1972/May 23, 2021 – Looking southwest towards the corner of Church St and Richmond St E, in the Old Town, St Lawrence neighbourhood of Toronto. The building was built in 1882 by architect David Roberts Jr and was originally known as Windsor House. The archive photo shows it was renamed the New Windsor House and later became known as McVeigh’s Irish Pub (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 51, Item 5)1950/2022 – Royal Alexandra Theatre is located at 260 King St W in Toronto’s Entertainment District. Built in 1907, architect John McIntosh Lyle designed the Beaux-Arts style building. The theatre became a National Historic Site of Canada in 1987, on its 80th birthday (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1128, Series 380, Item 349) 2022/1972 – Looking northwest towards The Broadview Hotel at 106 Broadview Ave and Queen St E, in the Riverside neighbourhood of Toronto. Built in 1891/92 as Dingman’s Hall, the Romanesque Revival style building was converted to The Broadview Hotel in 1907/08. The structure received heritage status from the city in 1975 (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 25, Item 18)1972/2022 – Looking northeast from the intersection of King St E and Sherbourne St in Toronto’s Old Town neighbourhood. Built in 1908, the two-storey Edwardian Classical style building was originally the Imperial Bank of Canada and designed by the Toronto-based architecture firm Darling & Pearson.
In 1961, the bank merged with the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, and until 2000, the building served as a CIBC branch. The former bank’s facade was preserved and is now the entrance of Kings Court Condo (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 8, Item 6)April 2, 2022/May 27, 2023 – Looking northeast towards the corner of Yorkville Ave and Avenue Rd, in the Yorkville neighbourhood of Toronto2022/1972 – Looking south from Soho St towards Queen St W in the Entertainment District of Toronto. The façade of the building on the left at 367 Queen St W has been incorporated into the present-day building. The building on the right at 373 Queen St W was home to Peter Pan Lunch and today is known as Peter Pan Bistro (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 48, Item 25)1912/2022 – The Half Way House was a hotel, an apartment and later a store once on the northwest corner of Kingston Rd and Midland Ave in Scarborough, about halfway between Pickering and Toronto. In 1966, to rescue it from demolision, the Half Way House was moved to Black Creek Pioneer Village in North York, where it stands today.
Constructed in 1847/48, the two-storey Georgian-style structure was built and operated by Alexander and Mary Thompson. Originally, it served as a resting place for stagecoach passengers, where travellers could stop for a drink or spend the night in one of the bedrooms upstairs if they were tired.
In a 1969 edition of the Pioneer Press, published by Black Creek Pioneer Village, an article was quoted that was originally written around 1869 by a writer who stayed at the Half Way House on Kingston Rd. The writer reported, “They were privileged to travel extensively… often taking him distances of 100 miles or more from Pioneer Village. The four bedrooms for travellers, with their spacious double beds all equipped with the firmest of new ropes and thick mattresses filled with fresh, clean straw, assure the weary voyager of true comfort… The only discomfort the wayfarer might encounter would be a disagreeable or noisy bedmate, unless of course, one is prepared for the extravagance of paying full cost for a double bed for oneself!”
The article also mentioned that one of the most appreciated modern conveniences at the Half Way House, particularly by guests travelling on horseback, were the large footbaths in the kitchen, where the cook, Olga Allengame, kept a supply of hot water in kettles hanging over the fireplace (Toronto Public Library R-6555)December 1931/2023 – Looking southwest toward the open-air bus terminal at Bay St and Edward St. The outdoor terminal could not adequately handle the number of passengers. Hence, construction soon began on the Toronto Coach Terminal, which was completed in December 1931. The structure received heritage status from the city in 1987. With the Union Station Bus Terminal opening at CIBC Square in December 2020, the Bay St terminal closed in July 2021. ModernTO redevelopment of the property will include the preservation and adaptive reuse of the former Toronto Coach Terminal building (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 16, Series 71, Item 8614 & Fonds 16, Series 71, Item 9041)1937/2021 – Looking southeast towards the corner of Bay St and Bloor St W in the Bloor-Yorkville neighbourhood of Toronto. The large building in the archive photo was the Bloor Building. It was constructed between 1926 to 1927 and demolished circa 1970. Today the corner is home to the Manulife Centre (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1488, Series 1230, Item 5251) 1972/2022 – Looking northeast toward the corner of Yonge St and Bloor St E, in the Yorkville neighbourhood of Toronto. The archive photo shows the Royal Bank of Canada building. It was torn down in the mid-1970s to make way for the Hudson Bay Centre. Notice the Chevrolet Nova and Dodge Challenger in the vintage photo (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 124, File 2, ID 112)Between 1977-80s/ April 24, 2022 – Looking northwest along Yonge St from just south of Gerrard St, in the Downtown Yonge area of Toronto.
Notice in both photos, College Park, formerly Eaton’s College Street store, in the centre background (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 200, Series 1465, File 505, Item 3 – Urban Design photographs)January 3, 1924/2022 – Looking southeast towards the corner of Yonge St and Bloor St E in the Church-Wellesley neighbourhood of Toronto. The archive photo shows the Imperial Bank of Commerce along with shops, including Robbins Haberdashery, Wiancko Bros Stationers and Laura Secord Confections. Notice the officer directing traffic at the intersection. Today, the corner is home to One Bloor, a 76-storey mixed-use skyscraper (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1231, Item 2175)1907/2023 – The Arlington Hotel was once located at the northwest corner of King St W and John St in the Entertainment District/Wellington Place neighbourhoods of Toronto. Built in 1889, the hotel accommodated 200 guests. The Toronto City Directory has the hotel last recorded in 1932. Today, the block is home to TIFF Bell Lightbox and condo residences (Toronto Public Library PCR-2144)1972/2020/January 2023 – Looking southeast towards the corner of Adelaide St E and Princess St, in the Old Town neighbourhood of Toronto. The 1972 archive photo shows the corner was once home to the Toronto Electric Co. The 2020 photo shows a parking lot had replaced the white house, and also notice the green and dark blue buildings have been demolished in the 2023 photo (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 38, Item 6)Circa 1928/2022 – Looking northeast towards the corner of Bloor St W and Bellair St, in the Yorkville neighbourhood of Toronto. The archive photo shows Elizabeth Ann Tea Rooms in one of the houses that once occupied the site. Today the corner is home to Harry Rosen, a luxury men’s clothing store (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1244, Item 1168) 1956/2022 – Looking northeast along Yonge St towards the Masonic Hall Buildings, now Gloucester Mews, located at 601-613 Yonge St and 2 Gloucester St in the Church-Wellesley neighbourhood of Toronto. Built in 1888, architect Richard Ough designed the Victorian-style, four-storey commercial structure with stores, offices and Masonic Hall. The building received heritage status from the city in 1973 and Ontario Heritage Trust in 1982 (Toronto Public Library R-5662) July 24, 2021/July 1953 – Looking north toward the former Almont Hotel, once located at Lake Shore Blvd W at Kipling Ave in the New Toronto neighbourhood.
Today, the historic hotel building is home to the Humber College Fashion Institute. The building received heritage status from the city in 2006 (Toronto Public Library Pictures-R-2207 – James Victor Salmon photographer)1955/April 24, 2022 – Looking northeast towards the corner of Yonge St and Carlton St, in the Downtown Yonge area neighbourhood of Toronto.
The archive photo features several establishments in the following order from right to left: United Cigar Store, Clean-It-Eria, Queens Restaurant, Bowles Hairdressing, Leo & Ponzo Groceries, New Life Shoe Repair, White Plaza Hamburger, Clever Cleaners, Model Fish & Chips, De Lage Barber, and Clark’s Bakery (Toronto Public Library Pictures-R-4027 – James Victor Salmon photographer)2022/Circa 1960 – Looking southwest on Toronto St, between King St E and Adelaide St E, in the St Lawrence neighbourhood of Toronto.
The five-storey building in the archive photo was built in 1857. It was designed by architects Kauffman & Bissell and cost £17,000 to construct. While initially supposed to be a concert hall, it became a mixed-use building and the Masonic Hall. There were shops on the first floor with offices on the second and third floors. On the top levels were lodge rooms and a hall that was said to be the largest in the city. The freemasons met at the Toronto St hall until the completion of the Masonic Temple at Yonge St and Davenport Rd.
The building became insurance company offices until it was demolished in the 1960s.
Notice in both photos the Seventh Post Office on the left. Built between 1851 and 1853, it was a post office for two decades, then became government offices until 1937. The Bank of Canada later purchased the building, then sold it to Argus Corporation Limited, and today the historic old post office is home to an investment management company (Toronto Public Library 964-7-596) August 21, 1974/2022 – Jean Junction once occupied 364 Yonge St, south of Gerrard St on the west side, in Toronto’s Downtown Yonge area. The storefront building was constructed circa 1914 and received heritage status from the city in 1991 (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1526, File 3, Item 7)1954/2022 – La Salle Theatre, originally Liberty Theatre, was once located at 526 Dundas St W, west of Spadina Ave on the north side in Toronto’s Chinatown/Kensington Market neighbourhood. On the marquee, “The Iron Mistress,” starring Alan Ladd and Virginia Mayo and “Plymouth Adventure,” starring Gene Tierney, Spencer Tracy and Van Johnson, were playing. In the early-1970s, it became the Pagoda Theatre, screening Chinese movies until the mid-1980s (Toronto Public Library R-5365) 1919/December 4, 2021 – Looking southwest at the corner of King St W and Bay St in Toronto’s Financial District, the archive photo captures the former Bank of Toronto building, which stood at the site from 1912 until its demolition in 1966.
The Toronto-Dominion Centre was built in its place in the late 1960s. In 1982, salvaged portions of the original Bank of Toronto structure were reconstructed to create the open-air Greek Theatre at Guild Park and Gardens (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1231, Item 846 – James Victor Salmon photographer)1972/2023 – Looking west towards the intersection of Sherbourne St and Linden St, in the Upper Jarvis/St James Town neighbourhood of Toronto. Notice on the right the James Cooper House, the Second Empire style home built in 1881/82 (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 7, Item 4)2023/1909 – Looking northwest towards the Toronto Chinese Baptist Church, originally the Beverley Street Baptist Church, located at 72 Beverley St and Sullivan St in the Kensington-Chinatown neighbourhood of Toronto. Built in 1886, the church was designed by architects Langley & Burke. The first Chinese worship was held in the church in the late 1960s. The building received heritage status from the city in 1983 (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1244, Item 2161)November 1959/2022 – Looking west towards The Masonic Temple, also known as The Concert Hall, located at 888 Yonge St and Davenport Rd in the Yorkville neighbourhood of Toronto. Built between 1916 and 1917, the architectural firm William F Sparling & Co designed the Renaissance Revival style six-storey structure. The building received heritage status from the city in 1997 (City of Toronto Archives, Series 372, Sub Series 100, Item 441)
