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Miscellany Toronto Photographs: Then and Now

Then and Now for Nov 3.


Sorry I didn't get around to this this morning - we lost our internet for many hours.


Then. 1980ish. Queen and Davies. Thanks to ValsHere for sourcing the picture.

I wonder if it is a Robert McMann photo? AlbertHWagstaff wrote an interesting bio for us here (back on Sep 26) about Mr. McMann..

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It has all the elements of a McMann photo - definitely 1980 or 1981 based on the numerical route sign on the streetcar but that particular type of PCC car (second-hand from Cincinnati) didn't last much past the end of 1981.

If I can put on the Long Island Mike hat for a minute, I see some iconic Plymouth Furies in the background as Metro Cabs (since merged with Yellow Cab and they seem to be gone now too).
 
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Oh hey thanks for reminding me.

Does anybody have pictures of the Broadview YMCA? I used to go to a day camp there called Wild Roots. Then my Dad and I used to go there to get some exercise. I was 5 or 6 when we used to go, but it was fun hangin with my old man. Their track had banked curves. I was almost too small to get up the banked curves. It was an elevated track around a gymnasium, so you would run around and people would be shooting hoops. The four banks in the corners had exercise stations where you could do sit-ups or what have you. Out back they had a full volcanic stone/ash track and an inner soccer field, plus some extra real-estate around the track. Very big piece of real estate for so close to downtown.

We also used to use the pool. After the pool, we'd hit the sauna. This room was really impressive. It was massive. Stepped white marble with a large glass window. The size of a small Starbucks. They had a cold water hose which was the best cold water in that room. I've not seen anything quite like it since. It's a shame they tore down such a great building.

After working out, we'd walk up to Gerrard for some Crown Fish & Chips. They were the best in the City. Yes, Penrose is now the best, but back then, Crown was top. Very dark place, probably where Kaka Lucky is now. They had a Cola-Cola water immersion pop cooler with the old small glass bottles of Coke.

Great memories.

BeeRich, on my PC your aerial is too tiny to make out. Where was the Broadview Y?
 
Then and Now for Nov 3.


Sorry I didn't get around to this this morning - we lost our internet for many hours.


Then. 1980ish. Queen and Davies. Thanks to ValsHere for sourcing the picture.

I wonder if it is a Robert McMann photo? AlbertHWagstaff wrote an interesting bio for us here (back on Sep 26) about Mr. McMann..

248QueenDavies1980forAuntVal.jpg



It has all the elements of a McMann photo - definitely 1980 or 1981 based on the numerical route sign on the streetcar but that particular type of PCC car (second-hand from Cincinnati) didn't last much past the end of 1981.

If I can put on the Long Island Mike hat for a minute, I see some iconic Plymouth Furies in the background as Metro Cabs (since merged with Yellow Cab and they seem to be gone now too).

Thanks AlbertHWagstaff.

The Fury was a real sleeper. Our family had a 74 with the 318 eight mill. Fast, I think it did 0-60 in about 8 going by my windup Timex. Importantly, it was fast fast fast across an intersection. I don't drive like that now. Can't do anything wild in a Subaru. :)
 
Then and Now for Nov 3.


Sorry I didn't get around to this this morning - we lost our internet for many hours.


Then. 1980ish. Queen and Davies. Thanks to ValsHere for sourcing the picture.

I wonder if it is a Robert McMann photo? AlbertHWagstaff wrote an interesting bio for us here (back on Sep 26) about Mr. McMann..

248QueenDavies1980forAuntVal.jpg



It has all the elements of a McMann photo - definitely 1980 or 1981 based on the numerical route sign on the streetcar but that particular type of PCC car (second-hand from Cincinnati) didn't last much past the end of 1981.

If I can put on the Long Island Mike hat for a minute, I see some iconic Plymouth Furies in the background as Metro Cabs (since merged with Yellow Cab and they seem to be gone now too).

AHW: Thanks for the thought-I noticed those after you mentioned them and I do agree that this picture is from around 1980...
I noticed the white 4-door Chevy Nova or Buick Skylark rear half on the left and a blue Chevy Corvette on the left next to the rear of the third PCC Streetcar...
LI MIKE
 
Then and Now for Nov 4.


Then. 40 College Street c1914. YMCA Building. We've talked about this building in the past but this, this is a wwwebster picture that we needed to show off. :)


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Now. July 2011. Yes, I broke a cardinal rule; don't stand outside police buildings and take pictures. :)

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Mustapha: Good pictures of both - the old Toronto Central YMCA and replacement Metropolitan Toronto Police Headquarters...
I remember the Central YMCA well from my first visits to Toronto in 1979-80 and I liked that it was located close to Yonge Street and the TTC College Subway Station...and College Park...
I do agree with your thoughts about taking a picture of the TPD Headquarters but I agree also that it is a quite interesting and attractive building...the Police Museum there is worth a visit...
LI MIKE
 
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That condo at the NE corner of Bay and College really debases police HQ. That site could have been so much better as a parkette of some sorts. A building as intriguing and identifiable as Metro Police HQ doesn't deserve to be boxed in like that.
 
I remeber a few walking tours as well. One day that sticks in my mind from camp was walking the Rosedale valley and going under the subway bridge, not the viaduct, the modern concrete section to the west.
How far back, was about the post I made about the Broadview Y. It's in this thread somewhere. It had pics and links on the buildings history.

Neat connection!

OOhh, had another memory. I think there was a kitchen in the Y where we made rice krispy squares once. And the T shirts are just coming back to me.

I don't remember any kitchen. But I do remember the fruit punch in my boxed lunch. They used to walk us the whole Toronto Island and I hated it. It was always hot and I couldn't stand it. The Southern boardwalk seemed like it lasted years. Now I bike it in minutes. Also the beaches, one on Ward's Island. I remember back then the Island had frogs and the roadway would have squashed frogs that we would laugh at. Now there aren't any. Frogs are a sign of a healthy ecosystem, which is confusing. Still lots of goose crap. Maybe some epic subway rides, parks.
 
That condo at the NE corner of Bay and College really debases police HQ. That site could have been so much better as a parkette of some sorts. A building as intriguing and identifiable as Metro Police HQ doesn't deserve to be boxed in like that.

Though remember that there was already a small office building on that corner prior to said condo--that is, Police HQ was *always* "kettled", or "meant to be" in a 80s PoMo-urbanism way. If it were meant to be otherwise, the cops would have purchased said corner...
 
BeeRich, on my PC your aerial is too tiny to make out. Where was the Broadview Y?

Sorry. Something going wonky with my system. Broadview, East side, North of Dundas, South of Gerrard. I believe the address was posted earlier.
 
Though remember that there was already a small office building on that corner prior to said condo--that is, Police HQ was *always* "kettled", or "meant to be" in a 80s PoMo-urbanism way. If it were meant to be otherwise, the cops would have purchased said corner...

And before that short-lived office building, there was a row of houses, the remnants of College as a residential street (whose end was accelerated by the Terauley Extension). The history of development always comes back to lot size, ownership and availability.

Pre-Extension (of Bay Street north). The house just behind the car became the NE corner of Bay and College:

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A year and a half later, the corner house is gone:

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1951:

f1231_it0118d.jpg


1997. A dodged bullet?

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A year later:

51-1.jpg
 
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