Miscellany Toronto Photographs: Then and Now

[Mustapha]

A drive down Yonge street in 1987. Kind of neat to see the buildings that used to be where Yonge Dundas Square is now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bXPZhpusDg

 

[Mustapha]

Thanks Mustapha. I am amazed that you remembered two out of three. I think the store has three slightly different floor levels. For some reason I didn't think it would be standard retail storefronts because the building(s) are only one storey. I wonder if the side door is original.

As a token of my appreciation I give you - a photo of another North Toronto Laura Secord - just north of Eglinton - in 1954.

Nice pic Anna. I've never seen this one; and I think I've seen every one in the Toronto Archives over the years, so I'm assuming it came from somewhere else. Toronto digital archives keep adding pictures ... I should have noted the available number in 2008 when this thread started. But I digress. Lot's of memories from that Woolworth. And the Frans that used to be across the street.

The Yonge Eglinton intersection in that day felt like a 'small city' downtown; still does today. So does St. Clair and Yonge and Sheppard and Yonge, Finch and Yonge, etc. I suppose this could apply to most any part of Toronto or your own city where these kinds of medium-but-still-significant intersections act as neighbourhood anchors.

 

[chriskayTO]

I just wanted to thank all those who've contributed recently - particularly Mustapha and Goldie. Just blown away by the past few dozen posts.

 

[Anna]

Nice pic Anna. I've never seen this one; and I think I've seen every one in the Toronto Archives over the years, so I'm assuming it came from somewhere else. Toronto digital archives keep adding pictures ... I should have noted the available number in 2008 when this thread started. But I digress. Lot's of memories in that Woolworth. And the Frans that used to be across the street.

The Yonge Eglinton intersection in that day felt like a 'small city' downtown; still does today. So does St. Clair and Yonge and Sheppard and Yonge, Finch and Yonge, etc. That could apply to most any part of Toronto or your own city where any of us grew up or live now.

It's from the TPL digital collection. I believe that's where you got the first one of the church. Another bunch from James V Salmon from 1954.

Here's the church/library

and the Orange Hall

and here's Yonge looking north from St Clements in 1955

 

[Mustapha]

It's from the TPL digital collection. I believe that's where you got the first one of the church. Another bunch from James V Salmon from 1954.

Here's the church/library

and the Orange Hall

and here's Yonge looking north from St Clements in 1955

Hey there's the Circle theatre. I never remembered it as such. It was a 'Power' Supermarket from soon after 1955 until about 1970-ish when the present retirement home was built.

Back on page 216 of this thread there is a pretty colour 'isometric' drawing of the Circle theatre. There is also a discussion of 'Castlefield.'

The Storkland store was the area go-to for baby stuff. It lasted until 85-ish I think; I think I bought stuff for my 1st born there; can't be really sure... they closed shortly afterward.

 

[Mustapha]

North Toronto kind-of Historical Tour cont. pg 2.

On the NW corner of Yonge and Lytton in North Toronto is Snider [there's that name again] Parkette. There is a playground in the far corner away back from Yonge - the playground is easy to miss, it's behind one of the Yonge subway line emergency exit buildings. Yep, that's what that non-descript building is. In the past, the playground was a bit forlorn; old equipment, packed sand ground. It's been completely re-landscaped with cool new equipment, including, unbelievably, a permanent outdoor table tennis table. The neighbourhood toddlers are loving it. My American granddaughter will love the new changes when she visits in the summertime. The rest of you - take your little ones there. While the missus wipes snot off little Jeremy you can go over to Sporting Life and spend two days take home pay on a shirt, for Jeremy to soil.

The emergency exit building in Snider Parkette was the site of a shaft sunken into the Yonge subway tunneling - for equipment and labour to go in and out. When they first drove this shaft down a few feet they found a prehistoric horse. This news made either the Toronto Star or the North Toronto Herald, I can't remember which one. By the way, bound back volumes of the North Toronto Herald are available at the Northern District Library.

Anyhoo, they let us local kids peer at the horse bones until some scientists removed it, I nicked a hoof, then work resumed.

There was debate at the time which the more transit knowledgeable here will know about than I. That being, there was a pro and con debate about creating a Lytton Station here. Many didn't want a station and bus loop. Many wanted the opposite. In any event, Lytton Station was never built.

Anyways, Snider Parkette was a Yonge subway line construction mid point and works yard. Today... be sure to take your kids there.

 

[Uncle Teddy]

Thankfully the Yonge Subway resulted in those hydro poles disappearing.

 

[Koolgreen]

Thankfully the Yonge Subway resulted in those hydro poles disappearing.

does that mean every building along yonge had to have their hydro converted from an aerial service to an underground service?
and if so, who would have had to pay?
The city or subway budget or the owner of the building?

 

[AlbertHWagstaff]

Thankfully the Yonge Subway resulted in those hydro poles disappearing.

They're barely visible, but the wires for the Yonge trolley coach are there. The trolley coach was the remnant of the surface streetcar service up to Glen Echo until the subway opened to York Mills. A few trolleys did the run in the first week after the subway opened, but then the traffic on the route dropped off considerably and the diesel bus service up to York Mills was enough.

 

[DSC]

does that mean every building along yonge had to have their hydro converted from an aerial service to an underground service?
and if so, who would have had to pay?
The city or subway budget or the owner of the building?

This kind of thing happens quite often as hydro companies decide (for many reasons) to underground their services. From my experience, normally the hydro Co pays for the work up to the building meter. Often it's very easy as old wires came to (say) the front wall at the 3rd floor level and then went to the basement electrical meter either outside or inside the building. The new wiring is normally brought into the building in the same location, but underground. When I lived in Montreal this happened to my house and there Hydro Quebec actually made all the connections at no cost BUT they did inspect the electrical systems of all houses in my row and a few people had to do upgrades or correct illegal wiring before they would connect them.

 

[Denizen314]

Yes, I know this is a 7 year old post.

Just wanted to see if anyone's stumbled across any photos from this area since then (south looking view from Cameron/Queen). Cheers.

Someone responded to this post, asking about the reason for requesting a photo of that specific area. I live in the immediate vicinity, and I thought it would be interesting to see what it looked like anywhere from the 80's and before.

Cheers.

 

[fugaziosbourne]

Somebody posted this on Reddit today. This was the Shoppers Drug Mart on Queen St. E. Didn't know there was Loblaws in this location.

 

[fugaziosbourne]

21 Main Street

Before and After. Wonder what the neighbours think of having this beast next to them?

 

[themarc]

21 Main Street

Before and After. Wonder what the neighbours think of having this beast next to them?

Great old building underneath. I wonder if it will ever again see light of day instead of imitating a Death Star?

 

[adma]

Though it's an acceptably stylish 70s-style Death Star as it is. And as usual with Bell, it's the function rather than the form that'd be of most concern (i.e. much like living next to power grids, et al)