Miscellany Toronto Photographs: Then and Now

[Browning Avenue]

Where would you rather visit, Mustapha?

While Hastings Street (not Avenue) has its attractions, it's never going to be mistaken for Fifth Avenue. Parts of Harlem or the South Bronx in the 1970s. But a century ago, it was pretty close to being Vancouver's Fifth Avenue.

 

[HamiltonTransitHistory]

It's the size of the devastated area that always gets me. Putting it into modern terms, it's everything on Bay between the Stock Exchange and the railway tracks, and everything on Front Between the Hockey Hall of Fame and the Royal York. If it happened today, the list of lost buildings would include The Dominion Public Building, half of Union Station, the TD Canada Trust Tower, the RBC Plaza...

 

[FAC33]

It's the size of the devastated area that always gets me. Putting it into modern terms, it's everything on Bay between the Stock Exchange and the railway tracks, and everything on Front Between the Hockey Hall of Fame and the Royal York. If it happened today, the list of lost buildings would include The Dominion Public Building, half of Union Station, the TD Canada Trust Tower, the RBC Plaza...

Of course, compared to London's 1666 Great Fire, this was well-contained. The London fire destroyed the majority of the Square Mile of the old City. And the Great Chicago Fire was even larger - 4 square miles destroyed.

It's also interesting how few (if any) of the buildings that replaced the buildings lost in the fire remain. But we have one building left that narrowly escaped it--the aforementioned Bank of Montreal building that now houses the HHoF.

 

[DRKSTR47]

So, about the gentlemen seated to the left & right separate from the main table...................were they an afterthought to the invitation list??? unwashed??? bodyguards???? Enquiring minds......

This the one, JT?

"Complimentary dinner tendered by Sir John Eaton, King Edward Hotel 1907"

 

[Gebbois]

So, about the gentlemen seated to the left & right separate from the main table...................were they an afterthought to the invitation list??? unwashed??? bodyguards???? Enquiring minds......

Dressed the same... Little younger than the rest... "The Children's Table" we all fondly remember !

 

[JoeBlow]

Well I've been lurking around here the better part of a week cruising through this monstrously large and enormously interesting thread. Interesting enough that I registered @ UT.
I have lots to add from out in the west end here (Islington Twp) but for now will stick with a topic that came up around page 16x Regarding the Regal Constellation and an aircraft.

Then (on the grounds of the Regal Constellation Hotel)

Later (at the coner of Derry Rd & Vanguard Dr)

Now (at the Museum of Flight in Seattle WA)

Here is a complete history of the aircraft

None of this work is mine, all credit goes to the original photographers.

 

[Mustapha]

A small memory from childhood, when we lived at Queen and McClean. There was a "junk shop" across the street with a porcelain sign in the window. That sign for some reason is burned in my memory. "Gillett's Lye eats dirt"

An appalling graphic to modern eyes. I was curious enough to read up on lye.. interesting how it's used in many kinds of food preparation. Who knew?

 

[Mustapha]

Don't think so, Mustapha. The Crystal Ballroom is on top of the 1921 addition. This 1907 pic is probably in the old Victoria Room.

Yes, the ceiling in the Crystal Ballroom is MUCH higher. I saw it at Doors Open a few years ago and it looked pretty sad, it is supposedly being fixed up and proper fire exits added (why it was closed I think.) See http://www.invisiblethreads.com/gallery/crystal-ballroom
and http://www.infiltration.org/journal-kinged.html

I had completely forgotten, thanks thecharioteer and DSC. Great link too.

 

[Mustapha]

Well I've been lurking around here the better part of a week cruising through this monstrously large and enormously interesting thread. Interesting enough that I registered @ UT.
I have lots to add from out in the west end here (Islington Twp) but for now will stick with a topic that came up around page 16x Regarding the Regal Constellation and an aircraft.

Then (on the grounds of the Regal Constellation Hotel)

Later (at the coner of Derry Rd & Vanguard Dr)

Now (at the Museum of Flight in Seattle WA)

Here is a complete history of the aircraft

None of this work is mine, all credit goes to the original photographers.

JoeBlow,

I made it a point to visit and have lunch in this beautiful machine when it was a restaurant in the middle picture - this was around 1995. I beleive a Mennonite lady from Kitchener ran it.

It did not last long as a cocktail bar outside the Regal Constellation - one must give the owners much credit for creative, and in my mind, passionate marketing. Nice to see it in TCA [forerunner to Air Canada] colours in Seattle - I wonder what had happened to her.

I'm very much saddened at the closing down of the Canadian Air and Space Museum at Downsview Air base - very odd how it happened under a federal government that you would think has a philosophical stripe or natural bent sympathetic towards this type of thing. Anyways, there is always the Dayton US Air Force museum although it's not our history and it's a 9 hour drive away; magnificent place though it may be...

 

[JoeBlow]

JoeBlow,

I made it a point to visit and have lunch in this beautiful machine when it was a restaurant in the middle picture - this was around 1995. I beleive a Mennonite lady from Kitchener ran it.

It did not last long as a cocktail bar outside the Regal Constellation - one must give the owners much credit for creative, and in my mind, passionate marketing. Nice to see it in TCA [forerunner to Air Canada] colours in Seattle - I wonder what had happened to her.

I'm very much saddened at the closing down of the Canadian Air and Space Museum at Downsview Air base - very odd how it happened under a federal government that you would think has a philosophical stripe or natural bent sympathetic towards this type of thing. Anyways, there is always the Dayton US Air Force museum although it's not our history and it's a 9 hour drive away; magnificent place though it may be...

Funny you should mention the Museum at Downsview. There was a long and protracted legal battle over the sale of this aircraft which was the last Super-G spec Connie originally delivered to TCA.
The Feds put a heritage designation on it and the sale had to be approved by a special panel before the Seattle Museum could take possession. One of the bidders to keep the plane in Canada was the museum @ Downsview, however they came up short in funding at the end and it went to WA.

 

[Mustapha]

Funny you should mention the Museum at Downsview. There was a long and protracted legal battle over the sale of this aircraft which was the last Super-G spec Connie originally delivered to TCA.
The Feds put a heritage designation on it and the sale had to be approved by a special panel before the Seattle Museum could take possession. One of the bidders to keep the plane in Canada was the museum @ Downsview, however they came up short in funding at the end and it went to WA.

There isn't an airplane whose distinctive flowing lines represent mid century aviation any better. Just iconic.

 

[androiduk]

^^ Thanks for the post JoeBlow and welcome to UT. I was curious about the interior of that airplane bar and I found some pics here. Very disappointing as I was hoping for something more luxurious like maybe plush banquettes. Oh well.

 

[Mustapha]

^^ Thanks for the post JoeBlow and welcome to UT. I was curious about the interior of that airplane bar and I found some pics here. Very disappointing as I was hoping for something more luxurious like maybe plush banquettes. Oh well.

What a great link, I thought I'd never 'see' that interior again. Thanks androiduk.

 

[Mustapha]

Then and Now for Oct 10. Happy Thanksgiving Everyone.


Then. 'April 24, 1913. 1464 to 1478 Dufferin Street.'

Now. May 2011. An old block, but very tidy; a stylish corner photography business anchors the south end, all fronting onto a usually busy Dufferin Street - I waited for a break in the car traffic before mashing the shutter.

 

[brewster]

Another beauty Mustapha. Too bad they couldn't leave the original railing's on any of the houses.