first photo, marked 1974, shows the north end of the Eaton Centre on the left, which wasn't finished until 1977)

Though one detail in this photo intrigued me

That's one of Toronto's now-forgotten "Expo benches" (donated by Montreal after Expo 67)--I wonder if the City still has any of them in storage...

 

[Goldie]

Who knew Scarborough had a castle?

Toronto's Weirdest House | Toronto Castle House | Unique Homes | FREAKTOGRAPHY

This is Toronto's Weirdest House, AKA The Toronto Castle House and one of the most Unique Homes in Toronto. Built by Max Heiduczek at 110 Maybourne Ave

freaktography.com

 

[lenaitch]

Quite an assemblage of styles and themes.

 

[Admiral Beez]

I‘m a huge fan of classic British cars. I was reading a book on Rootes Motors and saw they had a factory or warehouse in Canada, see photo below.

So I tried to find the address, and saw from this Minx ad that it was 1921 Eglinton Ave. East here in Toronto.

And sure enough, you can still see the outline of the old building here, including the cut out for the column in front.

1921 Eglinton Ave E · 1921 Eglinton Ave E, Scarborough, ON M1L 2L6

Building

goo.gl

I remember shopping at the Marks Work Warehouse at this location and had no idea that one of my favourite car brands was associated with the site.

 

[Goldie]

Eaton Centre construction site - Yonge-Dundas area 1974 TPL

 

[LPCI]

Eaton Centre construction site - Yonge-Dundas area 1974 TPL
View attachment 259306

You can just barely see Holy Trinity church in the centre.

 

[Goldie]

Good observation, LPCI....Thank you.

Of particularly interested is this detail on the east side of Yonge St. where the Ed Mirvish Theatre now resides. This was originally the Pantages Theatre, later named the Imperial Theatre and then the Canon Theatre.
I expect few will have been aware of the long, covered walkway from the Yonge St. box-office to the theatre that was actually on Victoria St. I was certainly unaware of this unusual architectural layout until recently.

 

[LPCI]

Good observation, LPCI....Thank you.

Of particularly interested is this detail on the east side of Yonge St. where the Ed Mirvish Theatre now resides. This was originally the Pantages Theatre, later named the Imperial Theatre and then the Canon Theatre.
I expect few will have been aware of the long, covered walkway from the Yonge St. box-office to the theatre that was actually on Victoria St. I was certainly unaware of this unusual architectural layout until recently.

View attachment 259421

Fascinating! Just spent half an hour google earth “walking” the vicinity.

 

[Northern Light]

Good observation, LPCI....Thank you.

Of particularly interested is this detail on the east side of Yonge St. where the Ed Mirvish Theatre now resides. This was originally the Pantages Theatre, later named the Imperial Theatre and then the Canon Theatre.
I expect few will have been aware of the long, covered walkway from the Yonge St. box-office to the theatre that was actually on Victoria St. I was certainly unaware of this unusual architectural layout until recently.

View attachment 259421

You'll find several theatres were designed in this manner in Toronto.

Notably the Uptown on Yonge by Bloor was a walkway of a similar fashion to the theatre actually on Balmuto.

Take a look at here at the still standing (though no longer a theatre) Danforth Odeon by Danforth and Pape.

Note the theatre is the large building towards the bottom of the photo, situated against the rear laneway; while a long hall connects it to Danforth:

This was common practice in Toronto, a century ago, to minimize the expense associated with located a big building on the main street.

 

[Northern Light]

Eaton Centre construction site - Yonge-Dundas area 1974 TPL
View attachment 259306

Question, I see much of the original Eaton's complex was still in tact when work started on the new Eaton Centre.

The Annex building I know was used for retail; but the others, I believe were once warehouses and factories.

Were they all in use up to that point; or they ceased to be active for their original purposes earlier.

Thanks for any info!