1970s/2022 – Looking southeast toward Tamblyn Drugs, once located at Yonge St and St Clair Ave E in the Deer Park neighbourhood of Toronto (City of Toronto Archives, Series 1465, File 338, Item 14)2021/1936 – Originally the Allenby Theatre, later the Roxy, was once located at 1213 Danforth Ave, east of Greenwood Ave on the south side, in The Danforth neighbourhood. Built in 1935/36, the Art Moderne style building was designed by Kaplan & Sprachman, who specialized in designing movie theatres (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1488, Series 1230, Item 1116)1972/2022 – Looking southeast towards the corner of King St E and Berkeley St, in the Old Town neighbourhood of Toronto. The corner was once home to the Toronto Star garage parking lot (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 21, Item 20) September 1960/April 16, 2023 – Looking west on Bloor St W from Bathurst St in the Mirvish Village neighbourhood of Toronto. The archive photograph shows the former Alhambra Theatre on the right and the former Honest Ed’s on the left. Today, Mirvish Village Condos, an 800+ unit rental-only development, is being constructed on the site once home to Honest Ed’s (City of Toronto Archives, Series 372, Sub Series 100, Item 263)April 24, 1923/2023 – Looking northeast from The Queensway towards the intersection of Queen St W, Roncesvalles Ave and King St W in Little Tibet, part of Toronto’s Parkdale neighbourhood. Four different streets meet at this intersection. The archive photo shows streetcar track construction. Many of the routes are still in use today. Notice Tamblyn Drug Store on the right (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 16, Series 71, Item 2064)2020/1955 – Toronto Necropolis Chapel and Cemetery entrance at 200 Winchester St in the Cabbagetown neighbourhood of Toronto. Built in 1871/72 at the cost of $8,632, architect Henry Langley designed the building in the Gothic Revival style. The building received heritage status from the city in 1973. It’s across from the Riverdale Farm and Park (Toronto Public Library R-3749)February 14, 1913/2020 – Looking north towards the Baldwin Steps from Spadina Rd and Davenport Rd in the Casa Loma and Dupont by the Castle neighbourhoods of Toronto. The staircase in the archive photo was constructed in 1913 to replace wooden steps.
The Baldwin Steps we know today were rebuilt and officially opened in 1988. Made of concrete, they rise to a circular landing flanked by retaining walls and pillars and contain a small amphitheatre. 110 steps zigzag from landing to landing up the steep hill, all surrounded by beautiful trees, plants and flowers (City of Toronto Archives, Series 372, Sub Series 52, Item 4)1972/2023 – Looking northeast towards the corner of Front St E and George St in the Old Town neighbourhood of Toronto. The archive photo shows a Shell gas station at the corner; however, from about 1820 until 1919, the family home of George Monro (Toronto’s 6th mayor), which later became the Black Horse Hotel, once stood at the site. After the hotel was torn down, various businesses and gas stations occupied the site. Today, the northeast corner is home to a mixed-use building (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 20, Item 13)Circa 1885/2023 – Looking northeast towards the corner of Front St E and George St in Toronto’s Old Town neighbourhood. The archive photo shows the Black Horse Hotel. The structure was built about 1820 and was originally the family home of George Monro, who served as Toronto’s 6th mayor.
In the early 1840s, when the Monros moved out, William Rolph took over the residence and turned it into a tavern. He called it the Black Horse Inn; however, it was later renamed the Black Horse Hotel. The old hotel was torn down in 1919. Afterwards, various businesses and gas stations occupied the former hotel site, and today, the northeast corner is home to a mixed-use building.
Notice in both photos the building on the far left. It was constructed in 1879/80 and was originally the Little York Inn (Toronto Public Library R-2641)Circa 1885/1972/2023 – Looking northeast towards the corner of Front St E and George St in Toronto’s Old Town neighbourhood. The circa 1885 photo shows the Black Horse Hotel. The structure was built about 1820 and was originally the family home of George Monro, who served as Toronto’s 6th mayor.
In the early 1840s, when the Monros moved out, William Rolph took over the residence and turned it into a tavern. He called it the Black Horse Inn; however, it was later renamed the Black Horse Hotel. The old hotel was torn down in 1919. Afterwards, various businesses and gas stations occupied the former hotel site, as shown in the photo dated 1972. Today, the northeast corner is home to a mixed-use building (Toronto Public Library R-2641 & City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 20, Item 13)1958/2023 – Looking southeast towards the corner of King St E and Frederick St, in the Moss Park neighbourhood of Toronto (City of Toronto Archives, Series 65, File 16, Item 6)January 2, 1955/2023 – The Columbia Hotel was once located at 2 Ossington Ave and Queen St W on the northwest corner in Toronto’s Beaconsfield Village neighbourhood. The building was taken down in 2009 and replaced with the present-day mixed-use structure. Notice the tower of the former Fire Hall #9 in the background on the right in the 2023 photo (Toronto Public Library R-6084)Between 1975 and 1993/2022 – Looking southeast from Adelaide St E and Sherbourne St in the Old Town neighbourhood of Toronto. Notice in the foreground on the right the Paul Bishop House; the two attached Georgian-style residences were built in 1842 for Paul Bishop, a blacksmith and landlord who also had a shop that stood across the street. The house received heritage status from the city in 1989 (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2043, Series 2523, File 6, Item 11)2023/Circa 1916 – The Wesley Building, today home to Bell Media Headquarters, is located at the southeast corner of Queen St W and John St, in the Entertainment District of Toronto. Designed in 1913 by the architectural firm Burke, Horwood & White, the Neo-Gothic landmark was constructed between 1914 and 1915. The five-storey structure was built to house the head office of the Methodist Church of Canada and the Methodist Book & Publishing Company. The building received heritage status from the city in 1973 (Construction journal) 2022/1960 – The Yorkville Branch of the Toronto Public Library is located at 22 Yorkville Ave, west of Yonge St on the north side. Built in 1906/07, it’s the Toronto Public Library’s oldest building. City architect Robert McCallum designed the library in the Beaux-Arts style. It’s constructed of yellow brick with Ohio sandstone. The structure received heritage status from the City of Toronto in 1973, and it’s located next door to Toronto Fire Station 312 (Canadian Architectural Archives, Panda Associates Fonds, PAN 60150-1)1980/2022 – Looking northwest towards the back of the Gooderham Building located on Wellington St E at Church St and Front St E in the Old Town, St Lawrence neighbourhood of Toronto. The archive photo shows Berczy Park while under construction. Both photos show the incredible trompe-l’oeil mural on the west-facing wall of the Gooderham Building, overlooking Berczy Park. Painted in 1980 by Canadian artist Derek Michael Besant, the mural looks like it’s pinned to the building and blowing in the wind. It has a three-dimensional appearance, and the faux facade artwork features windows from other 19th-century buildings in the area (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1465, File 470, Item 7)2023/July 22, 1930 – Looking southeast towards Queen’s Wharf Lighthouse, also known as “Little Red,” located between Fleet St and Lake Shore Blvd W in the Bathurst Quay neighbourhood of Toronto. Notice in both photos Tip Top Tailors (now Tip Top Lofts) and the Fleet St TTC streetcar loop encircling the lighthouse. The archive photo shows Maple Leaf Stadium on the left in the background. The stadium was built in 1926 and was home to the minor league Maple Leafs baseball team. In 1968, the team moved to Louisville, Kentucky, and that same year, the stadium was demolished (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1266, Item 21235)1958/2023 – Looking northwest towards the corner of Bloor St W and Royal York Rd, in The Kingsway neighbourhood of Toronto. The archive photo from left to right shows: F. W. Woolworth Company, Toronto Dominion Bank branch, S. S. Kresge Co, Reitman’s, Pollocks, Hunts, Lady Ellis, Tish and Virginia Dare (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1257, Series 1057, Item 7955)June 10, 1931/2023 – Looking southwest toward the open-air bus terminal at Bay St and Edward St in downtown Toronto. The outdoor terminal was established at the site for Gray Coach Lines, a TTC subsidiary. Travel by bus quickly became very popular, and it could not adequately handle the number of passengers. In July 1931, construction began on the Toronto Coach Terminal, which was completed in December 1931. When the Union Station Bus Terminal opened in December 2020, the Bay St terminal closed in July 2021. It was in operation for 90 years (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 16, Series 71, Item 8614)September 14, 1954/2023 – Looking southeast from Edward St and Elizabeth St towards the covered bays of the Toronto Coach Terminal in downtown Toronto. The bus terminal was built in 1931 and designed by architect Charles B Dolphin. When the Union Station Bus Terminal opened in December 2020, the Bay St terminal closed in July 2021. Notice in the archive photo Hotel Ford in the background (City of Toronto Archives, Series 381, File 312, ID 12330-6)1972/2023 – Looking southwest toward the extension of Toronto Coach Terminal at Elizabeth St and Edward St in downtown Toronto. In 1968, the terminal annex on Elizabeth St (across the street) opened to relieve congestion from the main depot. When the Union Station Bus Terminal opened in December 2020, the Bay St terminal closed in July 2021. Notice the Canada Life Building in the background in the archive photo (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 46, Item 30)Circa 1912/1965/2023 – Grand Union Hotel, later the Carls-Rite, then the Barclay Hotel, was once located on the northeast corner of Front St W and Simcoe St in downtown Toronto. The hotel opened as the Grand Union in 1894 and had well over 100 guestrooms. It was likely named Grand Union for its proximity to the old Union Station. In the mid-1910s, the hotel was sold and renamed Carls-Rite.
In 1946, the property changed hands, and after an interior renovation, it reopened as the Barclay Hotel the following year. When the Barclay closed in 1965, it was torn down, and the corner became a parking lot for several decades. In 2019, construction began on a 46-storey office tower (Toronto Public Library PC3682 & City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 124, File 15, ID 15)July 14, 1965/2023 – Looking northeast towards the corner of Front St W and Simcoe St in downtown Toronto. The archive photo shows the Barclay Hotel just before its demolition. Notice the content auction signs on the hotel, which closed later that year. The hotel site became a parking lot for decades. In 2019, construction began on a 46-storey office tower (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 124, File 15, ID 15)Circa 1912/2023 – Looking northeast towards the Grand Union Hotel once at the corner of Front St W and Simcoe St in downtown Toronto. The hotel was built in the mid-1890s, likely named Grand Union, for its proximity to the old Union Station. The hotel later became the Carls-Rite, and then the Barclay. The hotel was demolished in 1965 and became a parking lot for several decades. In 2019, construction began on a 46-storey office skyscraper (Toronto Public Library PC3682)1958/2021 – Looking northwest towards the corner of Bloor St W and Brentwood Rd N, one block west of Royal York Rd in The Kingsway neighbourhood of Toronto (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1257, Series 1057, Item 8002)
