Looking north from Breadalbane St at Yonge St, in the Bay-Cloverhill neighbourhood of Toronto.
The archive photo features a portion of the Parkside Tavern, which opened its doors in April 1949. Ads in a local newspaper described the tavern as featuring a “lavish and well-appointed dining room… in a delightful, relaxing atmosphere.”
The Parkside was a popular tavern in the gay community. Above the Parkside, there was also a disco that went by various names in the 1970s, including Momma Cooper’s, Quasimodo’s, the Milk Bar, and Stages.
By 1981, it had gained a reputation as a top spot for draught beer, serving over 2,000 glasses daily to a diverse clientele. The Parkside Tavern closed in the mid-1980s, and since then, the building has housed a variety of businesses, including a grocery store and restaurants.
Then and Now
SOURCE
- City of Toronto Heritage Register
- Heritage Toronto
- Ontario Heritage Trust
- Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Apr 12, 1949, pg 21
- The Toronto Star Newspaper Archives: Dec 21, 1978, pg E8
- The Toronto Star Newspaper Archives: May 9, 1981, pg A3
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Mar 8, 1986, pg A17
- Photo: Denise Marie for TorontoJourney416
- Vintage Photo: City of Toronto Archives
- City of Toronto: Maps
- Toronto City Directory, courtesy of Toronto Public Library
