Then: Leaside Aerodrome. Laird and MCrae area, Leaside, Toronto, 1929-30. One of a number of small rough field airports that dotted Toronto in the early days of aviation when cloth, wood and wire construction planes flew lower and slower and didn't require miles of concrete runway, and the skies weren't filled with airliners themselves filled with Moore Park high schoolers returning from trips to the Galapagos and retirees in Tilley clothing flying to nowhere in particular getting in their way. Canada Wire and Cable corporate office in the distance fronting onto Laird (with factory trailing behind it). We are looking west. I wonder if the owners of the first homes developed just west of Laird complained about the noise. The air cooled rotary engines of these early aircraft were decidedly not quiet.

Now. July 2011. We are looking west along Wicksteed towards Laird in the distance.