Miscellany Toronto Photographs: Then and Now

[Northern Light]

Well. that was a real FAIL!

A good facility in many respects, but its 1980 hulking exterior has charms only its mother could admire.

Though, its less awful than its familial relation to the immediate east (also part of the Rec. Centre complex); the Clara Benson building (1959)

The new portion houses the Aquatics complex and the Field House (weights, indoor Track n' Field)

The older portion has another pool, plus several gyms.

Gymnastics and badminton use this portion of the complex; and I wrote a few exams there too!

To get from the change rooms in the western building to Clara Benson to play badminton back in a day was to walk though a labyrinth of sorts connecting the two at a basement level.

I don't know if its still the same today, I would rather hope they've cleaned it up a a bit.

 

[Northern Light]

I would love to have been around in the heyday of the PCC cars. They exude an elegance and warmth you very rarely see in more modern transit vehicles.

I was there, LOL Maybe not their heyday, but close enough.

I can't say I miss'em.

They weren't air conditioned.

They weren't low floor, the entry stairs were actually surprisingly narrow and steep. (imagine accessing these with a stroller, or if elderly)........... a mobility aid was simply out of the question.

The seats were more comfy though.......back then they actually put padding in them!

 

[T3G]

I liked what Prague did, they got brand new, low floor tram cars built to the classic T3 design. Respecting the past while keeping things accessible.




Our Flexity cars, as far as modern LRVs, are pretty good looking though... we definitely could've purchased lot worse looking rolling stock. Many cities have.

 

[egotrippin]

I would love to have been around in the heyday of the PCC cars. They exude an elegance and warmth you very rarely see in more modern transit vehicles.

This is a problem with a lot of modern everything, very lacking in warmth. I also like the new Flexity cars, except they had to go with grey on the Eglinton line. Like c'mon, last thing Toronto needs is more grey. At least the TTC cars on existing routes are still red though.

 

[flonicky]

I was there, LOL Maybe not their heyday, but close enough.

Same. Sometimes if I wasn't in a rush, I'd wait for a CLRV because the PPC cars felt so cramped. Riding them again in San Francisco and at the Halton museum wiped out any feelings of nostalgia for me!

 

[thecharioteer]

South west corner of Harbord and Spadina: 1965

View attachment 528837
Credit: John F. Bromley photo, (Dan Dell'Unto collection 2022).
Now:

View attachment 528838

Some more views of Spadina and Harbord:

1910:

1972:

 

[wmabee]

Some more views of Spadina and Harbord:

1910:

View attachment 529323

1972:

View attachment 529324

The 1910 shot above shows Spadina and Classic Ave (now the alley between New College and the athletics complex)

 

[LPCI]

Some more views of Spadina and Harbord:

1910:

View attachment 529323

1972:

View attachment 529324

All those lovely elm trees.

 

[DSC]

Wellesley Hospital - Wellesley & Sherbourne.

1930

In 1950

In 1972

In 2023, note the same wall is still there!

 

[adma]

Wellesley Hospital - Wellesley & Sherbourne.

In 2023, note the same wall is still there!

Of course, you can be sure that by the time the current premises were built, retention of the wall was "mandated".

 

[DSC]

Of course, you can be sure that by the time the current premises were built, retention of the wall was "mandated".

You say that as though you think this is not a good idea. I find it rather charming that the wall is probably about 100 years old. (Not sure if it was mandate, more likely it was cheaper just to leave it, through two rebuilds.

 

[adma]

Wellesley Hospital - Wellesley & Sherbourne.

In 2023, note the same wall is still there!

Of course, you can be sure that by the time the current premises were built, retention of the wall was "mandated".

You say that as though you think this is not a good idea. I find it rather charming that the wall is probably about 100 years old. (Not sure if it was mandate, more likely it was cheaper just to leave it, through two rebuilds.

I'm not saying that. Just that it was likelier a "passive", internally motivated decision when the original house was demolished in the 60s; while by the time of the more recent rebuild, there was more regulatory "teeth" behind such retention...

 

[vz64]

You say that as though you think this is not a good idea. I find it rather charming that the wall is probably about 100 years old. (Not sure if it was mandate, more likely it was cheaper just to leave it, through two rebuilds.

Ha, what might become a Toronto version of the Wailing Wall..

 

[wmedia]

Has anyone ever come across any decent quality old photos of the old McGuinness Distillery property that now makes up Lofts at Mystic Pointe? I can't find anything that isn't small and blurry.

 

[thecharioteer]

South side of Carlton, east of Yonge:

The Carlton Street Methodist Church 1920:

Today: (Impossible to get an exact location due to the 1931 intersection reconfiguration when Carlton was linked with College Street):