Looking northeast towards Central Technical School (CTS or Central Tech) from Harbord St just east of Bathurst St, in the Harbord Village neighbourhood of Toronto.
Construction of the school began in 1913. It was designed in the Collegiate Gothic style by the architects Ross & MacFarlane. In September 1915, at the cost of nearly $2 million, which drew criticism, as some considered it a “white elephant,” the school welcomed its first students. Upon opening, the school had upwards of 400 classrooms and workshops, offering a wide range of subjects, including chemistry, fine arts, brickmaking, math, cooking, engineering, and even hat trimming. One unique feature included a room where a house could be constructed from the ground up and fully furnished.
Just a month after opening, the mammoth “too big” school was almost too small, with about 1,400 students in day classes and 3,000 in night classes. Students attended the school for two years, taking a variety of subjects before deciding on a trade to pursue.
To accommodate the growing number of students and to add new facilities, the school has undergone several expansions over the years.
Then and Now
SOURCE
- City of Toronto Heritage Register
- City of Toronto Heritage Register: 693 Bathurst St
- Heritage Toronto
- Ontario Heritage Trust
- Ontario Heritage Trust: 693 Bathurst St
- The Globe Newspaper Archives: May 28, 1913, pg 9
- The Globe Newspaper Archives: Aug 28, 1915, pg 9
- The Globe Newspaper Archives: Oct 11, 1915, pg 7
- TDSB: Central Technical School: Our History
- Photo: Denise Marie for TorontoJourney416
- Vintage Photo: City of Toronto Archives
- City of Toronto: Maps
- Toronto City Directory courtesy of Toronto Public Library
