The archive photo shows the streetscape over a century ago, and it looks quite different from today. Two items remain constant in both photos: the streetcar tracks along King St and the grey stone building in the foreground on the left, known as the Dominion Bank Building, which dates back to 1914. Although head office functions were eventually relocated, a TD bank branch continued to operate here until 2000. In 2005, after a redesign, the building reopened for residential use and is today known as One King West Hotel & Residence.
The present-day photo also features the Canadian Bank of Commerce, completed in 1931, which is the beige building in the background on the left. The Bank of Nova Scotia, another beige building, was completed in 1951 and is visible in the background on the right (City of Toronto Archives, William James Family fonds, Fonds 1244, Item 7100)
According to the 1949-50 Toronto City Directory, a few of the establishments in the archive photo on the east side of Yonge St include the Silver Rail Tavern, Kerns Shops, and Parker Jewellers, and, in the distance, the Imperial Theatre and Downtown Theatre. The old photo also showcases the streetcars that once travelled along Yonge St (City of Toronto Archives, Strathy Smith fonds, Fonds 1128, Series 381, File 19, Item 6288-2)
The archive photo shows a horse parade on Dominion Day, featuring horses tasked with delivering goods such as dairy, baked goods, ice, and beer. The procession served as a reminder of the role horses played when the popularity of gas-powered vehicles was rapidly increasing.
Notably, while the construction of the west and central sections of the Royal York was completed in 1929, the 400-room east wing, shown in the right foreground of the current photo, was not added until the late 1950s.
The tower in the left background of the archive photo was the city’s second Union Station, which was in use from 1873 until 1927 when the present-day Union Station opened (City of Toronto Archives, Globe and Mail fonds, Fonds 1266, Item 17129)
In the archive photo, notice the Nags Head Tavern behind the streetcar; it was once located in the former Coghlan Building. Both photos feature what was originally the Dominion Bank Building, now known as One King West Hotel & Residence, in the left foreground. In the background on the right is the Canadian Bank of Commerce Building (City of Toronto Archives, Harvey R. Naylor fonds, Fonds 1526, File 74, Item 2)
The archive photo shows Police Station No. 1. Built in the mid-1870s, it initially served as both the Police Court and Fire Hall No. 5. Once the Central Fire Hall on Lombard St was completed in 1887, firefighters from the Court St fire station moved to the new facility.
Around 1901, Police Headquarters relocated to the newly constructed (Old) City Hall. Although the Court St building continued to function as Police Station No. 1, it also housed the Mounted Police, Patrol Wagon, and Ambulance services until 1926, when it became a police station exclusively. Police Station No. 1 relocated to the Stewart Building on College St in 1960. Following this move, the Court St building was torn down, and the site became a parking lot. In 1997, the area was transformed into Courthouse Square Park, as shown in the present-day photo.
In both photos, a portion of the Cathedral Church of St. James can be seen on the far right (Toronto Public Library Pictures-R-5055 – James Victor Salmon photographer)
The archive photo shows the Hermant Building on the right, which features a CIBC bank in its storefront. Further down the street, you can see the Imperial Theatre, now known as the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre. On the left, also a bit down the street, is the Senator Restaurant. All three structures still stand today (City of Toronto Archives, Toronto Planning Board fonds, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 73, Item 3)
The right side of the archive photo features the Grand Trunk Railway Freight Depot in the foreground, with The Canadian Rubber Company located behind it. On the left side of the vintage photo, the Customs Examining Warehouse is visible in the foreground, with the Customs House directly behind it. In the distance, both photos show the Bank of Montreal at the northwest corner of Yonge St and Front St W, which is now home to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
In the present-day photo, the L Tower condo is situated on the right, while the Dominion Public Building is on the left (City of Toronto Archives, Series 376, File 4, Item 26 – City Engineer’s Dept. photographs)
The archive photo shows the corner building when it was home to Thrifty Sport Shop. An ad in a March 1944 edition of the Toronto Daily Star featured Thrifty offering an opening special on “work pants, durable and sturdy… $1.47.” After Thrifty moved out in the mid-1980s, the storefront became home to various businesses, including Public Optical, Gino’s Pizza, and Shawarma King. Plans are to integrate the historic façades of the building and nearby structures into the new 57-storey Queen Church condo tower.
The vintage photo also shows Cooke’s Presbyterian Church on the right, which was built in 1891 and demolished in 1984. Also, notice that both images show McTamney’s Jewellers & Pawnbrokers on the left, which has since relocated to 837 Danforth Ave.
A side note: Thrifty Sport Shop, established over 80 years ago at the corner of Queen St E and Church St, sold everything from army surplus gear to tents, jeans, and boots. The company still exists today, specializing in denim and clothing and is known as Bluenotes (City of Toronto Archives, Toronto Planning Board fonds, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 51, Item 7)
The archive photo shows the homes and buildings that once lined the streets over a century ago. In the early 1920s, what we now know as Dundas St E was realigned to connect with Dundas St W for the crosstown streetcar line, resulting in the demolition of the houses shown in the centre and on the right side of the vintage photo. In the right background of the archive photo, the tall buildings belonged to The O’Keefe Brewing Company.
Today, the block bounded by Dundas Sq, Victoria St, Dundas St E, and Yonge St is home to Sankofa Square, formerly known as Yonge-Dundas Square. The tall building in the left background is part of the Eaton Centre, while the grey building on the right is The Tenor (City of Toronto Archives, William James Family fonds, Fonds 1244, Item 7271)
A few of the establishments in the archive photo, from left to right, include Le Strip, Jewellery Exchange, Toronto Bargain, Discount Shoes, Silver Rail and Pier 1 Imports (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 200, Series 1465, File 615, Item 8 – Urban Design photographs)
The archive photo shows the three- and six-storey buildings that were part of Toronto Community Housing’s revitalization initiatives. Constructed in the 1950s, they were designed by architect John E. Hoard Jr. and were also part of Canada’s first social housing complex.
In 2019, several buildings in the vintage photo were demolished. The current photo shows the ongoing construction of the Daniels on Parliament condominiums at the site (City of Toronto Archives, Toronto Planning Board fonds, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 32, Item 4)
The archive photo shows when the building at the corner was home to the Keystone Tavern. The tavern opened in 1954 and was last listed in the Toronto City Directory in 1975.
The three-story building, originally known as the Crown Hotel, dates back to 1929 and was designed by architect Herbert C. Roberts. Since the 2000s, it has been operating as an Econo Lodge (City of Toronto Archives, Toronto Planning Board fonds, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 9, Item 4)
The archive photo features the Four Seasons Motor Hotel on the right, once located at 415 Jarvis St. It opened in 1961 and was renamed the Hampton Court Hotel in the late 1970s. Since 2002, the site has been occupied by a residential complex (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 492, Item 169 – Dorothea Skinner photographs)
Both photos feature what was originally the Dominion Hotel in the right foreground. This building was constructed circa 1890 and was part of the neighbouring Dominion Brewery. From the late 1950s until the 1980s, it operated as the Dominion House hotel, with a tavern located on the ground floor, as shown in the archive photo. In more recent years, it was home to the Dominion Pub and Kitchen, which has since closed. Today, the storefront is once again occupied by a restaurant.
Also, notice that both photos show the tower of St. Paul’s Basilica in the distance on the left (City of Toronto Archives, Harvey R. Naylor fonds, Fonds 1526, File 75, Item 31)
The architecture along the street hasn’t changed much over the past nearly 50 years (City of Toronto Archives, Harvey R. Naylor fonds, Fonds 1526, File 9, Item 18)
SOURCE
- City of Toronto Heritage Register
- Heritage Toronto
- Heritage Toronto: The Dominion Bank Building, 1 King St W plaque
- Ontario Heritage Trust
- Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada
- The Toronto Daily Star Newspaper Archives: Mar 16, 1944, pg 27 (Thrifty Sports Shop, northeast corner of Queen St E & Church St)
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Mar 22, 1984, pg M2 (Cooke’s Presbyterian Church, northeast corner of Queen St E & Church St)
- Bluenotes: About Us (Thrifty Sports Shop, northeast corner of Queen St E & Church St)
- The Globe Newspaper Archives: Dec 24, 1874, pg 4 (Police Court & Fire Hall)
- The Globe Newspaper Archives: Feb 9, 1876, pg 2 (Police Court & Fire Hall)
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Sep 3, 1960, pg 5 (Police Court & Fire Hall)
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Dec 14, 1995, pg D3 (Police Court & Fire Hall)
- The Globe Newspaper Archives: Jul 2, 1929, pg 4 (Horse parade in front of Royal York Hotel, looking west along Front St W from Bay St)
- The Globe Newspaper Archives: Jan 14, 1931, pg 13 (Canadian Bank of Commerce, looking west on King St W from Yonge St)
- The Globe Newspaper Archives: Feb 10, 1923, pg 9 (Dundas Sq & Victoria St, northwest corner)
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Jan 14, 1931, pg 13 (Bank of Nova Scotia, looking west on King St W from Yonge St)
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Mar 21, 1961, pg 10 (Four Seasons Motor Hotel, looking northeast up Jarvis St, from north of Carlton St)
- Canadian Hotel Review: Jan 1929, pg 23 (Keystone Tavern, southeast corner of Jarvis St & Gerrard St E)
- The Toronto World Newspaper Archives: Apr 12, 1890, pg 1 (Dominion Hotel, northwest corner of Queen St E & Sumach St)
- Toronto Housing: Regent Park then and now… (Parliament St & Gerrard St E, southeast corner)
- Photos: Denise Marie for TorontoJourney416
- Vintage Photos: City of Toronto Archives, Toronto Public Library, Archives of Ontario & CNE Heritage
- City of Toronto: Maps
- Toronto City Directory courtesy of Toronto Public Library
