Miscellany Toronto Photographs: Then and Now

[thecharioteer]

Re: Clarence Square

Pity about the loss of the end units of the Clarence Square terrace and their replacement by a gas station. Here's an earlier view which shows a much narrower ROW for these blocks, presumably after the elimination of the street trees:

 

[junctionist]

True. We've got both the traffic and the TTC engineers sharing credit. I believe that there are always choices and always priorities. I can't think of any examples where urban tunnels have been done successfully. If this is the potential plan for Eglinton, we should be prepared for the same deadening effect that the Spadina tunnel has had on its immediate surroundings.

What deadening effect? Spadina and Bloor is a vibrant intersection.

 

[LowPolygon]

What deadening effect? Spadina and Bloor is a vibrant intersection.

the actual intersection of Bloor and Spadina is mildly vibrant, but the "deadening effect that the Spadina tunnel has had on its immediate surroundings" is amply clear. the barrier makes for an extremely barren few blocks.

 

[Mustapha]

Re: Clarence Square

Pity about the loss of the end units of the Clarence Square terrace and their replacement by a gas station. Here's an earlier view which shows a much narrower ROW for these blocks, presumably after the elimination of the street trees:

Hard to beleive it was ever this narrow.

The horse drinking fountain on the right was a real holdover even at this date, I'm guessing. Were horses still a feature of Toronto streets in 1949?

 

[Mustapha]

This is my first then/now post. I took the first picture of Yonge & Front in 1977 and the second in 2010. The building in the center was called 'The Film House' which has since had a sizeable addition added to the top.

Front & Yonge - 1977

Front & Yonge - 2010

And just to the east of your Film House...

Then. 1965ish?

Now. May 17 2010.

 

[adma]

I believe William Dendy gave a 1960 date for the demolition of the Mackenzie Warehouses...

 

[Mustapha]

"The horse drinking fountain on the right was a real holdover even at this date, I'm guessing.

Were horses still a feature of Toronto streets in 1949?" QUOTE, Mustapha.


Horses were used during/after WWII due to the gasoline/parts/new vehicle, shortage,

into the early/mid 50's. Milk, ice, junk, bread, were all via the horse.

Regards,
J T

Thanks JT.

I can only remember as far back as the Borden milk home delivery trucks of the 50s.


May 19 addition. Then. Spadina and Front. Looking W along Front. June 23, 1925.

Now. April 2010.

 

[junctionist]

the actual intersection of Bloor and Spadina is mildly vibrant, but the "deadening effect that the Spadina tunnel has had on its immediate surroundings" is amply clear. the barrier makes for an extremely barren few blocks.

I don't think it's a dead-zone because of the tunnel. Look at the surroundings. The east side is the least vibrant and unsurprisingly it's lined with Victorian low-rise housing that might as well be on a side street. There's also a U of T utilities building that's nothing but a featureless wall set back from Spadina, and a U of T building at Bloor that meets Spadina without any retail or major entrance points. The west side has a few businesses in awkward spaces which are mostly geared towards students, and I always see pedestrians there. Spadina north of College isn't that vibrant in the first place. I don't think the tunnel had anything to do with the quieter nature of this part of Spadina. It's a great piece of infrastructure that saves time and simplifies transfers. I'm happy we have this premium piece of infrastructure.

 

[adma]

Though I wouldn't be surprised in infrastructure planning did play a part in Spadina's deadness...that is, the anticipated construction of the Spadina Expressway, which led to the speedway scale and aloofness on the part of some of the buildings (New College in particular turned its back with the future expressway in mind)...

 

[LowPolygon]

I don't think it's a dead-zone because of the tunnel. Look at the surroundings. The east side is the least vibrant and unsurprisingly it's lined with Victorian low-rise housing that might as well be on a side street. There's also a U of T utilities building that's nothing but a featureless wall set back from Spadina, and a U of T building at Bloor that meets Spadina without any retail or major entrance points. The west side has a few businesses in awkward spaces which are mostly geared towards students, and I always see pedestrians there. Spadina north of College isn't that vibrant in the first place. I don't think the tunnel had anything to do with the quieter nature of this part of Spadina. It's a great piece of infrastructure that saves time and simplifies transfers. I'm happy we have this premium piece of infrastructure.

on balance i think you're right. and it is a great piece of infrastructure.

 

[LowPolygon]

Though I wouldn't be surprised in infrastructure planning did play a part in Spadina's deadness...that is, the anticipated construction of the Spadina Expressway, which led to the speedway scale and aloofness on the part of some of the buildings (New College in particular turned its back with the future expressway in mind)...

good points--i didn't know that the scale of Spadina at this point was in anticipation of the expressway, or that New College was deliberately designed to shield itself from the onrush of traffic....

 

[Mustapha]

I believe William Dendy gave a 1960 date for the demolition of the Mackenzie Warehouses...

Thank adma. I loaned out my Lost Toronto and never got it back.

Harbord street looking W from Spadina. Then, a bit later, and Now. This street to me has always had a bit of a Baldwin street vibe going on.

April 10, 1911.

November 11, 1913. A few new retail stores have appeared on the right.

April 2010. Those row houses on the left have survived down through the years.

FYI..Over at Facebook Urban Toronto "wall', Steve Munro wrote that: "The Harbord car ran on Spadina between Harbord and Dundas until Feb 1966."

.

 

[College Park]

Harbord is one of my favorite streets in Toronto - lined with a pleasurable mix of homes and restos, and furnished with nice wide lanes for cyclists along most of its length. Strange how Harbord survived street widening so well, while Bathhurst and it's ugly sisters just went to bits.

 

[Mustapha]

May 21 addition.


Then. May 4, 1911.


Adelaide and Spadina, looking W.

Now. April 2010.

 

[ReiwaMagi]

From a slummy neighbourhood to a commercial neighbourhood. Not bad.

Those houses didn't last long in the then pic I bet.