Miscellany Toronto Photographs: Then and Now

[Mustapha]

the charioteer and Anna: Thanks for solving the mystery. That Ansley-Dineen/Ontario Silknit building seems to be a forgotten loss. I've never seen a "formal portrait" of it.

I live around the corner from The Blue Goose Tavern and have lived in Mimico for about 27 years. The pub is directly across from the Mimico Go Station.
I'd also suggest that Mimico is no more "off the beaten path" from downtown Toronto than The Beach.

The original hotel was called the Windsor Hotel and was built in 1912.

I'm not sure when the name was changed to The Blue Goose (named after a train that regularly came through) but the pub has been in the Chemij family for over fifty years. There are nineteen rooms which are still rented out.

It's one of the best independently owned pubs in the city and has strong connections to the community. Brendan Shanahan (Red Wings), David Bolland (Black Hawks) and David Clarkson (NJ Devils) of the NHL all grew up in the neighbourhood. Joey Votto of the Cincinnati Reds grew up down the street.

As a matter of fact, I just got back from watching the Leafs/Penguins game there. Leafs lost of course.

JRichardson2150.. fascinating, thank you. My mistake not to drop in when I took the pic. Sorry about the beaten path comment; it's incorrect and insensitive I agree.

How is the food?


January 10 addition.


Then: July 24, 1916. 322 Queen street west. North side between Soho and Spadina. I wonder what the young couple are talking about?

Now: October 2009.

 

[JRichardson2150]

Blue Goose Tavern

Food is typical pub food. If they could figure a way to deep fry a salad, they would.

I've been roaming the City of Toronto Archives for a couple of years so finding this board today has been a godsend

Thanks. I'll be back with a few photos and questions about some interesting buildings in Mimico/New Toronto/Long Branch

 

[Mustapha]

January 11 addition:

Then: Pier 6. This is one of the archives' Wiley fond pics; circa 1960s when Mr. Wiley wandered Toronto photographing many scenes.

Now::October 2009. The Then pic was taken from a ferry or boat - I am not able to obtain quite the same perspective.

 

[Strange Advance]

January 11 addition:

Then: Pier 6. This is one of the archives' Wiley fond pics; circa 1960s when Mr. Wiley wandered Toronto photographing many scenes.

This pic must be from 1973. Commerce Court West, which was completed in 1972, is there, and I believe that's the Canadian Pacific Tower (completed in 1974) under construction behind Royal York.

 

[androiduk]

In the above picture, centre left, you can see the small building that became the Second Cup, pictured below.

 

[Zeiss]

January 11 addition:


Now::October 2009. The Then pic was taken from a ferry or boat - I am not able to obtain quite the same perspective.

I have found another picture of Pier 6 on the net, by Duke.

 

[thecharioteer]

I've been roaming the City of Toronto Archives for a couple of years so finding this board today has been a godsend

Thanks. I'll be back with a few photos and questions about some interesting buildings in Mimico/New Toronto/Long Branch

Welcome! Here's a 1913 Mimico map from Wikimedia Commons (Library and Archives Canada):

 

[Aladone]

King Street Remix

 

[Mustapha]

Very Cool. The streetcar - represents the present traveling back into the past. This is why I flunked art appreciation and wound up in another field.



January 12 addition:


Then: Looking N up Duplex at Eglinton Avenue and beyond. February 23, 1933.

Now: November 2009. The large apartment building in the center of the photo verily looms over the neighbourhood. It was built in the mid 60s. As a child I remember the land being assembled for it - many houses in dereliction for years, some occupied at the same time in this condition, then demolition. There are some townhouses at the base but they seem neither of the building or the neighbourhood. I grew up a few blocks away. My father would always comment that he wished he owned a parcel or two to sell to the developer.

 

[Urban Shocker]

My father would always comment that he wished he owned a parcel or two to sell to the developer.

I think it was a fairly common attitude in those days. An architect I know told me that when he bought a place in run-down old Cabbagetown - east of Parliament, north of Gerrard - in the mid-'60s several of his neighbours were hoping that a St. James Town East would be built there so they could get above market value prices for their properties from a developer.

 

[adma]

I thought that highrise on Duplex was somewhat later--more like early 70s or so, i.e. it snuck in right before Crombie-ism nipped such "urbanity" in the bud...

 

[Mustapha]

I thought that highrise on Duplex was somewhat later--more like early 70s or so, i.e. it snuck in right before Crombie-ism nipped such "urbanity" in the bud...

adma, thanks for the correction. It was completed in 1972.

http://www.urbandb.com/canada/ontario/toronto/500_duplex_avenue/

I can reasonably assure you that the assembly of the land took quite some time - it began in the mid 60s. I wonder if there is any way records at City Hall can corroborate this?

 

[OLM]

adma, thanks for the correction. It was completed in 1972.

http://www.urbandb.com/canada/ontario/toronto/500_duplex_avenue/

I can reasonably assure you that the assembly of the land took quite some time - it began in the mid 60s. I wonder if there is any way records at City Hall can corroborate this?

I moved back to Toronto in March, 1974 and the Duplex building was still under construction and not yet ready for occupancy. I gave a deposit on a rental unit and made temporary arrangements until my unit would be available in late May or early June. As Sept 1974 approached, my occupancy was again set back to later that fall.... so I gave up and found a permanent rental elsewhere...

 

[Mustapha]

I moved back to Toronto in March, 1974 and the Duplex building was still under construction and not yet ready for occupancy. I gave a deposit on a rental unit and made temporary arrangements until my unit would be available in late May or early June. As Sept 1974 approached, my occupancy was again set back to later that fall.... so I gave up and found a permanent rental elsewhere...

The construction of apartment buildings in the Yonge and Eglinton area has been ever ongoing, starting in the 20s with "walkups" along Eglinton and side streets like Broadway and Redpath, then in the 60s and 70s the large buildings along Erskine and Keewatin. The condo boom now is changing the neighbourhood yet again, bringing in a mix of homeowners. Yonge and Eglinton on a Friday or Saturday night is teeming with people - a sort of mid town downtown.

OLM, if you had ever gotten your apartment, and it was south facing, the view from the higher floors would have been terrific.




January 13 addition:


Then: Hotel Sheldon. 81 Victoria street, looking at the E side. "ca. 1945" according to the Toronto archives photo information.

Now: A survivor. December 2009.

 

[LowPolygon]

January 13 addition:


Then: Hotel Sheldon. 81 Victoria street, looking at the E side. "ca. 1945" according to the Toronto archives photo information.

Now: A survivor. December 2009.

nice to see that present owner of both has also maintained the double hung windows! thats a relative rarity these days...on the other hand, the building to the south has lost its hat.