Miscellany Toronto Photographs: Then and Now

[Mustapha]

You're spot on about the Cemetery having once gone all the way to Yonge, as seen in this aerial photo. I think I read somewhere once that the long narrow shape of the cemetery is due to the fact that it used to be an airstrip.

Up until the mid-late 90s there was a public greenhouse at the cemetery. My mom and I would visit it in the winter months, it was cool going from -20 C and snow, to +20 C and lemon trees and cacti.

Hello and welcome HamiltonTransitHistory.

Thank you for three very interesting reminiscences.

The York Cemetery was in fact an airfield in the 1920s. It's late as I type this and I can't find anything about it via Google. I'll try again tommorrow.

 

[Mustapha]

January 29 addition.



Then. "June 18, 1930. 736 Bay street".



Nothing historically special about this picture of early Bay street. I did however get a chuckle when I came across it in the Toronto archives. The three moppet haired young ladies have certainly chosen an interesting spot to have a conversation!

Now. November 2010.

 

[thecharioteer]

January 29 addition.



Then. "June 18, 1930. 736 Bay street".



Nothing historically special about this picture of early Bay street. I did however get a chuckle when I came across it in the Toronto archives. The three moppet haired young ladies have certainly chosen an interesting spot to have a conversation!

Now. November 2010.

That church spire must be the long-gone Elm Street Methodist Church (early parishioner Timothy Eaton):

Last days (1954):

 

[Goldie]

Then. "June 18, 1930. 736 Bay street".

Now. November 2010.

I'm impressed by this pair - in only eighty years!
They really emphasize the re-built city in which we live.

 

[DTowner]

I always thought they were called the "Princess Gates".

Everybody did/does! Lol. Let's face it, I think when most people say it they are in their mind saying 'princess'. I sure do. x

 

[DTowner]

January 29 addition.



Then. "June 18, 1930. 736 Bay street".

Wow! Nowadays you would never see kids that young just hanging around like that — and by a construction site! Lol. Where are the parents? Lol.

 

[adma]

The York Cemetery was in fact an airfield in the 1920s. It's late as I type this and I can't find anything about it via Google. I'll try again tommorrow.

Though even if it weren't an airfield, it follows the typical "farm lot" settlement subdivision pattern, anyway.

Incidentally, the "runes" at North York Public Library were by Harold Town, who supervised their resurrection in the replacement library as well...

 

[Mustapha]

"Willowdale Airfield was located in Willowdale, Toronto, Ontario near Finch Avenue and Senlac. Like many of the small aerodromes in Toronto, it disappeared before World War II. In 1948, the former airfield became part of what is now York Cemetery."

You needn't click the link below. The whole history is above.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willowdale_Airfield

 

[Mustapha]

thecharioteer,

That colour drawing of Elm street Methodist is wonderful.

The second picture shows an almost rural aspect around the church. The church is gone but it makes me appreciate even more the park space surrounding Metropolitan United at Queen and Jarvis or St. James at King and Jarvis.




January 30 addition. "Roadway 14.6.57 Orde St looking E from 150' E of McCaul St".

Now. October 2010.

 

[HamiltonTransitHistory]

Mustapha, thank you for my suprise of the day; I had no idea that pond existed in the east end! Love that they named the east leg "The Serpentine"; the east end's version of Hyde Park, eh?

Here it is in the 1910 Goad Atlas:

To answer your question, it would appear that there was no outlet to Lake Ontario from this pond:

Amazing. I've walked through this park several times, with no idea that it used to be a large pond/inlet

This now explains something. One of the apartment buildings on Edgewood (called 'Berkley' on the map above) has a large sunken parking lot along the side. I'd always wondered why they went to the bother of excavating it. Now I know-It wasn't excavated, it was never filled in!

 

[Edward Skira]

Hey HamiltonTransitHistory. Welcome to the forum. I grew up at Yonge and Finch and have fond memories of the area. Your photos are a great reminder.

 

[HamiltonTransitHistory]

Hey HamiltonTransitHistory. Welcome to the forum. I grew up at Yonge and Finch and have fond memories of the area. Your photos are a great reminder.

These are NOT my photos! These are photos that have been posted by Mustapha and others earlier, I'm just making comments on the handful that mean something to me. (I'm not about to take credit for someone else's hard work)

 

[Mustapha]

Amazing. I've walked through this park several times, with no idea that it used to be a large pond/inlet

This now explains something. One of the apartment buildings on Edgewood (called 'Berkley' on the map above) has a large sunken parking lot along the side. I'd always wondered why they went to the bother of excavating it. Now I know-It wasn't excavated, it was never filled in!

"Edgewood bridge. Dec 18, 1914".

This bridge is shown on the old 1910 map, at the south end of Berkeley street.

It's former location is marked by where the black jeep is parked (might not be a jeep, but it is the small SUV with the spare wheel mounted on the tailgate) in the photo in your link.

Thanks HamiltonTransitHistory. You are most observant. You have added immeasurably to, if not completed, the body of knowledge about Smalls Pond here at Urban Toronto.

 

[Mustapha]

January 31 addition.



Then. "June 17, 1937. 8 Breadalbane street".

Now. November 2010. Men's Entrance no longer.

 

[ReiwaMagi]

January 31 addition.



Then. "June 17, 1937. 8 Breadalbane street".

Now. November 2010. Men's Entrance no longer.

What a gross EIFS renovation..

And judging by the demolition boards, the building east of it seems to be demolished quite recently.