1984/2022 – Looking northeast towards the second Captain John’s Harbour Boat Restaurant (the Jadran), once located on Queens Quay at the foot of Yonge St on the Harbourfront of Toronto. Notice the Toronto Star Building in both photos (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1526, File 115, Item 16)April 10, 1971/2021 – Looking northeast from The Esplanade and Market St towards the south end of St Lawrence Market in Toronto. In the early 1970s, the market building narrowly escaped demolition thanks to a group of citizens who helped save the historic gem. Heritage designation was given in 1973 (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1526, File 16, Item 1)1952/2022 – Looking southeast on Yonge St from just north of Temperance St towards the Arcade Building in Toronto’s Financial District. The first Arcade Building, built in 1884 and designed by Charles A Walton, featured commercial and office space. It was replaced with the present-day structure in 1960 (Toronto Public Library R-1481)1981/1952 – Looking northwest towards Olympia Bowling, later home to the World’s Biggest Bookstore, once located at 20 Edward St, west of Yonge St in the Downtown Yonge area of Toronto. The building that housed the bowling alley and bookstore was replaced with the present-day mixed-use structure (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1526, File 10, Item 3 & Series 574, File 81, ID 491025)1915/2022 – Looking southwest towards Massey Hall at 178 Victoria St and Shuter St in the Downtown Yonge area of Toronto. Built in 1894 by Hart Massey, industrialist and operator of a large farm equipment manufacturing company, the concert hall was designed by architect Sidney Badgley. The building received heritage status from the city in 1973 (Toronto Public Library PC1095)1972/2023 – Looking northeast towards the corner of Queen St E and Berkeley St, in the St Lawrence neighbourhood of Toronto (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 21, Item 32)2020/2023 – Looking northeast towards the corner of Queen St E and Sorauen Ave, in the Parkdale neighbourhood of Toronto. Once Pete’s Corner Grill, today the building is home to Dave’s Hot Chicken at 1582 Queen St W Circa 1947/2022 – Looking northwest towards the corner of Parliament St and Gerrard St E in the Cabbagetown South neighbourhood of Toronto (City of Toronto Archives, Series 372, Sub Series 3, Item 1415) 1910/2022 – Looking northeast along Yonge St towards Shuter St, from north of Queen St in the Downtown Yonge area of Toronto. The columns in both photos on the right are part of the Bank of Toronto Building (Toronto Public Library R-5744) 1970-72/2022 – Looking north up Yonge St from Gould St in the Downtown Yonge area of Toronto. Notice Sam the Record Man, A&A Records, Zanzibar Tavern, and the Rio Theatre on the right side of the archive photo. Zanzibar Tavern is still there today (City of Toronto Archives, Series 1465, File 312, Item 61) 1913/2022 – Looking south from Albert St and Terauley St (present-day Bay St) towards Queen St W. Did you know that Bay St, between Queen St W and College St, was previously known as Terauley St? In 1797, Dr James Macaulay, a former army surgeon for the Queen’s Rangers, was granted several acres of land in the area west of Yonge St and north of Queen St W from the Crown. His residence was called Teraulay Cottage. Notice Old City Hall in both photos on the left (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1231, Item 2199)May 22, 1935/2022 – Looking north up Bathurst St from the TTC streetcar loop at Wolseley St in the Alexandra Park neighbourhood of Toronto (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 16, Series 71, Item 10873)1917/2023 – Looking southeast towards the corner of King St W and Dufferin St, in Toronto’s Liberty Village neighbourhood. Built in 1913 for A B Ormsby Factory, a galvanized iron works company. The archive photo shows Russell Motor Car Co Ltd, Plant No 2, later occupying the factory. The structure received heritage status from the City of Toronto in 2005. Today, the building is commercial and office space (Library and Archives Canada 3371129)1972/2022 – Looking towards Paroisse du Sacré-Cœur, located at the northeast corner of Sherbourne St and Carlton St in Toronto’s Cabbagetown neighbourhood. Built in 1936-37, the building received heritage status from the City of Toronto in 2007 (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 7, Item 19)1932/2023 – Looking north from Dundas St W, just north of Bloor St W towards the Wallace Avenue Footbridge in the Junction Triangle and West Bend neighbourhoods of Toronto. Notice in the archive photo that there was a second staircase on the north side of the bridge (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 16, Series 71, Item 9506)Circa 1890/2023 – Looking northeast towards the Bishop’s Block at the corner of Adelaide St W and Simcoe St in downtown Toronto. Built circa 1830 to 1840, the building was constructed for John Bishop, a butcher and landlord, initially part of five brick townhouses.
It later became a boarding house. From the 1880s until the mid-1960s, various hotels, including the Senate House, the JJ O’Connor Hotel, the Harry Clark Hotel and for many decades Hotel Adelaide. From 1965 until the 1980s, the Georgian-style structure became the Pretzel Bell Tavern. From 2009 to 2011, the site was redeveloped, and the building was dismantled and restored to appear as before a 1910 renovation.
Today the heritage-designated building is the Soho House Toronto, a members-only club (Toronto Public Library R-6627)1930s/2022 – Looking southeast along Yonge St from north of Charles St W in the Bay-Cloverhill and Church-Wellesley neighbourhoods of Toronto. In both photos, in the centre background, notice the former Postal Station F. Built in 1905 and designed by architect Samuel G Curry, the 3-storey building received heritage status in 1973. Today it’s home to commercial space (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1257, Series 1057, Item 51)May 17, 1938/2023 – Looking southwest from Yonge St and Hayden St, straddling the Bay-Cloverhill and Church-Wellesley neighbourhoods of Toronto. In both photos, in the centre background, notice the Robert Barron Building. Built in 1889, the structure originally housed R Barron Groceries, later a Dominion Food Market and by the late-1940s, Coles Books. Since the mid-1990s, the heritage-designated building has been home to Shoppers Drug Mart, located at 728 Yonge St and Charles St W (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1231, Item 2028)June 12, 1924/2022 – Looking northeast up Yonge St from Charles St E, straddling the Bay-Cloverhill and Church-Wellesley neighbourhoods of Toronto. In both photos, in the foreground on the right, notice the former Postal Station F. Built in 1905 and designed by architect Samuel G Curry, the building received heritage status in 1973. Today it’s home to commercial space (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1231, Item 2018)2023/Circa 1978 – Looking northeast along King St W from west of Ed Mirvish Way (Duncan St) in Toronto’s Entertainment District. The archive photo shows Old Ed’s, Ed’s Seafood, Ed’s Warehouse and Ed’s Folly. In the background of both images is the Royal Alexandra Theatre. Notice that the 2023 Reid Building that housed Ed’s Warehouse has been torn down (Toronto Public Library RJ250-1)Between 1980-95/2023 – Looking northwest towards the 3-storey Bishop’s Block at Adelaide St W and Simcoe St in downtown Toronto. The Georgian-style structure was built circa 1830 to 1840 for John Bishop, a butcher and landlord, and was originally part of five townhouses. It was later a boarding house and various hotels, and from 1965 until the 1980s, it became home to the Pretzel Bell Tavern. From 2009 to 2011, the site was redeveloped, and the building was dismantled and restored to appear as it did before a 1910 renovation. Today the heritage-designated building is the Soho House Toronto, a members-only club (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2043, Series 2623, File 8, ID 5)Between 1980-95/2023 – Looking northeast towards the Bishop’s Block at the corner of Adelaide St W and Simcoe St in downtown Toronto. Built circa 1830 to 1840, the 3-storey Georgian-style building was constructed for John Bishop, a butcher and landlord. The structure was initially part of five brick townhouses; however, only two remain. It was later a boarding house and various hotels, and from 1965 until the 1980s, it became home to the Pretzel Bell Tavern. From 2009 to 2011, the site was redeveloped, and the building was dismantled and carefully restored to appear as it did before a 1910 renovation. Today the heritage-designated building is the Soho House Toronto members-only club (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2043, Series 2623, File 8, ID 43) 2021/Circa 1960 – Looking north from the Queensway towards Roncesvalles Ave in the Parkdale and Sunnyside neighbourhoods of Toronto. Notice Tedel Travel once occupied the space which is today a McDonald’s. The Edgewater Hotel later became a Days Inn, then Howard Johnson. Since 2020, it’s been home to Hotel Shelter in partnership with the City of Toronto (City of Toronto Archives, Series 648, File 220, Item ID 2)Circa 1928/2023 – The Daly House was once located at 27 Simcoe St and Front St W on the southeast corner in downtown Toronto. The hotel was first listed in the 1895 Toronto City Directory and last recorded in the 1930 publication. The hotel was torn down, and by the early 1930s, the Canadian National Express Building occupied the site (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1244, Item 1171)2022/1924 – Looking northwest towards the corner of Queen St W at University Ave in downtown Toronto. In both photos, notice the South African War Memorial on the right. The granite and bronze monument was created by Canadian sculptor Walter Seymour Allward.
In the present-day photo are the Campbell House Museum and the Canada Life Building. The Campbell House was built in 1822 by Sir William Campbell and originally located on Adelaide St E, opposite Frederick St. The historic home was moved to Queen St W and University Ave in 1972. The Canada Life Building was constructed between 1929 and 1931. It was designed by prominent Toronto architects, Sproatt & Rolph in the Beaux-Arts style (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1244, Item 7363) 1972/2023 – Looking southeast from Beverley St and Sullivan St in the Grange Park neighbourhood of Toronto. Notice Gallery Towers at 50 Stephanie St on the right and the monumental bell tower of St George the Martyr Church in the distance (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 41, Item 34)
