Miscellany Toronto Photographs: Then and Now

[Mustapha]

November 16 addition.




Then. Church and Yonge, looking SE. Nov. 1959



Note the "Austin" sign. I guess British cars were a big deal in 1950s Toronto.

Now. October 2010.

Old car I saw last week parked on a lot on Queen street east.

Rear of same. Note dealership where it was sold - on Bay street - just a couple of blocks from our "Austin" dealership.

 

[NomoreaTorontonian]

British cars were great until you tried to get to the cottage in one--or even tried to get the family groceries back from the supermarket!

 

[adma]

Take note that the Austin sign stood atop the concrete structure now slowly being demolished for Milan--its upper floors were lopped off c1980s; the rest remained as a de facto Crappy Tire garage annex. (Oh, and didn't that gas-station butterfly canopy also remain until relatively recent times?)

 

[Goldie]

History in pavement:

 

[Earlscourt_Lad]

Similar scenes in my neighbourhood. On Sellers Ave., there are two fire hydrants about 12' apart. One being Toronto and the other York.

 

[Goldie]

Big changes in Markham

Just across the street from Toronto:

 

[Mustapha]

British cars were great until you tried to get to the cottage in one--or even tried to get the family groceries back from the supermarket!

We had a Ford Zephyr. It left us stranded early and often; once just outside Algonquin Park at night.

Take note that the Austin sign stood atop the concrete structure now slowly being demolished for Milan--its upper floors were lopped off c1980s; the rest remained as a de facto Crappy Tire garage annex. (Oh, and didn't that gas-station butterfly canopy also remain until relatively recent times?)

Yes, I was surprised that it seemed to disappear overnight. I don't believe a hue and cry was raised at all.

Just across the street from Toronto:

Milliken... about 25 years ago the name was still in somewhat vernacular usage, like Willowdale or Lansing.






November 17 addition.




I should have added this last night...

Back to our regular program below:




Then May 31 1927. Queen's Quay loop at York. I think I've got this one right...

Now. August 2010.

 

[NomoreaTorontonian]

The Harbour Commissioners Building should be behind the photographer and to the left in the old pic. It brings back memories of cold days in early May with the wind blowing off the lake waiting for the Bay Street car to make the circle and come back to pick us up from in front of the docks. Funny, though, I can't remember watching the streetcar going round the loop.

 

[Mustapha]

The Harbour Commissioners Building should be behind the photographer and to the left in the old pic. It brings back memories of cold days in early May with the wind blowing off the lake waiting for the Bay Street car to make the circle and come back to pick us up from in front of the docks. Funny, though, I can't remember watching the streetcar going round the loop.

November 18 addition.





Then. Harbour Commissioners Building. May 14, 1921. Wonderful old seaplane and yacht. View is looking to the NE.

Now. August 2010. I'm not sure what's inside the building now. I'll let you look it up. View is looking to the NW - I thought it was more interesting this way. Landfill has pushed the shoreline about 1/4 km to the south. Goldie mentioned to me that there are Toronto archive pictures showing horse drawn wagons dumping trash - "landfill" - into Toronto bay.

I am still thinking about adma's comment about the "butterfly canopy" gas station. I haven't the vocabulary to wax eloquent like others here but to me that bit of Mid-Century Modern reminded me of Las Vegas.


.

 

[Mustapha]

I just noticed that the "u" is missing from "Harbour" on the front of of our old girl...

 

[wwwebster]

I just noticed that the "u" is missing from "Harbour" on the front of of our old girl...

Interesting. It's also spelled "Harbor" in this article from February 1919:

http://www.archive.org/stream/constructionjour12macduoft#page/34/mode/2up

 

[Goldie]

Landfill

November 18 addition.

Goldie mentioned to me that there are Toronto archive pictures showing horse drawn wagons dumping trash - "landfill" - into Toronto bay.

A wonderful Toronto landmark!

 

[kitestate]

in the Canadian Tire 'then' gas bar pic-anyone catch the price of anti-freeze on the sign? $2.89? -somewhat pricey for 1959?

 

[Aladone]

november 16 addition.

Then. Church and yonge, looking se. Nov. 1959
note the "austin" sign. I guess british cars were a big deal in 1950s toronto.
Now. October 2010.

remixed... and look...Gas is actually cheap....

 

[slickrick]

Just across the street from Toronto:

Hey Goldie,

I spent quite a bit of time in that building as a kid and was fortunate to get in and take some pictures before it got demo'ed.

Rick