Lost Neighbourhood: Blondin Avenue

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Visited in November 2014. No sign of a road whatsoever. It was either overgrown or torn apart. Area is fenced in and mostly flat grass/dirt with some trees. There is a gate on the corner of Weston and Walsh where one can easily enter. Pretty uninteresting overall. A word of caution though: I saw a small makeshift structure and other materials among the trees. Looks like homeless folk set up camp.

Edit: People were also talking about the former Flindon Road bridge. I snapped some pictures of that. This is an album link as the pics are too big to post there. Note: they are not great pics. Photography is not my thing.

http://imgur.com/a/TdPM2 [7 images]

 

[TomCycle]

hate to bump old posts but this one I just couldn't resist.
My memory of this area goes back to 1988, I believe it was mostly empty, overgrown and/or derelict looking by then. I have strong memories of it because we always drove by it on the way to Knob Hill Farms (from when I was 6 years old) - mostly because I wondered why this specific area is overgrown, abandoned and I just always wanted to run into the bushes to see all the old ruins.
Currently this area is plowed with just grass and flat rubble but in 2012 , just before the clearing, I went there myself, 30 years later to walk through those 'bushes and ruins" - The last house was just demolished and driveway still visible. All I saw was small hills of ruins, ghosts of the past, even tomato plants still growing. the old ttc roundabout road was still visible.. I'm glad i got to see some of it.
I can't remember if I took pictures of that day. If I find them I will post them here.
I walked passed it today , most foliage is gone and just gravel all around. What a waste. It doesn't even look like it's being rebuilt with anything.

 

[Lone Primate]

Yeah, all these years later, there's still nothing there. In a town like this, with them trying to cram 40-story condo buildings into every empty space that used to be somebody's tool shed, I'm amazed that property of that size and value, literally cheek-to-jowl with the 401, is lying empty. Care barely believe it.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Yeah, all these years later, there's still nothing there. In a town like this, with them trying to cram 40-story condo buildings into every empty space that used to be somebody's tool shed, I'm amazed that property of that size and value, literally cheek-to-jowl with the 401, is lying empty. Care barely believe it.

At least grow a field of sunflowers!

From link.

Or lavender.

From link. (But then someone will complain of the scent odour stink.)

 

[Transportfan]

Yeah, all these years later, there's still nothing there. In a town like this, with them trying to cram 40-story condo buildings into every empty space that used to be somebody's tool shed, I'm amazed that property of that size and value, literally cheek-to-jowl with the 401, is lying empty. Care barely believe it.

If this site remains undeveloped for another ten years, people will think this was a leftover piece of rural land.

 

[Bryan Gordon]

Thank you Smitty

Looking forward to going to the old neighbourhood to check the damage done by so called "developers". I bet if that place had been left alone, it would have still been the same and still had many families living in the area, enjoying life. Instead now it sits an empty lot with nothing but bushes and weeds growing on it. No children growing up on that block any more. I keep using the word "sad" to explain how I feel but it somehow doesn't really reflect what I'm feeling inside. Perhaps the words will come when I actually see the place with my own eyes. Thanks for your comment. Glad I was able to paint some memories for your experiences there.

Which street did you live on? Our Humberlea/Melody Road neighbourhood is still alive and well even though there are few remaining folks from the 1940’s and 1950’s still living there.

Our home was on the corner of Wallasey and Strathburn within view of the front yard of the school. If you drive along Strathburn to the school site you can find a commemorative monument under the trees that was installed in June 2019, in recognition of Melody Road Public School which was an anchor for all of us who grew up as the neighbourhood grew from farmland to a residential neighbourhood.

You can view the Facebook profile Melody Road Public SchoolAlumni, Neighbours and Friends and browse contributions that members have posted.

Bryan Gordon,
Humberlea resident from 1950
MRPS graduate from 1963

 

[TomCycle]

2021 - still barren lands.
Only positive note is that there are bee hives placed and the flowers are wonderful in the late summer.
I wonder how many of those flowers were planted by the old residents .

 

[Transportfan]

In case anyone's wondering, the houses were demolished in '90 as they were still there in 1989. Aerials from '91 show them gone, but the plaza was still there.

I think the reason the office building project failed was because by the late '80s, the days of putting office buildings just anywhere were likely over, because corporations wanted buildings in showy business parks.

 

[TomCycle]

Toronto complains about not enough housing - I wonder what the deal is with this piece of land.
This is a huge property that can house many people - even if it's close to a major highway.

surprised a condo developer hasn't snagged it yet.