Abandoned 1980s housing development adjacent to Earl Bales Park

[Strange Advance]

This is kind of a sister thread to my still-unsolved topic/query revolving around the destroyed Earl Bales Park footbridge. I remembered today that in the early-to mid-1980s, off Westgate Blvd, there were the very beginnings of what was to be a residential street with houses on it. It was abandoned, and I wonder if anyone has more information about it. Up until about 25 years ago, one could drive down Westgate Blvd until it dead-ended next to a pedestrian entrance to Earl Bales Park, but the road was blockaded at the top of the hill back then and is now open only to pedestrians/bicyclists. Perhaps the desire to close the road to vehicular traffic is what stopped the housing development.

I have outlined the road, which still exists. I haven't been down there in many years, and don't know what it looks like today.

Overhead:

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.ca

Streetview at the top of the hill where the road ends:

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.ca

 

[Jarndyce]

This is kind of a sister thread to my still-unsolved topic/query revolving around the destroyed Earl Bales Park footbridge. I remembered today that in the early-to mid-1980s, off Westgate Blvd, there were the very beginnings of what was to be a residential street with houses on it. It was abandoned, and I wonder if anyone has more information about it. Up until about 25 years ago, one could drive down Westgate Blvd until it dead-ended next to a pedestrian entrance to Earl Bales Park, but the road was blockaded at the top of the hill back then and is now open only to pedestrians/bicyclists. Perhaps the desire to close the road to vehicular traffic is what stopped the housing development.

I have outlined the road, which still exists. I haven't been down there in many years, and don't know what it looks like today.

Overhead:

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.ca

Streetview at the top of the hill where the road ends:

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.ca

(A) The southern half of the road outlined in red by you was "Northbourne Avenue" created by Plan of subdivision 2456, registered 27 Oct 1924.
To the west the plan also shows "Westgate Place". Neither street was ever constructed and no houses were ever built fronting on them.

(B) The name of "Westgate Place" was changed to "Goblet Court" by Borough of North York By-law 26486 passed 5 July 1976.
Why?
< https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/pre1998bylaws/north york - borough of/26486.pdf >

(C) City Staff Report on closure of the easterly portion of Westgate Boulevard
25 March 2010
< https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2010/ny/bgrd/backgroundfile-29053.pdf >

(D) On the attachment to (C), Sketch No. PS-2009-047 dated 6 April 2009, Goblet Court and Northbourne Avenue are labelled as "untravelled".
< https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2010/ny/bgrd/backgroundfile-29054.pdf >

(E) City of Toronto By-law 1096-2011, passed 22 Sep 2011, to permanently close the easterly portion of Westgate Boulevard.
< https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/bylaws/2011/law1096.pdf >

(F) Toronto District School Board's "Find Your School By Address" page recognizes Goblet Court and Northbourne Avenue.
< https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Find-your/School/By-Home-Address >

Former Municipality Street Name Street Number Range Elementary Intermediate Secondary
North York Goblet Crt All Numbers Summit Heights PS Summit Heights PS William L Mackenzie CI

Former Municipality Street Name Street Number Range Elementary Intermediate Secondary
North York Northbourne Ave All Numbers Summit Heights PS Summit Heights PS William L Mackenzie CI

 

[Strange Advance]

Very interesting, Jarndyce, thanks. The map (D) is particularly insightful. "Goblet Court" has been nothing more than a small hiking trail for as long as I can remember, whereas "Northborne Ave" was actually worked on with bulldozers fairly extensively back in the mid-'80s. I rode my bike down and up the hill quite frequently when I was a kid. To me, it looked like it was being prepped for houses at the time. And what is now the Earl Bales Stormwater Management Pond was a small landfill site of sorts (not for reeking household garbage (it didn't stink), but for plastic and the like) until about 15 years ago.

 

[Jarndyce]

Plan 2456 is attached. Maple Drive is now Sandringham Drive.
Blocks A and B on Plan 2456 are now Plan 4580, which comprises Timberland Drive and the houses fronting on Timberland Drive.

Glendale Avenue on Plan 2456 was closed by Township of North York By-law 8740, passed 26 Oct 1953.
The by-law incorrectly refers to Glendale "Street"..
< https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/pre1998bylaws/north york - township of/8740.pdf >

Glendale Avenue, Blocks C and D, and Lots 160-169 on Plan 2456 all became part of a municipal sewage plant.

 

[Strange Advance]

Fascinating, thanks. There was much more housing planned down there than I realized.