Lost Toronto

[dt_toronto_geek]

The streetcar tracks suggest that it might be Bloor. There was a cinema on the south side of Bloor midway between Yonge & Church and that might be it at the left of the photo.

Indeed, that is the Town Cinema on the far left. If it had survived, it would be directly across from Matisse Restaurant in the Marriott Hotel on the north side of Bloor.

 

[jaborandi]

That is Bloor with the streetcar tracks. I was thinking the next one. That empty lot is the Xerox building today I guess.

Yes, the laneway to the right of the old building and the billboard would be Roys Square. Also visible is the rear of the former Postal Station F at Yonge & Charles and across the street is the current location of Shopper's Drug in the building with the diagonal corner. It's hard to believe that Bloor was so rustic, especially considering the 6-storey office building across the street.

 

[casaguy]

I can't stop staring... These photos are amazing. Thank you so much for posting them.

 

[TKTKTK]

That would be Hayden.

One member named TKTKTK and another named tktktktk? You guys related?

LOL! I didn't even realise it, I must have two accounts. I guess I must have forgotten my password or something at some point. I logged in today from work and just guessed on the number of tks and password and got right on, I was actually proud of myself for remembering. What a tit I am, I'll stick to this one

 

[TKTKTK]

Indeed, that is the Town Cinema on the far left. If it had survived, it would be directly across from Matisse Restaurant in the Marriott Hotel on the north side of Bloor.

Yup:

In 1951 it was across the street from:

And a naked Wellesley station (I think, it's hard to recognise it without that crushing mass on top):

 

[adma]

Yes, the laneway to the right of the old building and the billboard would be Roys Square. Also visible is the rear of the former Postal Station F at Yonge & Charles and across the street is the current location of Shopper's Drug in the building with the diagonal corner. It's hard to believe that Bloor was so rustic, especially considering the 6-storey office building across the street.

Come to think of it, that ramshackle building with the gable looks almost like some old stagecoach hotel or something--like, perhaps, "historically significant" or something.

For that matter, was that awfully fresh-looking clearing a preliminary expropriation for the subway?

(Perhaps; I see in the distance the Bank of Nova Scotia, which'd date this photo c1950)

 

[TKTKTK]

For that matter, was that awfully fresh-looking clearing a preliminary expropriation for the subway?

(Perhaps; I see in the distance the Bank of Nova Scotia, which'd date this photo c1950)

It is, probably just a few months earlier than the photos I posted (you can see how the construction had progressed.)


Sure wish we still had the impossibly cute little shop on the right:

Anyone know what, or where, Mosher's is?


Bloor Street's end (at Sherbourne):

Bloor Street's extension across the Don (June 4, 1913):

Viaduct construction, looking west from just east of Sherbourne.

Finished product, plus some views of St. Jamestown caught molesting the landscape (1965):

 

[Urban Shocker]

How interesting - the 50 and ( where I used to live ) 70 Cambridge Avenue apartment buildings are under construction in that last aerial shot. But the other high-rises, on the east side of Broadview a few blocks south of the Danforth, aren't there yet. Nor are the two seniors' homes. The swimming pool had already been built, at the north end of Riverdale Park.

 

[urbandreamer]

Toronto: 1950-2005: what a tragedy!

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

Yonge and Bloor, S/W Corner 1912

Yonge and Bloor, S/W Corner 1928

Yonge and Bloor, facing east 1929

Yonge and Bloor facing south, 1938

Yonge and Bloor, south side east of Yonge 1950

Yonge and Bloor, south side east of Yonge 1960

 

[adma]

1950 is a misdating in that next-to-last shot; judging by how "finished" the subway + streetcar platforms look, it's more like 1954/55 (and Confederation Life can be seen UC in the left background).

Interesting to see in the last shot that a Loblaws store was in that building atop the Bloor south entrance (where the Xerox Centre is now--and, anyone remember the subway entrance arcade? A real New Yorkish old-school retail experience, that was...)

 

[unimaginative2]

1950-2005 included Toronto's greatest era.

What great pictures. It's a shame they didn't build transferways at more of the streetcar/subway connections. It would really be useful!

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

1950 is a misdating in that next-to-last shot; judging by how "finished" the subway + streetcar platforms look, it's more like 1954/55 (and Confederation Life can be seen UC in the left background).

Interesting to see in the last shot that a Loblaws store was in that building atop the Bloor south entrance (where the Xerox Centre is now--and, anyone remember the subway entrance arcade? A real New Yorkish old-school retail experience, that was...)

You absolutely correct. I used the photo's file's name (theatre-towne-cinema-1950.jpg) to date the photo. IMDB lists the film playing on the Town Cinema's Marquee as being released in June 1955.

 

[Hipster Duck]

This photo gives a good view of the streetwall along Yonge street that the Eaton Centre replaced:

And, on the other side of the city, this is the mighty 401 at Midland avenue in Scarberia

When was this building demolished?

 

[jaborandi]

When was this building demolished?

[/QUOTE]

Within the last ten years. I was quite surprised that it was demolished and not the Seaway Motel next door. Certainly a sad loss of a very agreeable 60s building.