Miscellany Toronto Photographs: Then and Now

[Aaron]

Has anyone else noticed that many of the old photos were taken above street level - and very effective as such?
I expect they were shot from the tops of trucks, buggies or vans.
Our 'Now' shots are usually taken at street level.

Never noticed that, but you're right. Things were better back then - from a truck.

 

[GenerationW]

A recent comment about McDonald's reminded me that I had this old Scarborough photo on file.
I shot the "Now" pic today.

Someone told me that the first McDonald's in Toronto was at Leslie and Dexter (south of Cummer/McNichol, and it's no longer there). Your 1969 picture tells a different story.

 

[NomoreaTorontonian]

I thought there was one on Avenue Road near Melrose in 1965. It could have been another chain, though.

 

[Mustapha]

May not be Toronto of the 50's, but it feels so long ago since the Toronto Zoo monorail was last running i thought it deserved it to be consider Toronto of the past .


circa. 1986

2009

Neat. Very neat, the dereliction.

I thought there was one on Avenue Road near Melrose in 1965. It could have been another chain, though.

There has been a Macs here since about 1975. If memory serves, it was a restaurant named "LaBaron" or something like that before.




August 30 addition.


Sorry but I don't have a 'Now' picture of the location of this restaurant. The menu strangely doesn't mention the address. My father-in-law says that it was 'somewhere out near the Ontario Food Terminal'.

 

[Anna]

Someone told me that the first McDonald's in Toronto was at Leslie and Dexter (south of Cummer/McNichol, and it's no longer there). Your 1969 picture tells a different story.

That picture said that it was the first McDonalds in Scarborough. I thought the first one in "Metro Toronto" was on Keele, south of Finch - and this T.O. quiz agrees with me. (9/10 - not bad)

http://ramp.torontopubliclibrary.ca/secondary/stufftodo/entertainment/toquiz/three-content.jsp

 

[Goldie]

minesweepers in Toronto

The somewhat-forgotten history of of Toronto shipbuilding in 1944:

 

[Goldie]

Who knew?

Anyone surprised?

 

[J T CUNNINGHAM]

And the relative silence then. The lack of cars probably made for a quiet city. I imagine you would have heard a only murmur of voices as all the people left those Eaton factories. No gunning car engines, horns, Harley bikes doing their noisemaking.

As I recall from the late fifties/early sixties the news venders (on every major

downtown corner) could make quite a racket trying to be heard over the blair

of car horns. One Toronto radio station (CFRB?) started their "Bay Street

News", coverage with the Bay Street noise of blasting auto horns! Every

motorist it seemed, "drove with their HORN". The population finally got

fed-up; the law was applied, we have relative quiet today.


Regards,
J T

 

[thecharioteer]

The somewhat-forgotten history of of Toronto shipbuilding in 1944:

Great pictures, Goldie! Thank you!

 

[Mustapha]

Take note of the rooftop trees in the later pic looking east on Bloor Street; it was the

penthouse apartment of Noah Torno and his wife. A true penthouse, full floor coverage,

Cumberland Street address, two stop elevator, (main floor, top floor) Mr Torno was

"Top Dog", at the ROM, along with numerous corporate directorships. The south west

corner of their apartment also gave them a great view of his "charge"! (the ROM)


Regards,
J T

Very few online pictures of this place; I for one would love a walk through. One of those no expenses spared homes, and beautiful to boot.




August 31 addition.


Jarvis looking N from Queen. Nov 1960.

Now. July 2009

 

[adma]

Consider that in the 1960 photo, the "reversible" middle lane seems already to have existed. (viz. those who claim it was a 1960s creation)

 

[chriskayTO]

It's interesting to see the change that the construction of the armoury brought. The intersection is unrecognizeable because of this.

Also, I love that you can see the CBC tower in the background on the left. Does anyone have a photo of the old CBC buildings (actually in use, before they moved out)?

 

[Mustapha]

Anyone surprised?

So, all those buildings since built on this 'fill' which to me looks a lot like garbage... the builders excavated it all back out; down to the lakebed and below; then drove their piles.

I wonder if anything of interest was found. Old bottles, etc.




September 1 addition.


Then: August 1916.

Bathurst Street bridge. A wonderful example of longevity and reuse. From 'Wiki': "The Bathurst Street Bridge in Toronto, Canada carries 4 lanes for motor vehicles with Toronto Transit Commission's streetcar tracks along Bathurst Street over the railway tracks south of Front Street. The steel Truss bridge was built in 1903 and carried traffic along Lake Shore Road (now Lake Shore Boulevard) over the Humber River. It was re-located in 1916 to Bathurst and re-aligned (Bathurst Street was at an angle south of Front Street) in 1931."

Now: July 2009. You can see how the bridge was re-aligned.

 

[Anna]

So, all those buildings since built on this 'fill' which to me looks a lot like garbage... the builders excavated it all back out; down to the lakebed and below; then drove their piles.

I wonder if anything of interest was found. Old bottles, etc.

They found a bunch of stuff when they built the SkyDome:
"During the building of the stadium, 1,400 artifacts were uncovered giving us a glimpse into the area's past. These items are now on display in the archives of Rogers Centre and are available for viewing as part of your Rogers Centre Tour Experience. Treasures include a cannon from the War of 1812, an assortment of flatware, medicine bottles and plates and cups."
http://www.rogerscentre.com/fun/community.jsp

Bathurst Street bridge. A wonderful example of longevity and reuse. From 'Wiki': "The Bathurst Street Bridge in Toronto, Canada carries 4 lanes for motor vehicles with Toronto Transit Commission's streetcar tracks along Bathurst Street over the railway tracks south of Front Street. The steel Truss bridge was built in 1903 and carried traffic along Lake Shore Road (now Lake Shore Boulevard) over the Humber River. It was re-located in 1916 to Bathurst and re-aligned (Bathurst Street was at an angle south of Front Street) in 1931."

I believe this is a photo of the same bridge in its original location over the Humber. The photo is dated 189?

 

[Mustapha]

Mustapha,

Sorry to stick my pointy nose in, but are you sure about the "Now" image for 495 Bloor W.? I believe it's still standing, as a "Pita Pit", between Brunswick and Borden:

http://www.tobuilt.ca/php/tobuildings_more.php?search_fd0=6713

Corrected. Thanks wwwwebster.


August 24 addition.


495 Bloor W.

Now: August 2009. The 'Pita Pit' has come and gone.

Check out that left door to the over store apartment. It's the same door, and even the '495' numbers are original.