Miscellany Toronto Photographs: Then and Now

[slickrick]

Little Trinity Church

okay, I'll try this again, hopefully it works this time.

a few then and a couple now photo's of the oldest Church building in the city on King St E, east of Parliament.

1880

1910

1930's

On Fire in 1961

2010

2010

 

[slickrick]

Just across the street from Toronto:

Hey Goldie,

I'll try this again...

Here are some pics of the old Milliken School (1929) before it was re-incarnated into some more ugly condo's.

 

[Goldie]

A fine relic

Here are some pics of the old Milliken School (1929) before it was re-incarnated into some more ugly condo's.

Thanks for those, slickrick.

I first noticed that school about 15 -20 years ago and took some pix myself but darned if I can find them today.
That's the problem when one's files of photos number in the tens-of-thousands. And, of course, I've been negligent with my obscure filing system.
At the time I first saw the school, it had become a private institution.
I was invited on a tour and even shown the old, original furnace in the basement.
I may have photographed the furnace too.

The inscription over the entrance (attached) is very difficult to read - I suppose that script was once very popular.

 

[Goldie]

That building at Sheppard and Don Mills has finally been demolished.
Do we know what will be the replacement?

 

[Mustapha]

Thank you slickrick.

Little Trinity Church.. it's interesting to ponder your visual tour of 130 years and realize with some awe that nothing has changed on this downtown stretch of King street east.

Milliken school... thank you for preserving those images (you too Goldie ) and showing them to us.








November 22 addition.





Then. Yonge street just N of Hwy 401 E side. 1962. Toronto archival notes: "House was the residence of Robert Earl Bales (former Reeve of North York - 1934 - 1940)".


I wouldn't have recognized where it was if it weren't for the old Maclean Hunter printing plant behind it.

Now. October 2010. The "Spectrum" condominium occupies this area now.

 

[Mustapha]

November 23 addition.





Then. NE corner King and Bay Sep 11, 1953.

Now. November 2010.

 

[HHC]

Wow.. the Toronto Star building was immaculate at street level!!! How awesome it would be to see that today.

 

[thecharioteer]

Wow.. the Toronto Star building was immaculate at street level!!! How awesome it would be to see that today.

Neither of the buildings shown are the Toronto Star. The building on the NE corner is the Bank of Nova Scotia; the building on the NW corner was the Bank of Montreal. The Star was to the west.

Bank of Montreal building under construction (while BNS is just beginning):

And complete in August 1949 (both pics from the Ontario Archives):

 

[Denizen314]

I think I may have posted that incorrectly. Way to go, me!

<take 2>
Always good to come back and see this thread going strong. Last time I was here I think Mustapha and Aladone were the main contributors, but it's awesome to see Goldie's adds in there as well.

Excellent work as always, all. Makes me wish I continued to be an avid shutterbug myself.
</take 2>

 

[Goldie]

sculpture at the bank

Sculptures such as this by Florence Wyle (now on display at the Guild Inn), were part of the Bank of Montreal building.
I've never seen any photo that reveals where, exactly, these beautiful panels were attached.
Any evidence out there?

 

[Blovertis]

Neither of the buildings shown are the Toronto Star. The building on the NE corner is the Bank of Nova Scotia; the building on the NW corner was the Bank of Montreal. The Star was to the west.

Bank of Montreal building under construction (while BNS is just beginning)... And complete in August 1949...

Amazing to realize what a brief life (late Forties to early Seventies) that BoM had. Among "substantial" Toronto buildings, maybe only the Lord Simcoe was disposed of quicker...?

 

[thecharioteer]

Amazing to realize what a brief life (late Forties to early Seventies) that BoM had. Among "substantial" Toronto buildings, maybe only the Lord Simcoe was disposed of quicker...?

So true, and the City and Historic Board tried valiantly in the early 70's to have O&Y retain the BoM Building, alas to no avail. Instead we got that banal horizontal podium as a compromise. What a gateway the NE and NW corner made with its "Rockefeller Center" massing, limestone cladding and sculptural bas-reliefs.

 

[thecharioteer]

Sculptures such as this (attached- now on display at the Guild Inn) by Florence Wyle, were part of the Bank of Montreal building.
I've never seen any photo that reveals where, exactly, these beautiful panels were attached.
Any evidence out there?

Can't see them in these either.....

From the Toronto Star Archives with the caption: "1967 caption: Banks on a Downtown Scrub-up: Notice that well-scrubbed look about downtown King St. these days? Two major buildings have had a centennial face-wash - the Bank of Montreal at King and Bay (left), which has had its stone cleaned for the first time since it was completed in 1947, and the old Royal Bank at King and Yonge. The jobs were done by a high-pressure stream of water and silica. Last Published: 8/28/1967"

Eight years later:

 

[Goldie]

Location of Provincial sculptures?

Perhaps I'm mistaken.
Could these sculptures, depicting all Canada's provinces, have been on another bank building?
I'm sure they decorated one of the now-demolished banks!

 

[HHC]

Oh so we lost two great buildings for FCP. I see it now.