2022/1953 – Looking southeast along Queen St E from Orchard Park Blvd. From 1875 until 1993, the site was home to Greenwood Raceway/old Woodbine Racetrack in The Beaches neighbourhood of Toronto. Today, the west portion of the former racetrack’s property is Woodbine Park, and the east side is residential housing. In the vintage photo, notice the Orchard Park Tavern on the left (Toronto Public Library R-3572) 1972/2022 – Looking southeast towards the corner of Dundas St E and Parliament St in the Cabbagetown neighbourhood of Toronto. Notice in the archive photo The Gay Theatre on the right, originally the Bluebell Theatre, was once located at 309 Parliament St (City of Toronto Archives, Fond 2032, Series 841, File 16, Item 6) 1974/2022 – Looking southeast towards the semi-detached homes at 9 and 11 Spadina Rd, north of Bloor St W in The Annex neighbourhood of Toronto. Built in 1890, the houses were amongst the first buildings constructed on Spadina Rd. The original occupants were FW Himsworth at 9 Spadina Rd and George Stinson at 11.
The red brick homes feature Gothic Revival and Italianate architectural elements and decorative wood detailing, including on the front gables and two-storey verandahs. In the archive photo, the heritage-designated homes were rooming houses, according to the Toronto City Directory (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1257, Series 1057, Item 8359)2022/1920 – The Railways Building, today known as the Music Building, is located at 285 Manitoba Dr at Exhibition Place. Built in 1907, architect George Wallace Gouinlock designed the structure as a joint project for the Exhibition, Canadian Pacific Railway and Grand Trunk Railway to showcase rail travel and transportation accomplishments. From 1952 to 1961, it became the Hydro Building; in 1968, it was renamed the Music Building.
The three-octagon-topped building received heritage status from the city in 1973. It was severely damaged by a fire in 1987 and has since been restored. Today, it’s home to creative and commercial space, including the Toronto Fashion Incubator (CNE Archives)1972/2021 – Looking northwest towards the corner of Jarvis St and Dundas St E in the Garden District of Toronto. The archive photo shows the Warwick Hotel, built in 1910 and originally the Royal Cecil Apartments. The Warwick closed in 1980 and was demolished soon after (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 9, Item 8)March 12, 1982/2019 – Looking southeast towards the Riverside Bridge on Queen St E. Built in 1911, the structure spans the Don River and was once known as the Queen Street Viaduct. The plain truss-style steel bridge was the gateway to the east side of Toronto, where many industrial businesses like factories and brickyards existed.
In the mid-1990s, the Riverside BIA held a public art contest. Eldon Garnet was one of the artists who won, and he contributed the now iconic art/phrase on top of the bridge, greeting everyone with “This River I Step In Is Not The River I Stand In.” The art refers to the notion of the Greek Philosopher Heraclitus that you cannot step in the same river twice since it’s in constant movement (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1526, File 75, Item 63) 1980s/2023 – Looking east from Elm St towards Yonge St in the Downtown Yonge area of Toronto. The archive photo shows three record stores, from right to left: Sam the Record Man, A&A Records & Tapes and in the white building next to A&A’s was Peter Dunn’s Vinyl Museum. The car parked in the foreground is a Citroën SM (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 200, Series 1465, File 20, Item 23)2023/May 31, 1915 – Looking west from Isabella St towards Yonge St, in the Church-Wellesley neighbourhood (also known as The Village) of Toronto (City of Toronto Archives, Series 372, Sub Series 58, Item 471)October 27, 1947/2023 – Looking north up Bedford Rd from Bloor St W in front of Varsity Stadium in The Annex neighbourhood of Toronto. In the archive photo, notice the streetcar tracks that once ran along Bloor St (City of Toronto Archives, Series 372, Sub Series 58, Item 1741)1972/2023 – Looking northwest towards the Lewis Building at 132-142 Adelaide St E and Jarvis St, in the Old Town neighbourhood of Toronto. The building was constructed as a row of shops by its owner and tobacconist, John D Lewis, over a fourteen-year period, from 1870 to 1884. The commercial block received heritage status from the city in 1973 (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 22, Item 23)1912/2023 – Looking northeast towards the intersection of Adelaide St E and Toronto St in the St Lawrence neighbourhood. In the archive photo, notice the entrance to Toronto’s first underground public lavatory was accessed from the middle of Toronto St. Built in 1896, the lavatory underwent a complete renovation in 1908 due to poor ventilation and aesthetic issues. Notice the former General Post Office on the left and the Toronto St sign affixed to the still-existing building on the right (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1231, Item 1657)January 2023/1955 – Looking southwest toward the tower that was once part of the former Yonge Street Fire Hall No. 3, later part of St Charles Tavern. It’s located on Yonge St, north of College St, between Grenville St and Grosvenor St, in the Downtown Yonge area of Toronto. Built in the early 1870s to hang fire hoses, the restored tower is part of the development of Halo Residences on Yonge Condo (Toronto Public Library R-3759)2023/1907 – Looking northwest from Church St and Queen St E towards the Metropolitan Wesleyan Methodist Church, today’s Metropolitan United Church at 56 Queen St E, between Bond St and Church St in the Garden District of Toronto. Built in 1870/72, architects Henry Langley and his brother Edward designed the church in the High Victorian Gothic style. The building received heritage status from the city in 1973. The steeple on the far right belongs to St Michael’s Cathedral Basilica (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1244, Item 3189)January 26, 1961/2023 – Looking west along King St W from John St, in the Entertainment District and Wellington Place neighbourhoods of Toronto. The northwest corner of the intersection was once the site of Farb’s Car Wash. Today, the block is home to TIFF Bell Lightbox and condo residences (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1257, Series 1057, Item 24)1972/April 9, 2023 – Looking northwest towards the corner of Front St E and Jarvis St, in the St Lawrence neighbourhood of Toronto. The archive photo shows the former fifth St Lawrence Market North (1968-2016), the cupola of St Lawrence Hall in the background on the right and the Cathedral Church of St James on the left. Today, the sixth St Lawrence Market North is nearing completion. The first market was a wooden structure built on the site in 1803 (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 2, Item 12)1972/2023 – Looking northeast towards the Benjamin Johnson House, at the corner of Gerrard St W and Laplante Ave in downtown Toronto. The three-storey brick house was built in 1875 by Benjamin Johnson. The majestic home received heritage status from the city in 1974. Today Jimmy’s Coffee occupies the building (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 67, Item 26)1972/2023 – Looking southeast towards the corner of Gerrard St W and Elizabeth St in downtown Toronto. The archive photo shows the former Mary John’s Cafe and the Enwave Energy Corporation – Walton Street Steam Plant cooling tower in the background. Today the corner is home to a residential tower (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 46, Item 19)1980/2022 – Looking southeast from Dundas St W and College St in Toronto’s Brockton Village. The archives photo shows Knob Hill Farms once occupied the building on the southwest corner at Dundas St W and Lansdowne Ave, which today is home to Mike’s No Frills (Toronto Public Library LOCHIST-BL-037)February 6, 1930/2022 – Looking northwest towards the storefronts along College St between Robert St and Spadina Ave, in Toronto’s Harbord Village. The taller building on the corner, the John N Grant Building, was built in 1882 and received heritage status from the city in 2005. The archive photo shows a fire had swept through the stores (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1266, Item 19214)1972/2023 – Looking towards the St Lawrence Market South, located at the southwest corner of Front St E and Jarvis St in the St Lawrence neighbourhood of Toronto. In the early 1970s, the building narrowly escaped demolition thanks to a group of citizens who helped save the historic gem. The structure had undergone renovations which were completed in 1978 (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File2, Item 16)October 16, 1952/2023 – Looking east on Elm St towards Yonge St in the Downtown Yonge area of Toronto. Notice in the archive photo, A&A Books on Yonge St, which later became A&A Records & Tapes (City of Toronto Archives, Series 372, Sub Series 58, Item 2379) 1972/2023 – Looking northwest towards the corner of Dundas St E and Bond St, in the Garden District of Toronto. Notice in both photos the ghost sign for Reliance Engravers on the right side at Bond St. It reads: “Reliance Engravers – Artists Commercial Photographers – Photo Engravers – Electrotypers Stereotypers.” The company made printing plates for various printing processes (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 13, Item 31)Between 1975-93/2023 – Looking northeast on Berkeley St from Adelaide St E in the St Lawrence neighbourhood of Toronto. The former Christie, Brown & Company Stable is on the right side halfway up in both photos. Today, the heritage-designated stable building has been incorporated into the East United Condo at 95 Berkeley St (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2043, Series 2523, File 145, Item 1)1958/2023 – Looking northeast towards the corner of Bloor St W and Royal York Rd in The Kingsway neighbourhood of Toronto. The archive photo shows The Toronto Dominion Bank and S. S. Kresge Co. once occupied the buildings. Today they’re home to Shoppers Drug Mart (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1257, Series 1057, Item 7965)September 10, 1973/2022 – Looking southwest from Yonge St and Front St W towards the Dominion Public Building, Union Station and the CN Tower in downtown Toronto. The archive photo shows the construction of the CN Tower (City of Toronto Archives, Series 1526, File 47, Item 3)October 16, 1952/1980s – Looking east on Elm St towards Yonge St in the Downtown Yonge area of Toronto. Notice in the 1952 photo, A&A Books on Yonge St, which later became A&A Records & Tapes (City of Toronto Archives, Series 372, Sub Series 58, Item 2379 & Series 1465, File 20, ID 15) September 17, 1914/2023 – Looking northeast towards Queen St W from King St W in Little Tibet, part of Toronto’s Parkdale neighbourhood. The tall building on the right in the archive photo was a hotel named the Ocean House (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1231, Item 1113)
