Scarborough Photographs: Then and Now

[Lone Primate]

One thing that I have noticed in many photos from the 1950s era is how similar that Toronto's and parts of Long Island's established suburbs actually are...
LI MIKE

They fly a lot of Union Jacks on the City Service stations in Levittown, Mike?

That's a great shot, though. I wish the view faced the other way, though. I recently cribbed some of the aerials from the area and was amazed to find out they built the Parkwoods connector between Ellesmere and York Mills way back in 1959. I wouldn't have imagined it much before the early to mid 1960s, but there you go. Would have been interesting to see a shot of that intersection--which I believe is Ellesmere at Victoria Park--as T-junction with a diamond sign at the end of it!

 

[Anna]

They fly a lot of Union Jacks on the City Service stations in Levittown, Mike?

That's a great shot, though. I wish the view faced the other way, though. I recently cribbed some of the aerials from the area and was amazed to find out they built the Parkwoods connector between Ellesmere and York Mills way back in 1959. I wouldn't have imagined it much before the early to mid 1960s, but there you go. Would have been interesting to see a shot of that intersection--which I believe is Ellesmere at Victoria Park--as T-junction with a diamond sign at the end of it!

Not exactly what you are looking for but here is the York Mills & Vic Park intersection in 1960. Hickory 4- 9031

and looking south from the 401

 

[brewster]

Victoria Park looking south west at York Mills by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Victoria Park looking south from the 401 by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr

 

[Goldie]

Goldie/Brewster
Do you know where this is? - I'm wondering if it's near Kingston Road?

Thanks for prompting brewster and I with that photo, Anna.
Here's what I discovered today:

This odd concrete artifact appears to be in about the same place as Eglinton would have been in 1955. What could it be? A lamp post?

 

[Long Island Mike]

Parabolic-Roof designed stores...

Were any of those Long Island parabolic-roof groceries Grand Union?

Incidentally, it impresses me how architecturally sophisticated Cities Service stations were for their time in Toronto...

Adma: I remember Grand Union Supermarkets on Long Island...I don't
recall any exact stores though...see: www.groceteria.com

There was a chain of variety stores called "Times Square Stores" or TSS for short
which had a store in Levittown that was partially built with that type of roof...

That store had a parabolic roof facade that had two large arch supports that
went to ground and it had fence protection because it was actually easy to
climb those supports and possibly get on the roof...

LP: I recall Cities Service gas stations on LI but as mentioned they probably
did not fly the Union Jack even though it would have been a treat to see...

I remember the Sinclair Oil gas stations (Remember Dino the Dinosaur?)
and remember that they were taken over by BP...perhaps they flew the UJ
when they debuted...

LI MIKE

 

[supegui]

wow

Wow, thanks for the pictures. I enjoy viewing these pictures and seeing how much the city had changed. I wonder what the future will bring.

Thanks again.

 

[Lone Primate]

Victoria Park looking south west at York Mills by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Victoria Park looking south from the 401 by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr

Hey, Mister Scarborough, you're pissing in Mister North York's pool on that side of Vic Park.

 

[donoreo]

Hey, Mister Scarborough, you're pissing in Mister North York's pool on that side of Vic Park.

That is ok, most consider it Scarborough if it is east of the DVP

 

[brewster]

Lone has a point but North York was fields and the almighty Scarborough had a church and apt's already.

 

[brewster]

Looking north west towards Cassandra by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Looking south on V.P. towards Lynnvalley by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Looking north on V.P. from Lynnvalley by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Looking south east Clintwood and V.P by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Looking south west Curlew and V.P. 2 by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Looking south west Curlew and V.P by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Looking north east from Clintwood Gate 2 by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Looking north east from Clintwood Gate by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Victoria Park looking north at Rowena by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Victoria Park looking south east at Greylawn by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Victoria Park looking north east at Greylawn by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Victoria Park looking north at Ivordale by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Victoria Park looking south at Cassandra by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Looking north east at the back of the Parkway Mall by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr

 

[brewster]

Victoria Park looking south east from Combermere by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Looking south on V.P. south of Ellesmere 2 by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Looking North West at V.P. and Ellesmere--Parkwoods Villiage Drive by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Looking south on V.P. south of Ellesmere by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Looking east on Ellesmere at Victoria Park by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Victoria Park and Ellesmere looking south east by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Strip Mall north east V.P. and Ellesmere by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Victoria Park ,east side, north of Ellesmere by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Victoria Park looking north east at Paget by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Victoria Park looking south below Pachino by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Victoria Park looking south at Pachino by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Victoria Park looking north east at Pachino 2 by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Victoria Park looking north east at Pachino by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Victoria Park looking south east at Pachino by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Victoria Park looking north towards Terraview by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr

TRUE STORY--In the next shot I walked out on to V.P. to try to make the view like the original. I almost got nailed by a black Nissan. Dangerous section if anybody knows V.P. and Terraview. My wife works at Scarborough Civic Center and called me when she got there. Turns out she saw me and wanted to give me a scare but after I took my shot I almost went into my car trying to get back to the curb. We do have good life insurance so I'm not sure what she was thinking.


Victoria Park looking south from Terriview by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Victoria Park looking north west before 401 by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr

THIS IS A STRANGE ONE. ALL THESE HOUSES NORTH OF THE CHURCH WERE TORN DOWN FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE EASTBOUND ON RAMP TO THE 401. HOW MUCH OF A LIFE DID THEY HAVE ? PROBABLY BUILT IN '61 SO WHO KNOWS FOR SURE.


Victoria Park looking north before 401 by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr


Victoria Park looking north at Terrivew by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr

 

[Anna]

THIS IS A STRANGE ONE. ALL THESE HOUSES NORTH OF THE CHURCH WERE TORN DOWN FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE EASTBOUND ON RAMP TO THE 401. HOW MUCH OF A LIFE DID THEY HAVE ? PROBABLY BUILT IN '61 SO WHO KNOWS FOR SURE.


Victoria Park looking north before 401 by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr

I think of those houses everytime I use the Vic Park off ramp. There is still a tree there that looks like it was planted in someone's backyard. They were torn down not so much for the on ramp but for the widening of the 401 from 4 lanes to 8(?) in the late 60's. I thought they were built in the '50s - the same time as the rest of the neighbourhood behind them.

 

[Anna]

1953 aerial - note the house that's still there at the corner of VP & Paget

1970 aerial

 

[brewster]

I didn't bother to Then/Now this photo as I wasn't sure Anna but by looking at your 1970 aerial on the left it must be the same farm house looking S/W from just below the 401.

Series 65 -Metropolitan Toronto Planning Department Library collection of Alexandra Studio photographs by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr

 

[adma]

Victoria Park looking north at Rowena by MISTER SCARBOROUGH, on Flickr

Would the gates on the left belong to the O'Connor homestead?