Lost Toronto

[Admiral Beez]

This is why we need to fight for any good historical building. Amazing what they through away.

My girls attend Winchester Public School in Cabbagetown. IIRC, the building is well over 125 years old now. At the parent-teacher assembly they spoke of the Heritage Building. I think the city would have a fight trying to knock it down now.

Here's a few photos of what I consider a nice looking, historic school, though these photos do not do justice, as you don't see the upclose details in the design.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eye_gillian/1352431527/
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2646395420079872026GMRDOZ

 

[Hipster Duck]

The difference between Toronto and, say, American cities, is that while Toronto lost landmarks, American cities lost entire neighbourhoods.

I would much rather have the Toronto of today, where some of the finest individual buildings were lost but neighbourhoods are as vibrant as ever, than the St. Louis of today, where many individual buildings of architectural renown were spared, but vast city blocks were ploughed under for freeway interchanges, stadiums and that arch.

 

[Urban Shocker]

ganja: The doors of that building survive, in a building on the east side of Bay, just south of Queen.

 

[junctionist]

The difference between Toronto and, say, American cities, is that while Toronto lost landmarks, American cities lost entire neighbourhoods.

I would much rather have the Toronto of today, where some of the finest individual buildings were lost but neighbourhoods are as vibrant as ever, than the St. Louis of today, where many individual buildings of architectural renown were spared, but vast city blocks were ploughed under for freeway interchanges, stadiums and that arch.

Some haven't though. The St. James Town buildings were built where hundreds of 19th century homes stood. And there are probably other examples, but it is not to say that our neighbourhood loses are comparatively minute.

 

[syn]

I'd easily take The Star building over FCP. It's too bad they couldn't put FCP somewhere else...and even worse that The Star left their old heaquarters and constructed the current monstrosity on the waterfront.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Some haven't though. The St. James Town buildings were built where hundreds of 19th century homes stood. And there are probably other examples, but it is not to say that our neighbourhood loses are comparatively minute.

At the risk of another one-liner zinger from UT, I wonder where all those thousands of folks in SJT would have gone had those buildings not been built.

 

[TKTKTK]

Ye Olde Church Street


I believe this is the west side of Church Street, between Wood and Alexander.

Looking down Alexander Street from Church Street (the buildings on the corner are the same as in the photo above).

Looking down Wood Street (?) from Church Street.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

Those are great. I've only ever seen photos from that era of this neighbourhood in the areas of Carlton & Church (MLG), Yonge and Jarvis Streets.
The City Park Co-ops which border Alexander and Wood Streets, between Church and Yonge were completed in the early 1950's, so those photos are likely from the late 1940's.
Thanks TK!

 

[adma]

More like, City Park is mid-50s, and this might be 53/54ish (the makes of cars give it away)

 

[jaborandi]

City Park had it's 50th anniversary within the past two years, so the pix are definitely early to mid 50's. As adma said, the cars give it away.

Thanks for posting those photos. I always wondered what was lost to make way for City Park. It's a shame we lost such a lovely streetscape but there is some consolation in that City Park isn't too shabby either.

 

[tktktktk]

I was actually just thinking about this this morning (I came across those pics last night while browsing the online archives - which I love to geek out on before bed sometimes.) As nice as that street scape was, I'm not that sad to see it replaced by City Park. Aside from its surface parking, it's really quite a handsome complex (more so than Village Green across the way.)

 

[salvius]

The online archives are a good way to spend 24-48 hours, clutching coffee and refusing to go to bed.

 

[Edward Skira]

And this process continues today with the Minto project on St Charles.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

More like, City Park is mid-50s, and this might be 53/54ish (the makes of cars give it away)

I had always heard that City Park was built "in the 1950's" and were the first residential highrises in the downtown area. Urbandb lists them as being completed in 1951 so that's what I went with. The vehicles did give me pause, but I'm not too familar with cars of the period.

 

[Mystery White Boy]

But we still have so much good stuff:
1885- Bank of Montreal Building

(wikipedia)

1850- St. Lawrence Hall

http://flickr.com/photos/chuckkahn/58125153/

(Wikipedia)

1853- Toronto Street Post Office

(Wikipedia)

1857- MacKenzie House

(wikipedia)

1864- Don Jail

http://flickr.com/photos/redkam/404042118/

Not to mention the well known University College (1857), Distillery District (~1859), Old City Hall (1899)

and there are so many more of these beauties standing in decent to restored condition...check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oldest_buildings_and_structures_in_Toronto

So much good stuff is pushing it to the max. We barely have anything left.