Historic Toronto

Exploring Historic Spadina House and Museum, Toronto

Spadina House at 285 Spadina Road in August 2014. The view gazes northeast toward the west (left-hand) and the south facades. On the south (right-hand) side is a large second-storey veranda that has a commanding view of the city below the hill. On the first floor, below the veranda, is the glassed-in “palm room,” containing a winter garden.

Spadina House (and museum), on the brow of the hill that overlooks Davenport Road, is one of the most historic properties in Toronto. Exploring the house on a guided tour provides an intimate look into the life of the Austin family. The Austins moved into the home in 1866 and a member of the family remained in residence until 1982. Today, it mainly features the life of the Austins during the 1920s. In the warm months, visiting it also provides an opportunity to explore one of Toronto’s finest, restored Victorian gardens.

The story of the property where Spadina House is situated begins in the final years of the 18th century, when Toronto was the small colonial town of York. In 1798, the land where the house is now located was part of a 200-acre lot acquired by William Willcocks. In 1803, Willcock’s daughter, Phoebe, married William W. Baldwin, an Irish immigrant. Phoebe inherited the Baldwin property from her father’s first cousin, Elizabeth Russell, the sister of Peter Russell. Elizabeth suffered from mental illness during her later years, but did not pass away until 1822. Thus, William and Phoebe Baldwin must have gained control of the property prior to her death.

Because William Baldwin intended to erect a grand home on the land, in 1813, he commenced building an impressive roadway, 132 feet wide and a mile and a half in length, as a grand carriageway to the dwelling. The roadway led from the bottom of the hill (Davenport Road), south to Queen Street. South of Queen was Brock Street, which was connected directly to the lake.

In 1818, Baldwin finally constructed his dream home. He named it Spadina, an Anglicised version of the Ojibwa word “ishpadinaa,” meaning a “hill or a sudden rise of land.” Henry Scadding wrote rather condescendingly in “Toronto of Old,” published in 1873, that the word “ishpadinaa” had been “tastefully modified.” On the left is a watercolour of it, painted in 1912 by Owen Staples, based on a sketch of 1888. The watercolour is in the collection of the Toronto Public Library. A description of the house is contained in a letter written by William Baldwin in 1819. “I have a very commodious house in the Country . . . The house consists of two large parlours, hall and staircase on the first floor—four bedrooms and a small library on the 2nd — three Excellent bed rooms in the attic storey or garret — with several closets on every storey, a kitchen, dairy and root cellar, wine cellar, and man’s bedroom underground.” It was indeed a luxurious residence for a “country home,” as Baldwin owned another house in the town.

To improve the view from his residence,” Baldwin cleared 300 feet of wild growth to the south of it, between the house and the edge of the escarpment. When completed, it provided a panoramic view of the land below the heights, which included the wide carriageway that became Spadina Avenue. In the distance, the town was visible, nestled beside the waters of Lake Ontario.

Unfortunately, Spadina House burnt in 1835. Baldwin was now 60 years old, and rather than live on the remote property atop the hill, he moved into his mansion on the northeast corner of Bay and Front Streets. However, he erected another country home above the hill in 1836, but the one-story dwelling was more modest in size compared to the original Spadina House. The watercolour on the left depicts the second Spadina House, painted by F. W. Poole in 1912, from a sketch drawn in 1888.

William Baldwin died in 1844 and the property passed to his son Robert Baldwin. He began sub-dividing the estate, selling parcels of land to prospective buyers. By 1866, only 80 acres remained and at an auction, they were purchased by the founder of The Dominion Bank and president of the Consumers’ Gas Company—James Austin.

James Austin was born March 6, 1813. His family immigrated to Upper Canada (Ontario), arriving in York (Toronto) in October 1829. For two months, the Austins sought to establish themselves on a farm close to York (Toronto). Unsuccessful, they settled in Trafalgar Township in the Oakville area. When James was sixteen, he was apprenticed to William Lyon Mackenzie in his printing shop. Austin spent four and a half years with Mackenzie before establishing his own printing business. After the rebellion of 1837, he relocated to the United States, since it was too risky to remain in Toronto for anyone with connections to Mackenzie, “the rebel.” In 1843, Austin determined that it was safe to return to Canada West (Ontario).

Austin had earned sufficient funds while in the United States to open in Toronto a wholesale and retail grocery business in partnership with another Irishman, Patrick Foy. Austin eventually amassed further funds by investing in banking and natural gas. In 1866, in an auction, with a successful bid of £3,550, he purchased Spadina House, built by William Warren Baldwin. He demolished the house and erected a grand residence on the site, which he named Spadina. No architect was listed. It was the third house constructed on the site that possessed the name “Spadina.”

Austin’s home had two-storeys, although a third floor was added sometime between 1905 and 1915. In 1866, the entrance hall, with its intricately carved woodwork and elaborate crown mouldings, was built to impress visitors. Austin was an avid hunter and placed two stuffed wolves on either side of the interior of the doorway. Stuffed animals of various species were very popular among the wealthy at this time. Upon entering the entrance hall, guests had an unobstructed view of the magnificent grand staircase. This added to the sense of awe that Austin was desirous of creating.

The drawing room (parlour), the most impressive room in the house, was on the right-hand (south) side of the entrance hall. For the comfort of guests, due the room’s size, it possessed two white marble fireplaces, one at each end of the room. On the south side of the drawing room was the palm room, a sunny greenhouse-like area containing many potted flowering plants, as well as palms. Large doors on the south side of the palm room opened onto the outdoor terrace that overlooked the lawns and the city in the distance, to the south.

The dining room was also on the first floor, the room’s windows facing east to catch the morning light. It was relocated in the years ahead, and the former dining room became the library. The spacious kitchen was close to the dining room. It was bright and cheerful, unlike most kitchens in wealthy homes of the period, which were in the basement. To supplement the kitchen there was a pantry, scullery, storage space, and a large built-in icebox.

The grand curved staircase in the entrance hall led to the second floor. There was an intimate sitting room at the top of the stairs (the Blue Room). The bedrooms on the second storey were spacious and well furnished.

The home greatly impressed the citizens of Toronto. Henry Scadding in his book “Toronto of Old,” published in 1873, wrote: “. . . before us to the north, on the ridge which bounds the view in the distance, we discern a large white object. This is Spadina House, from which the avenue into which Brocks Street passes takes its name.”

In the years after Spadina was built, other wealthy families purchased property from James Austin to erect their own mansions. By 1889, only 40 acres remained of the land that had comprised the original Austin estate. In 1892, James Austin passed the title of Spadina and the land surrounding it to his son, Albert William Austin. James Austin passed away in 1897.

Albert and Mary continued to expand Spadina. An extension was added on the north side that contained a new dining room, its windows facing west. As mentioned, the former dining room became a library, but in reality it was employed as an extension of the drawing room. During this period, Albert and Mary added two more bedrooms, improved servants’ quarters, and constructed a circular driveway and new kitchen. One of the most impressive additions was a magnificent billiard room, designed by the popular 19th-century architect W.C. Vaux Chadwick. The room also possessed colourful murals by interior decorator Gustav Hahn, who pioneered Art Nouveau in Canada.

A beautiful and visually prominent canopy of handcrafted wrought iron and glass was erected over the main door. Referred to as a “porte-cochère,” it was designed by Carrere and Hastings. It protected guests and family members that arrived by vehicle from the weather. It is likely that at the same time the enclosed porch was added, and the main doorway relocated so that it faced west, rather than south.

Albert constructed a two-storey stucco garage in 1909, which contained a chauffeur’s residence on the second floor. In 1913 a greenhouse was added to the property, its entrance possessing a Gothic-style doorway. There were now 13 bedrooms, most of them for guests. The servants at Spadina were housed on the third floor, each having their own room, though they shared a toilet, bath and sitting room. By 1913, the house was complete and appeared much the same as it appears today.

Because the family was among the most prominent in the city, an invitation to dine at Spadina was highly coveted. During formal dinners in the 1920s, Mrs. Mary Austin (wife of Albert) always sat at the head of the table, nearest to the kitchen, permitting her to inspect the food when it appeared. A small foot-pedal under the table allowed her to summons the staff surreptitiously to remove empty dishes and to signal when the next course was to be served. Thus, she controlled the pacing of the meal.

After the dining ended, guests retired to the drawing room (parlour) on the opposite side of the entrance hall. The drawing room was where they discussed the news of the day, gossiped, or were entertained. When the family was alone, in the evenings, the smaller parlour (sitting room) on the second floor was likely employed for intimate family moments.

Eventually, Albert sold all of the land of the estate except for about 10 acres. A large portion was purchased by the City of Toronto for the construction of the St. Clair Reservoir. However, Spadina House remained in the possession of the Austin family until 1982. In this year, the house, most of its contents, and the remaining land were acquired through donation and purchase by the Ontario Heritage Foundation and the City of Toronto. This was arranged by Spadina’s last resident, Anna Kathleen Thompson, the daughter of Albert and Mary Austin. At the time, she was over 90 years of age.

The home and grounds were restored by the City of Toronto and were opened to the public as a museum in 1984.

Sources for this article :http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/austin_james_12E.html,

https://theculturetrip.com › North America › Canada,

https://www.thestar.com › Life › Fashion & Style

Sketch of Baldwin’s Spadina House, built in 1818. The drawing first appeared in the Evening Telegram series, “Landmarks of Toronto” in December 1888.

Sketch of the second Spadina House built in 1836. The drawing first appeared in the Evening Telegram series, “Landmarks of Toronto” in December 1888.

Spadina House in 1885, a view of the north and west facades. The porch on the west facade no longer exists and the third storey had not yet been built. Photo from the Spadina Collection.

North and west facades of Spadina House in 1898. Photo from the Spadina Collection.

View of the south facade in 1905, before the third storey was added. Photo from the Spadina Collection.

View of Spadina House in 1915 from a tower of Casa Loma. By this year, the third storey of the house has been added. The camera is pointed to the northeast. Toronto Archives, F 1244, item 4135.

View gazing to the northeast at the three-storey Spadina House in 1985. The palm room and veranda above it on the second storey face south. Toronto Public Library, tspa 0113049f

The drawing room (living room or parlour) of Spadina House in 1988, one of the white marble fireplaces visible at the far end of the room. The chandeliers of cut-glass, referred to as gasoliers (gas-run chandeliers), are still in working order. They hang from the 14-foot ceiling. The doorway on the far-left leads to the library, which was originally (in 1866) the dining room. Public Library tspa 0113051f.

View of the drawing room in 2018, the large window facing south. The doorway on the extreme right-hand side leads to the palm room.

(Left photo) Ornate crown moulding above the green wallpaper in the drawing room, and in the right-hand photo, one of the gasoliers (chandeliers) with a fancy plaster medallion above it.

The palm room on the south side of the house. It is accessed from the drawing room and on its south side are doors leading to the outdoor terrace.

Grand staircase in the entrance hall that gives access to the second floor. The doorway at the foot of the stairs leads to an enclosed sunlit porch that was added to the house c. 1905.

One of the stuffed wolves in the enclosed porch. Behind it is where the south-facing doorway was located in 1866, prior to the porch being built.

View of the grand staircase from the entrance hall.

The dining room in Spadina House, in an addition built by Albert and Mary. A large gas fireplace is at the far (north) end of the room. A thick red curtain covers the doorway where the servants entered to serve meals.

View of the grand staircase from the second floor.

Second-storey sitting room (blue room) at the top of the grand staircase.

The bedroom of Mrs. Austin on the second floor level. Originally, Albert and Mary shared the same bedroom, but later, Albert slept in a separate bedroom.

The kitchen on the ground floor, located beside the family’s formal dining room.

The kitchen cupboard containing products employed in preparing the meals for the family.

(left) The wood stove in the kitchen that has gas burners atop it, and (right) a gas stove.

A servants bedroom on the third floor of Spadina House. The Austins had a household staff of five: a gardener, a chauffeur, two maids and a cook.

The small telephone room was in a former cupboard in the first-floor hallway. It was insulated with felt to muffle the voices of people who felt that they must shout into the device to make themselves heard. Many people today do the same thing when talking in public on their IPhones. On the table is a Toronto phone book from the 1920s.

The Austin’s bathroom, which has a small gas burner to warm the shaving cream of the Austin men.

Small gas burner in the bathroom to warm men’s shaving cream.

The billiard room on the ground floor, with a cork floor surrounding it to give the players better traction when playing.

The billiard room in 1988, the cork floor around the table evident. Photo Toronto Public Library, tspa 0113050.

The billiard room, designed by the popular 19th-century architect W.C. Vaux Chadwick, the influence of the Art Nouveau movement evident. The murals on the upper portion of the walls depict birds, trees and a colourful sky. They were painted by interior decorator Gustav Hahn, who pioneered Art Nouveau in Canada.

The murals and stuffed animals in the billiard room.

Greenhouse with its Gothic-style entranceway, built in 1913.

(Left photo) The garage with chauffer’s quarters on the second floor, built in 1909. (right-hand photo) An outbuilding that was first a barn, then a coach house and finally, in 1909, renovated to create a cottage for the gardener.

View looking west from under the wrought iron and glass “porte-cochère” (canopy) designed by Carrere and Hastings. It protected guests and family members that arrived by vehicles from the weather.

The east facade (rear) of Spadina House in 2014.

To view the Home Page for this blog: https://tayloronhistory.wordpress.com/

For more information about the topics explored on this blog:

https://tayloronhistory.wordpress.com/2016/03/02/tayloronhistory-comcheck-it-out/

Books by the Blog’s Author

“ Lost Toronto”—employing detailed archival photographs, this recaptures the city’s lost theatres, sporting venues, bars, restaurants and shops. This richly illustrated book brings some of Toronto’s most remarkable buildings and much-loved venues back to life. From the loss of John Strachan’s Bishop’s Palace in 1890 to the scrapping of the S. S. Cayuga in 1960 and the closure of the HMV Superstore in 2017, these pages cover more than 150 years of the city’s built heritage to reveal a Toronto that once was.

“Toronto’s Theatres and the Golden Age of the Silver Screen,” explores 50 of Toronto’s old theatres and contains over 80 archival photographs of the facades, marquees and interiors of the theatres. It relates anecdotes and stories by the author and others who experienced these grand old movie houses. To place an order for this book, published by History Press:

https://www.historypress.net/catalogue/bookstore/books/Toronto-Theatres-and-the-Golden-Age-of-the-Silver-Screen/9781626194502 .

Book also available in most book stores such as Chapter/Indigo, the Bell Lightbox and AGO Book Shop. It can also be ordered by phoning University of Toronto Press, Distribution: 416-667-7791 (ISBN 978.1.62619.450.2)

“Toronto’s Movie Theatres of Yesteryear—Brought Back to Thrill You Again” explores 81 theatres. It contains over 125 archival photographs, with interesting anecdotes about these grand old theatres and their fascinating histories. Note: an article on this book was published in Toronto Life Magazine, October 2016 issue.

For a link to the article published by |Toronto Life Magazine: torontolife.com/…/photos-old-cinemas-doug–taylor–toronto-local-movie-theatres-of-y…

The book is available at local book stores throughout Toronto or for a link to order this book: https://www.dundurn.com/books/Torontos-Local-Movie-Theatres-Yesteryear

Toronto: Then and Now®

“Toronto Then and Now,” published by Pavilion Press (London, England) explores 75 of the city’s heritage sites. It contains archival and modern photos that allow readers to compare scenes and discover how they have changed over the decades. Note: a review of this book was published in Spacing Magazine, October 2016. For a link to this review:

spacing.ca/toronto/2016/09/02/reading-list-toronto-then-and-now/

For further information on ordering this book, follow the link to Amazon.com here or contact the publisher directly by the link below:

http://www.ipgbook.com/toronto–then-and-now—products-9781910904077.php?page_id=21

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Posted by Doug Taylor on March 12, 2018 in Austin House Toronto, historic Toronto, historic toronto buildings, local history Toronto, Spadina House and Museum, tayloronhistory.com, toronto architecture, Toronto history, toronto's heritage buildings, tourism Toronto

Tags: Albert Austin, Austin House Toronto, James Austin, Spadina House and Museum, Spadina Road Toronto

Amazing story of Yorkdale Plaza (Toronto)

21 Feb

Yorkdale Plaza from the Macdonald-Cartier (401) Highway in 1964, the year the plaza opened. The camera faces southwest toward Eaton’s Yorkdale, on the east side of the plaza. Photo from the Toronto Archives, F0217, S 0249, F 019, item 0001.

When visiting Yorkdale Plaza today, I find it difficult to realize that it is the same plaza that I experienced when it opened in 1964. It has been greatly expanded during the past five decades, and though the original sections of the mall survive, they are almost unrecognizable. The story of Yorkdale is a vital part of the history of retailing in the Toronto area. It was Canada’s first indoor mall, an improvement for shoppers that particularly suited the Canadian climate. It allowed people to park, walk inside an enclosed structure, and access shops from its interior.

Yorkdale was built in an era when many suburbanites shopped at “strip malls,” constructed to accommodate those living in communities surrounding the city that owned cars. The first strip mall in the Toronto area was at Bayview and Eglinton. Many such malls still exist today, consisting of shops built in one or more rows, their front doors facing an outdoor parking lot. Customers enter the stores directly from the parking lots.

Strip malls began appearing after the Second World War, when many Torontonians were relocating from the city’s urban core to the suburbs. They were following a dream of owning larger homes on more generous-size building lots. Some of the houses they left behind in the inner city were purchased or rented by the immigrants arriving in the city. Relocating to the suburbs was facilitated by the post-war’s booming economy, which placed automobile prices within the reach of more and more Canadians. Vehicle sales skyrocketed, creating the beginning of a “car-dominated society.” It allowed people to travel greater distances to shop or attend a movie.

Eaton’s was one of the first to realize the potential of meeting the needs of the increasing number of suburbanites. Prior to the Second World War, the company’s department stores were in the downtown core. Aware of the expansion in population in the suburbs, in 1954, for the price $1.4 million, Eaton’s bought 100 acres of land located to the northwest of the city. The intent was to erect a large shopping mall on the site.

Eaton’s knew that it needed another major retailer to join in the venture. As a result, in 1961, the company offered to sell the Robert Simpson Company one half of the site if it joined in the enterprise. However, Simpsons wanted only 19 acres, on the west side of the property, and stipulated that the price must include sewage, water connections and roadways. Eaton’s agreed and spent $1 million to satisfy the terms of the deal.

The land where Yorkdale was to be erected was cleared and ready for construction by the spring of 1962, the work commencing during the early-summer of that year. Everything was completed by February 1964. As opening day drew near, John David Eaton insisted that the mall close at 5:30 or 6 pm, similar to its downtown stores. However, the smaller retailers in the project strongly objected, since they wanted to remain open until 9:30 pm. John David finally agreed, after he was assured that employees would not be required to work longer hours than they wanted.

On Sunday, February 16, 1964, long lines of customers gathered at the various entrances to Yorkdale, waiting for the 9:30 am opening. By mid-morning, its four parking lots (6,500 spaces) were completely filled. At 2:30 pm, drivers were scouring the lots trying to find a place to park. By the end of the day, the Star newspaper estimated that 100,000 shoppers had crammed into the mall.

Yorkdale had over 1.2 million square feet of space, containing 61 retail shops, several restaurants, and multiple services. The Dominion (today their stores are named Metro)was the largest the company had ever built, containing 17 checkout counters. The week the plaza opened, some of the shops were not yet occupied, but it was still an impressive sight. For a short period of time, Yorkdale was the largest indoor shopping mall in the world. Though its size was impressive, its importance was perhaps due to another factor.

Yorkdale set the pattern for future malls across Canada. It demonstrated the advantages of locating malls near transportation hubs, which allowed shoppers access from nearby arterial roadways. As well, it showed that if retail enterprises of this size were to be successful, more than one large-scale store was required. Yorkdale actually possessed three—Simpsons on its west side, Eaton’s on its east, and a Dominion Store on the south. It was the first time that Canada’s two largest department store chains—Eaton’s and Simpsons—were under one roof. This was accomplished, even though they had been competitors across Canada for many decades.

Prior to the opening of Yorkdale, many people living in the suburbs had continued to shop downtown or visited local strip malls. Neither of these options was truly convenient. When suburbanites drove downtown, even then, parking was becoming a nightmare. Strip malls were also at a disadvantage as they were exposed to the vagaries of the Canadian weather. The appeal of Yorkdale was obvious. It offered numerous retail outlets that were closer to home than the downtown, were impervious to the weather, and possessed plenteous free parking. Torontonians were able to drive to the mall to shop indoors, enjoy a meal or snack, and attend a movie theatre, all at one destination.

The configuration of the Yorkdale Plaza was basically an “L-shape.” The top of the “L”, the bottom, and elbow of the “L” were anchored by one of the large stores. The corridors that connected the big stores resembled indoor shopping streets, one-third of a mile long, 40 feet wide, the ceiling above them two storeys in height. The three large retailers had large open spaces in front of them, similar to a courtyard or piazza, which were three-storeys high.

Since the mall was climate controlled, shoppers were able to enjoy strolling along the wide avenue-like areas and courtyards in comfort, immune to the weather outside. The curtains in the spacious windows, located high above the shops, could be automatically adjusted to allow the proper amount of light to enter the interior of the plaza. Other pleasing features were the two large fountains as well as numerous 20-foot trees, some of them palm trees.

In 1964, Yorkdale had many popular stores — Reitman’s, Collyer Shoes, Peoples Credit Jewellers, Laura Secord Candies, Hunts Bakery, Jordan Wines, Henry Birks and Sons Jewellers, Jack Frasers Men’s and Boy’s Wear, Toy World, Kresge’s, and Eddie Black’s Camera Store. I vividly remember Coleman’s Delicatessen and its delicious corned beef sandwiches, the restaurant located near the Dominion Store. There was a Smitty’s Pancake House, which also served small steaks (the site later became “Obies”). The Encore Noshery was reputed to be the largest restaurant in Canada in a shopping centre. The beauty parlour, “Ponytails,” which catered to the needs of small children, had hobbyhorses instead of regular chairs.

Yorkdale had a cinema with two auditoriums, with combined seating for 1200 patrons. I remember seeing Mel Brook’s zany film “Blazing Saddles” at the Yorkdale Cinema in 1974. It was an afternoon matinee, attended mostly by seniors. I was one of the few persons in the audience that did not have purple-tinted hair. As a matter of fact, even then, I did not have much hair at all. As the screening progressed, I discovered that I was also one of the few that was laughing. I admit that the humour was a little off-colour— typically Mel Brooks.

Eaton’s and Simpsons both had restaurants. The Simpson’s Court restaurant overlooked the cathedral-like interior courtyard with its three-storey ceiling. I remember visiting it numerous times for lunch, usually ordering the daily special of soup, chicken-pot pie, and a salad. Eaton’s Vista restaurant was on the second floor, at the northwest corner of the store, overlooking the mall where there was a fountain. In the evenings, the Vista featured all-you-can-eat buffet, which included roast beef. I sometimes visited it on a Friday for dinner. I seem to remember that Eaton’s restaurant was later renamed “The Loft,” but I cannot find any proof of this. Memory sometimes plays strange tricks.

Though Yorkdale was located quite a distance north of the downtown, it was connected by several arterial roadways—Highway 401, Wilson Avenue, and Dufferin Street. Market research conducted by Eaton’s had shown that the mall was likely to attract shoppers from within a 30-minute drive. This meant that people as far away as Brampton and Whitby could easily drive to Yorkdale, as well as those living north of Bloor Street. This was a potential market of almost a million shoppers. In 1966, the location became even more advantageous when the interchange at the Allen Expressway and the 401 was completed, and in January 1978, when the mall was connected to the University/Yonge subway line.

The architect of the Yorkdale Mall and the Eaton’s Store was John Graham Consultants. The store Graham created for Eaton’s had a striking exterior, with off-white bricks containing three-dimensional patterns that accented the vertical elements of the design. Another added feature of the plaza was the underground truck tunnel that delivered goods to the retail outlets. The gigantic Dominion Store featured an underground conveyor belt that delivered customers’ purchases to a station in the south-west parking lot, where they could pick up their groceries.

John B. Parkin Associates were hired to design the Simpsons store, the architect within the firm who was assigned the work being John Andrews, a Harvard-educated Australian. During the years ahead, Andrews opened his own firm and won the contracts for the University of Toronto’s Scarborough Campus and the CN Tower.

I recall attending Boxing Day sales at Yorkdale during the 1970s; I visited early in the morning to avoid the enormous crowds, even though compared to today, they were considerably smaller. Yorkdale was where I first experienced the frustration of losing my automobile in a parking lot. I soon learned to memorize the row or section number where it was located.

During the 1980s, I visited the mall to attend the Yorkdale Antique Market. It was usually held each February and continued consecutively for three or four years. It was a large display, which fully occupied all of the “L”-shaped space. The mall also held fashion and automobile shows. On frigid winter days, for exercise, I drove to the mall in the early morning to walk within the enclosed area. When the shops opened, I enjoyed a coffee and then drove home.

In 1984, Yorkdale was expanded by an additional 153,000 square feet, with 75 new stores, at a cost of $14 million. In 1991, Sears Department store opened in the plaza. In 1999, the Rainforest Cafe began serving food in a tropical atmosphere (it closed in 2014). In 2012, an addition was erected on the southwest side of Yorkdale. It included a relocated and expanded Holt Renfrew Store, situated where the Dominion store had been. In 2015, the Sears Store on the west side of the plaza was demolished and replaced with the 70,000 square-foot Restoration Hardware (RH, The Gallery at Yorkdale), which opened in 2017. It resembled an impressive mansion with indoor and outdoor shops, a courtyard café and rooftop conservatory/park.

In 2016, another section was built on the east side, with a Nordtrom Department Store, Uniqlo, as well as 30 more retailers. In 2017, the The Cheesecake Factory restaurant commenced operation. More expansions are planned for the future. They will be constructed in the parking lots, and the parking will be placed below ground.

Visiting Yorkdale in 2018, I lament the loss of the fountains and the large trees, particularly the palm trees. However, I thought that the massive skylights in the ceilings of the new sections were amazing. Creative in design, they allow plenteous daylight to enter the interior walking areas. In some instances, I felt I was strolling up the nave of a great cathedral.

Sources for this post: “The Eaton’s,” Rod McQueen Stoddart Publishing, 1998 —- “The Store that Timothy Built,” McClelland and Stewart Ltd. 1969, for the 100th anniversary of Eaton’s—torontoist.com/2012/02/historicist-instant-downtown-uptown/—- The Star.

John David Eaton cuts the ribbon to officially open Yorkdale in February 1964. Source: “The Store that Timothy Built,” McClelland and Stewart Ltd. 1969, published for the 100th anniversary of Eaton’s.

A portion of the street-like indoor mall at Yorkdale in February 1964. View looks westward to where Simpsons was located. Toronto Archives, 0217, 0249, Fl 0197, item 0001.

View looking west in March 1964 of Yorkdale, the Eaton’s Store in the foreground and Simpsons in the distance.

Intersection of the 401 Highway and the Allen Expressway. In the lower right-hand corner of the photo is part of the parking lot of Yorkdale, Toronto Public Library, tspa 008324.

View of the three-storey court on the south side of the Simpsons store. The curved staircase on the left leads to Simpsons Court restaurant. The photo is undated, but it is likely c. 1964. Toronto Public Library, tspa 0014666f.

Piazza-like area outside Simpsons in 1968. People in the extreme foreground are sitting on the edge of the fountain outside Simpsons. The decorative detailing on the ceiling resembles stalactites. Toronto Public Library nyhs 01375.

The court space outside Simpsons in 1969. Toronto Public Library, tspa 014663.

Simpsons store became the Bay. The image above depicts the court space outside the Bay (Simpsons) in 2018. The court is now half the size it was in 1964, as the Hudson’s Bay store has been extended southward into the court. The ceiling with stalactites remains, but sadly, the fountain as well as the tall palm trees have disappeared.

Gazing west in 1970 along the mall section that connected Simpsons and Eaton’s. The tall plantings no longer exist. Toronto Public Library, tspa 0014661.

View in 2018, looking eastward along the 1964-section of the mall that originally connected Simpsons and Eaton’s. The stalactite-ceiling outside The Bay is visible.

Inspection of the new section of the mall that opened in 1984. Toronto Public Library, tspa 0014662.

View in 2018 of the section that was added in 1984.

Yorkdale after the new section opened in 1984. Toronto Public Library, 0014662.

Aerial view of Yorkdale in 1989, looking toward the the northwest. The Eaton’s and Simpsons stores are visible, as well as the 1984 extension added to the plaza. Toronto Public Library, tspa 0014664.

View in 1964 of the open space near Eaton’s, looking west along the section that leads to the Simpsons store. The fountain has a sculpture of three human figures. Several pods of the Eaton’s Vista restaurant are visible in the top-left-hand part of the photo. The large pods contain tables that overlook the court below. Photo from a display at Yorkdale Plaza.

An automobile show in front of Eaton’s Yorkdale, the large pods of the Vista restaurant” visible. Photo from display at Yorkdale.

View looking to the west from inside the Vista restaurant on the upper level, the fountain visible in the mall below. Photo from a display at Yorkdale Plaza.

When the fountain was dismantled, the sculpture was placed outside in the parking lot on the north side of the plaza. Photo taken February 2018.

View in 2018 of the site of Eaton’s, which went bankrupt in 1999. When Eaton’s departed, for a short period of time the space was occupied by Sears. Sears finally relocated to a new site on the west side of the mall. The escalator in the above photo ascends to the second-floor of the former Eaton’s store, where there is today an Italian-style cafe, with a sushi restaurant above it.

The third-floor level of the former Eaton’s store is today where the plaza’s food court is located. Photo taken February 2018.

View from the west parking lot of Restoration Hardware (RH) in February 2018. It is on the site where the Sears store had been located. RH opened in 2017.

View of Restoration Hardware from inside the plaza. Photo taken in February 2018.

Interior of the Cheesecake Factory restaurant, Yorkdale, February 2018.

Impressive skylight at Yorkdale outside the Nordstrom Store, in 2018.

Yorkdale Mall in 2012. The street-like sections have many kiosks and booths that sell merchandise.

Yorkdale Mall in 2012, a cathedral-like ceiling and skylight above the shops.

Christmas display at Yorkdale in 2012.

To view the Home Page for this blog: https://tayloronhistory.wordpress.com/

For more information about the topics explored on this blog:

https://tayloronhistory.wordpress.com/2016/03/02/tayloronhistory-comcheck-it-out/

Books by the Blog’s Author

“ Lost Toronto”—employing detailed archival photographs, this recaptures the city’s lost theatres, sporting venues, bars, restaurants and shops. This richly illustrated book brings some of Toronto’s most remarkable buildings and much-loved venues back to life. From the loss of John Strachan’s Bishop’s Palace in 1890 to the scrapping of the S. S. Cayuga in 1960 and the closure of the HMV Superstore in 2017, these pages cover more than 150 years of the city’s built heritage to reveal a Toronto that once was.

“Toronto’s Theatres and the Golden Age of the Silver Screen,” explores 50 of Toronto’s old theatres and contains over 80 archival photographs of the facades, marquees and interiors of the theatres. It relates anecdotes and stories by the author and others who experienced these grand old movie houses. To place an order for this book, published by History Press:

https://www.historypress.net/catalogue/bookstore/books/Toronto-Theatres-and-the-Golden-Age-of-the-Silver-Screen/9781626194502 .

Book also available in most book stores such as Chapter/Indigo, the Bell Lightbox and AGO Book Shop. It can also be ordered by phoning University of Toronto Press, Distribution: 416-667-7791 (ISBN 978.1.62619.450.2)

“Toronto’s Movie Theatres of Yesteryear—Brought Back to Thrill You Again” explores 81 theatres. It contains over 125 archival photographs, with interesting anecdotes about these grand old theatres and their fascinating histories. Note: an article on this book was published in Toronto Life Magazine, October 2016 issue.

For a link to the article published by |Toronto Life Magazine: torontolife.com/…/photos-old-cinemas-doug–taylor–toronto-local-movie-theatres-of-y…

The book is available at local book stores throughout Toronto or for a link to order this book: https://www.dundurn.com/books/Torontos-Local-Movie-Theatres-Yesteryear

Toronto: Then and Now®

“Toronto Then and Now,” published by Pavilion Press (London, England) explores 75 of the city’s heritage sites. It contains archival and modern photos that allow readers to compare scenes and discover how they have changed over the decades. Note: a review of this book was published in Spacing Magazine, October 2016. For a link to this review:

spacing.ca/toronto/2016/09/02/reading-list-toronto-then-and-now/

For further information on ordering this book, follow the link to Amazon.com here or contact the publisher directly by the link below:

http://www.ipgbook.com/toronto–then-and-now—products-9781910904077.php?page_id=21

.

1 Comment

Posted by Doug Taylor on February 21, 2018 in Eaton's Yorkdale Toronto, historic Toronto, local history Toronto, tayloronhistory.com, Toronto, toronto architecture, Toronto history, Toronto, Then and Now, Doug Taylor, tourism Toronto

Tags: Eaton's Yorkdale Toronto, Simpsons Yorkdale, Yorkdale Plaza

Church of the Holy Trinity, Toronto (history)

02 Feb

The Church of the Holy Trinity, located in Trinity Square in downtown Toronto, is located on the west side of today’s busy Eaton Centre. When the church was built in 1847, Henry Scadding, author of “Toronto of Old” (published in 1873), stated that just ten years prior to its consecration, the land to the south of the church was “fields,” and to the north of the church were swamps and dense forest. The area where the church was eventually erected was referred to as Macaulay’s Fields, as it is where the Macaulay family had built their home.

The history of the Church of the Holy Trinity commenced when Bishop Strachan, who is today buried in St. James Cathedral on King Street East, received a donation of 5000 pounds sterling to build and maintain a church in Toronto. Conditions were attached to the funds—it was to be named the Church of the Holy Trinity, the seats were to be forever free and not designated for the use of a specific person. The terms also stipulated that 3000 pounds were to be spent on the building and 2000 pounds on an investment for the incumbent clergyman that would be appointed. The land for the church was donated by James Simcoe Macaulay. His house was relocated a short distance to the north to accommodate the site for the church.

Henry Scadding wrote in 1873 in “Toronto of Old” page 290: “The church with its twin towers, now seen in the middle space of Trinity Square, was a gift of benevolence to Canada West in 1846 from two ladies, sisters. The personal character of Bishop Strachan was the attraction that drew the boon to Toronto.” Note: Scadding did not identify the names of the sisters.

Eric Arthur states in, “Toronto—No Mean City,” (page 84): “It was not until 1898 that the donor was known to be Mrs. Mary Lambert Swale of Settle, near Ripon, in Yorkshire.” It was said that she attended a talk given by Bishop Strachan, when he visited England. Strachan spoke about his work in the frontier province, and that he had written letters that were being circulated. Apparently Mary Swale was dismayed at the exclusive pew-holding system at St. James Cathedral. Eric Arthur states that she arranged for the money to be sent to the city to build the Church of the Holy Trinity.

However, there appears to be some doubt about Arthur’s assertion. A reader of this blog, who has a personal connection to the church, emailed me to provide a different version of events. He states that his research indicated that Mrs. Swale died in childbirth in 1845, and that it was her husband who informed Bishop Strachan that he had funds, “from a friend who wished to remain anonymous.” However, Mary had a sister, Ellen Elizabeth. Henry Scadding stated that it was two sisters who donated the money. Thus, part of the credit for funding Holy Trinity belongs to Mrs. Swale’s sister, Ellen Elizabeth.

During the years ahead, money from the Swale family continued to support the church. The following is another quote from Eric Arthur’s book, “Toronto—No Mean City.” “Money provided silver sacramental plate for public use and smaller service for private ministrations, a large supply of fair linen, a covering of Genoa velvet for the altar, and surplice for the clergy.” (page 84)

Bishop Strachan hired Henry Bower Lane as the architect for Holy Trinity. He had designed a section of Osgoode Hall, as well as Little Trinity Church on King Street East. Henry Bower Lane had been a pupil of Sir Charles Barry, the designer of the Houses of Parliament at Westminster in London.

The Church of the Holy Trinity was constructed in the Gothic style, its interior in the form of a cruciform, the altar visible regardless of where parishioners were seated. The structure’s facades were of yellow bricks from the Don Valley brickyards, and timbers that were cut from the nearby forests. Its main entrance faced west, with an impressive Gothic doorway with a large window above it. Two towers were built on the northwest and southwest corners of the west facade. The slate tiles for the roof arrived in Canada as ballast in sailing ships.

Because the seating in Holy Trinity was free, the church received no funds pew rentals and was reliant on the endowment provided by the Swale family. Bishop Strachan appointed his young chaplain, Henry Scadding, who was employed as a classics master at Upper Canada College, to be the church’s incumbent clergyman. Scadding remained its rector until 1875. He died in 1901.

When Holy Trinity was consecrated on October 27, 1847, Bishop Strachan invited poor families of the Church of England faith to make the new church their spiritual home. This was not an attempt to restrict the parishioners to those of humble means, but rather to fulfill the terms attached to the donation. It was the first Anglican church in Toronto to have free pews. At the time, most churches charged pew rental fees. The cost of a pew at St. James Cathedral was prohibitive for those lacking a decent income.

In 1849, a fire swept along King Street that severely damaged the church of St. James. While it was being rebuilt, many of the parishioners from St. James worshipped at Holy Trinity, including Lord Elgin, Governor General of the Province of Canada. This ended in 1850, when the new St. James was consecrated.

From the mid 1800s, Holy Trinity was known as a church associated with the “Catholic Revival” in the Church of England, which sought inspiration from the Medieval days. It was viewed by some as a purer faith, as it applied more formality to the services than other churches. However, this was coupled with a keen sense of social responsibility, a commitment that was intensified when the Rev. John Frank became rector in the 1930s. It was he who introduced the pageant of the “Christmas Story,” a tradition that continues to this day.

When the $200 million Eaton Centre was originally planned, it encompassed 15 acres, which included the land where the church was located. The developers wished to demolish the church and include the land within the Centre. The congregation refused to sell, and the Eaton Centre was forced to build around the structure, thus preserving this historic church and two other building (Scadding House and the church rectory).

The Church of the Holy Trinity is today well recognized for its outreach program, which ministers to the needs of people in the inner city. It is a unique congregation with roots in Toronto’s past, but well aware of the people’s needs today.

Map of 1845 depicts what is today Trinity Square. In that era, it was a section of the estate of The Hon. John Simcoe Macaulay, part of Park Lot #9, granted to him by Lieu. Governor Simcoe in 1797. The property was referred to as Macaulay’s Fields. The map shows the large house that he named Teraulay, a grand residence, even though he referred to it as his “country cottage.” The map shows the gardens (that included an orchard), a poultry house, stables and wood shed. The map also reveals that a carriageway connected the house with Yonge Street, to the east. Jeremy Street was later renamed Louisa Street, which has disappeared from the city scene. The eastern part of it was absorbed into the Eaton Centre. Teraulay Street became Bay Street. Macaulay Fields became Trinity Square after the Church of the Holy Trinity was erected.

Teraulay Town, on the southwest corner of the map, eventually became essentially slums. They were demolished to allow the construction of the City Hall (today referred to as the Old City Hall) that opened in 1899. The map is from the collection of the Toronto Public Library, r-5646.

Sketch of the interior of Holy Trinity in 1850. Toronto Public Library, r-538.

Nave and sanctuary of the Church of the Holy Trinity in 1868. Toronto Public Library, r- 505.

The camera is pointed west toward Trinity Square from near Yonge Street, in 1875. The street was formerly the carriageway that connected Macaulay’s house (Teraulay) with Yonge Street. Church of the Holy Trinity is in Trinity Square, and on the right-hand side of the photo is the parsonage, residence of the minister of the church. Toronto Public Library, r- 469.

The Church of the Holy Trinity in 1884. Toronto Public Library, r- 504.

View of the south facade of Holy Trinity in 1908. In the foreground workers are beginning construction of an Eaton’s warehouse. Toronto Public Library r 1461.

Holy Trinity in 1913. Toronto Public Library r 536.

View looking east in 1936 at the carriageway that connects Trinity Square with Yonge Street. The building in the foreground is the rectory. To the east of it is Scadding House, the home of Dr. Henry Scadding, when it was on its original location. To build the Eaton Centre, Scadding House was moved 150 feet to the west. Toronto Archives r 5724.

View of Trinity Square in 1972, before construction of the Eaton Centre. The view looks east towards Yonge Street, where the marquee of the Imperial Theatre (now the Ed Mirvish Theatre) is visible. Behind the church is the Parochial Building (now demolished) and the Rectory. The large Eaton warehouse is to the south (right-hand) side of the image. Toronto Public Library, tspa 0110944.

Relocating Scadding House in 1974. Toronto Public Library, tspa 0109997.

This dramatic watercolour was painted in 1975, the view looking northwest from Queen Street West, near Louisa Street. It depicts the construction site for the Eaton Centre. Scadding House is on its present-day site, having been relocated 150 feet west from its original location. To the right of the church is the rectory. Eaton’s warehouses are in the background. Toronto Public Library, 977-51-1.

Trinity Square in 1987, the Eaton Centre having been completed in 1979. Behind the church the roof of Scadding House is visible. To the left of the church is the rectory. On the far left (west) of the church is the immense parking garage of the Eaton Centre. Toronto Public Library, tspa 0110945.

(left)The restored Scadding House in 1987, the rectory visible in the background. The Eaton Centre is to the immediate east of the house. Toronto Public Library, tspa 0110949. (right) Scadding House in 2013.

Facade of the Church, with its Gothic facade and twin towers in 2013.

The Gothic doorway on the west side (left), and the stained-glass window above it (right).

Gothic windows, view from the interior of the church.

Ceiling of the church in 2013.

Interior view of the Church of the Holy Trinity in 2013.

The church today remains a quiet sanctuary in the heart of downtown Toronto.

Sources of In formation: Pamphlet provided to visitors to the Church of the Holy Trinity — Eric Arthur’s book, “Toronto—No Mean City,” University of Toronto Press, published 1964 — Henry Scadding, “Toronto of Old.” Oxford University Press, published 1873 — Frederick H. Armstrong, “Toronto,” produced in cooperation with the Toronto Historical Society, 1983.

To view the Home Page for this blog: https://tayloronhistory.wordpress.com/

For more information about the topics explored on this blog:

https://tayloronhistory.wordpress.com/2016/03/02/tayloronhistory-comcheck-it-out/

Books by the Blog’s Author

“ Lost Toronto”—employing detailed archival photographs, this recaptures the city’s lost theatres, sporting venues, bars, restaurants and shops. This richly illustrated book brings some of Toronto’s most remarkable buildings and much-loved venues back to life. From the loss of John Strachan’s Bishop’s Palace in 1890 to the scrapping of the S. S. Cayuga in 1960 and the closure of the HMV Superstore in 2017, these pages cover more than 150 years of the city’s built heritage to reveal a Toronto that once was.

“Toronto’s Theatres and the Golden Age of the Silver Screen,” explores 50 of Toronto’s old theatres and contains over 80 archival photographs of the facades, marquees and interiors of the theatres. It relates anecdotes and stories by the author and others who experienced these grand old movie houses. To place an order for this book, published by History Press:

https://www.historypress.net/catalogue/bookstore/books/Toronto-Theatres-and-the-Golden-Age-of-the-Silver-Screen/9781626194502 .

Book also available in most book stores such as Chapter/Indigo, the Bell Lightbox and AGO Book Shop. It can also be ordered by phoning University of Toronto Press, Distribution: 416-667-7791 (ISBN 978.1.62619.450.2)

“Toronto’s Movie Theatres of Yesteryear—Brought Back to Thrill You Again” explores 81 theatres. It contains over 125 archival photographs, with interesting anecdotes about these grand old theatres and their fascinating histories. Note: an article on this book was published in Toronto Life Magazine, October 2016 issue.

For a link to the article published by |Toronto Life Magazine: torontolife.com/…/photos-old-cinemas-doug–taylor–toronto-local-movie-theatres-of-y…

The book is available at local book stores throughout Toronto or for a link to order this book: https://www.dundurn.com/books/Torontos-Local-Movie-Theatres-Yesteryear

Toronto: Then and Now®

“Toronto Then and Now,” published by Pavilion Press (London, England) explores 75 of the city’s heritage sites. It contains archival and modern photos that allow readers to compare scenes and discover how they have changed over the decades. Note: a review of this book was published in Spacing Magazine, October 2016. For a link to this review:

spacing.ca/toronto/2016/09/02/reading-list-toronto-then-and-now/

For further information on ordering this book, follow the link to Amazon.com here or contact the publisher directly by the link below:

http://www.ipgbook.com/toronto–then-and-now—products-9781910904077.php?page_id=21

Leave a comment

Posted by Doug Taylor on February 2, 2018 in architecture toronto, Church of the Holy Trinity Toronto, historic Toronto, historic toronto buildings, local history Toronto, tayloronhistory.com, toronto architecture, toronto's heritage buildings

Tags: Church of the Holy Trinity Toronto, Eaton Centre History, Scadding House Toronto

Toronto’s Eaton Centre—Phase One (history)

19 Jan

Toronto Eaton Centre (Phase One) in 1977, the year it opened. View gazes north, the fountain in the foreground. Toronto Public Library, tspa 0109978.

I will never forget the opening of the first phase of the Eaton Centre on February 10, 1977, as it was a major event in Toronto’s retail history. On the afternoon of the day it was inaugurated, I travelled on the Yonge subway to the Dundas Street station. The train almost emptied as people excitedly pushed through the turnstiles to reach the underground entrance of the Centre. I was merely sightseeing, but I sensed that most visitors were anxious to take advantage of the opening-day sales.

When Phase One opened in 1977, it only extended from Dundas Street, south to Albert Street. Despite being only half the size of today’s mall, it still appeared massive; it was the largest structure of its type that I had ever experienced. My only basis of comparison was Yorkdale Mall, which had opened it 1964. The Eaton Centre contained five levels, unlike Yorkdale that was mostly on one level, though the Eaton’s and Simpsons department stores contained many storeys.

On my first visit to the Eaton Centre, at the south end where the mall ended, there was a fountain that every five minutes or so sent a stream of water skyward, almost touching the glass roof. It was quite a sight when the fountain suddenly ceased, and the tower of water plunged downward. The fountain still exists today, but I believe that it no longer has the impressive geyser of former years. The mall’s enormous indoor space accommodated many high-end shops that attracted Torontonians and tourists alike.

* * *

History of the Site of the Eaton Centre

Post card depicting the Eaton’s complex at Yonge and Queen in 1920.

Prior to the Second World War, the intersection at Queen and Yonge Streets was the centre of Toronto’s retail trade, the department stores Eaton’s and Simpsons being the major attractions. After the war, many people migrated to the suburbs as they possessed more disposable funds and had purchased automobiles. The intersection of Queen and Yonge was too distant to service the needs of these suburbanites.

The era of the automobile-centred shopping mall commenced. Eaton’s Yorkdale was a response to this need, and was Canada’s first large indoor shopping space. It had huge parking areas to accommodate cars. However, despite Eaton’s expansion into the suburb’s, the company had no intention of neglecting its downtown site.

On March 1, 1966, Cadillac Fairview joined with Eaton’s and announced plans for a new Eaton Centre, an enormous mall that when completed would extend from Queen Street, north to Dundas. However, plans of this scope required several years to coalesce, its design and format changing several times before construction was able to begin. Its architects were the Zeidler Partnership and Bregman and Hamann.

The configuration of the new mall was highly controversial. Many properties, particularly on Yonge Street, needed to be purchased and the buildings on the sites torn down. Initial plans also included the demolition of the Old City Hall and the Church of the Holy Trinity, the latter a heritage building dating back to 1847. However, citizens’ fierce objections put an end to these proposals. A modified plan allowed the City Hall clock tower and the cenotaph to remain, after the Old City Hall was dismantled. This too was refused.

For the next two years, the developers negotiated with the Church of the Holy Trinity. Though plans for the demolition of the church had ended, the congregation still objected to the new proposal as the developers wanted to erect multi-storeyed buildings on the south and west sides of the church. This would entail the loss of sunlight around the church. The Salvation Army Headquarters at Albert and James Streets was another holdout, as the organization did not wish to relinquish its property. The developers finally realized that their original plans were not possible and besides, they were generating too much negative publicity. After more negotiations and compromises, city council finally approved the plans.

When phase one opened in 1977, the new Eaton’s store was at its north end. This facilitated the closing and demolition of the old Eaton’s Queen Street store, so that construction of phase two could begin.

Sources: thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/eaton-centre and torontoist.com/2017/02/historicist-opening-the-eaton-centre and

blogto.com/city/2010/12/the_origins_of_the_eaton_centre/

The Eaton Centre Site Prior to Construction of the Eaton Centre

Plans submitted in 1967 for the Eaton Centre. The buildings inside the outlined rectangle (bounded by Queen, Dundas, James, and Yonge Streets) were to be demolished. The Old City Hall and Holy Trinity Church were included among the structures to be removed. This plan was soundly rejected. Toronto Public Library, tspa 0108868.

Gazing south on Yonge Street from near Dundas Street in 1972. The buildings on the west side of Yonge (right-hand side) were all demolished to allow construction of the Eaton Centre. In the distance, the tall building near the water tower on a roof, is the old Eaton Store on Queen Street. It was eventually demolished to make way for Phase Two of the Eaton Centre. On the left-hand side of the photo is the marquee of the Downtown Theatre. Today, the site of the theatre is part of Dundas Square. Toronto Public Library, tspa 0110147.

View of Trinity Square and the Church of the Holy Trinity in 1972. The camera is pointed east toward Yonge Street. The marquee of the Imperial Theatre can be seen at the top-left-hand edge of the photo. The four-storey building on the east side of Yonge, with the large window topped by a Roman arch, is 241 Yonge Street, which still exists today. All the buildings on the east side of Yonge Street were demolished. Photo from the Toronto Public Library, tspa 0110944.

Scadding House in 1973, amid the construction of the Eaton Centre. It was to the east of the Church of The Holy Trinity, the street in front of it extending east to Yonge Street. To build the Eaton Centre, it was necessary to relocated the house 150 feet to the west. In the background of the photo, the “Imperial Six Theatre” on Yonge Street can be seen. It has the large round window. Toronto Public Library, tspa 019995.

(left) Relocating Scadding House in 1974. tspa 019797. (Right) Scadding House in 2015 after it was restored.

Construction of phase one the Eaton Centre (from Dundas to Albert Street)

Artist’s sketch drawn in 1972, gazing south on Yonge from Dundas Street. This was how the artist envisioned the east side of Yonge after the Eaton Centre was completed. Alas, it did not become the animated, people-friendly exterior that the artist depicted. Toronto Public Library, tspa 0110003

Gazing west on Albert Street in 1972. All the buildings on the north (right-hand side) of Albert Street were demolished to erect Phase One of the Eaton Centre. The Eaton’s Queen Street store is on the south side of Albert (left-hand side of photo). It was demolished to build Phase Two. The Canada Life Building on University Avenue can be seen in the distance, at the end of the street. The section of Albert Street between Yonge and James Street is today absorbed into the Eaton Centre. Toronto Public Library, tspa 010996.

View gazes east on Dundas Street in 1973, a short distance west of Yonge Street. Workmen are demolishing the buildings on the southwest corner of Yonge and Dundas. On the northeast corner is the famous Brown Derby Tavern. Toronto Public Library tspa 0109960.

View gazing west at the site of Phase One in 1974, after the buildings had been demolished. The old Eaton Queen Street store is at the south end of the cleared site. It remained open for business until Phase One was completed. The Old and New City Halls are visible. The street that extends the full length of the photo (on the right-hand side) is Dundas Street West. Yonge Street is in the foreground. Toronto Public Library, tspa 0109954.

View looking south on Yonge Street in 1975, the east side of the street cleared of buildings. The Eaton Centre is under construction behind the hoarding. Eaton’s Queen Street store is at the south end of the construction site. Beyond it, a sliver of the Simpsons store can be seen. Toronto Archives, Fonds 1526, File 84, item 60.

View of Phase One as it is nearing completion in 1976. In the photo, at the south end of Phase One is Albert Street. The Church of the Holy Trinity is visible on the west side of Phase One of the Eaton Centre. Toronto Public Library tspa 0109984.

View of the interior in 1976, as construction of Phase One nears completion. The camera is pointed south toward Albert Street, where the mall terminates. Behind the wall at the far end was where Phase Two would eventually appear. Toronto Public Library, tapa 0109988.

Opening day of the Eaton Centre in 1977. View gazes west, Yonge Street in the foreground. The expansive glass-roofed entrance on Dundas Street is visible. Toronto Public Library, taps 010999.

View of the Centre Court of Phase One of the Eaton Centre in 1977. The camera faces east toward Yonge Street. Toronto Public Library, tspa 0109970.

The north end of Phase One of the Eaton Centre in 1977. Toronto Public Library, tspa 0110001.

View of the Eaton Centre in 1978 from the corner of Yonge and Dundas Streets. Photo from the Ontario Archives.

For a link to Phase Two of the Eaton Centre:

https://tayloronhistory.wordpress.com/2018/01/19/torontos-eaton-centre-phase-two-history/

To view the Home Page for this blog: https://tayloronhistory.wordpress.com/

For more information about the topics explored on this blog:

https://tayloronhistory.wordpress.com/2016/03/02/tayloronhistory-comcheck-it-out/

Books by the Blog’s Author

“ Lost Toronto”—employing detailed archival photographs, this recaptures the city’s lost theatres, sporting venues, bars, restaurants and shops. This richly illustrated book brings some of Toronto’s most remarkable buildings and much-loved venues back to life. From the loss of John Strachan’s Bishop’s Palace in 1890 to the scrapping of the S. S. Cayuga in 1960 and the closure of the HMV Superstore in 2017, these pages cover more than 150 years of the city’s built heritage to reveal a Toronto that once was.

“Toronto’s Theatres and the Golden Age of the Silver Screen,” explores 50 of Toronto’s old theatres and contains over 80 archival photographs of the facades, marquees and interiors of the theatres. It relates anecdotes and stories by the author and others who experienced these grand old movie houses. To place an order for this book, published by History Press:

https://www.historypress.net/catalogue/bookstore/books/Toronto-Theatres-and-the-Golden-Age-of-the-Silver-Screen/9781626194502 .

Book also available in most book stores such as Chapter/Indigo, the Bell Lightbox and AGO Book Shop. It can also be ordered by phoning University of Toronto Press, Distribution: 416-667-7791 (ISBN 978.1.62619.450.2)

“Toronto’s Movie Theatres of Yesteryear—Brought Back to Thrill You Again” explores 81 theatres. It contains over 125 archival photographs, with interesting anecdotes about these grand old theatres and their fascinating histories. Note: an article on this book was published in Toronto Life Magazine, October 2016 issue.

For a link to the article published by |Toronto Life Magazine: torontolife.com/…/photos-old-cinemas-doug–taylor–toronto-local-movie-theatres-of-y…

The book is available at local book stores throughout Toronto or for a link to order this book: https://www.dundurn.com/books/Torontos-Local-Movie-Theatres-Yesteryear

Toronto: Then and Now®

“Toronto Then and Now,” published by Pavilion Press (London, England) explores 75 of the city’s heritage sites. It contains archival and modern photos that allow readers to compare scenes and discover how they have changed over the decades. Note: a review of this book was published in Spacing Magazine, October 2016. For a link to this review:

spacing.ca/toronto/2016/09/02/reading-list-toronto-then-and-now/

For further information on ordering this book, follow the link to Amazon.com here or contact the publisher directly by the link below:

http://www.ipgbook.com/toronto–then-and-now—products-9781910904077.php?page_id=21

Leave a comment

Posted by Doug Taylor on January 19, 2018 in architecture toronto, Eaton Centre Toronto--history, historic Toronto, historic Yonge Street, local history Toronto, tayloronhistory.com, toronto architecture

Tags: Eaton Centre History

Toronto’s Eaton Centre Phase Two (history)

19 Jan

Phase Two of the Eaton Centre, gazing south toward Queen Street at Christmas in 1994. Toronto Public Library, tspa 0015016.

In 1979, the second phase of the Eaton Centre opened, extending the mall from Albert Street south to Queen Street. It now stretched from Dundas Street in the north to Queen Street in the south. A glass-topped pedestrian bridge provided a link to Simpsons (now the Bay and Saks Fifth Avenue). At the south end of the Eaton Centre, suspended from the glass ceiling was the art installation, “Flight Stop,” by Michael Snow. It depicted a flock of Canada Geese on their migratory path, descending to the ground.

The Centre now contained not only Eaton’s, but over 200 stores and two office towers, one at 20 Queen Street and the other at 1 Dundas Street West. Another tower was built in 1991 at 250 Yonge Street. Under the 274-metre glass-covered shopping galleria, there were five levels of shops and restaurants, two above the concourse (ground) level and two beneath it.

In the 1970s, the Eaton Centre was connected to the Path, reputed to be the largest underground walkway/shopping mall in the world. Today it has twenty-nine kilometers of pathways, which rival the Edmonton Mall in size. It eventually connected shoppers and visitors from the Air Canada Centre in the south, to the Bus Terminal on Bay Street at the north end. The climate-controlled Path had great appeal due to the city’s harsh winters and hot humid summers.

On Tuesday, April 17, 1979, the Cineplex Odeon Eaton Centre opened in a 25,000 square-foot space in the basement level of the parking garage of the Eaton Centre. It contained 18 auditoriums, each containing 50 to 100 seats—about 1500 seats in total—the largest movie-theatre complex in the world at that time. The auditoriums were grouped into four sections, located on two different floors. A rear projection system was employed to screen the films, which caused the edges of the pictures to be slightly blurred. Few patrons seemed to notice, as the auditoriums were attractive and the seats comfortable. The aisles were on both sides of the auditoriums, which meant that no seats were jammed against the walls.

About 1995, the central court in the mall, in front of the Eaton store, was extended on its west side. It was where Albert Street had once been. This was made possible when The Salvation Army Headquarters building was purchased and demolished.

Further changes commenced in 1999 when additional shops were added to the exterior of the Centre’s Yonge Street facade. This was needed as Yonge Street, between Queen and Dundas Streets, had become somewhat lifeless and devoid of shoppers after the Eaton Centre opened. When completed, the shops on Yonge helped reanimate the street, although it never regained the glory of its past.

In 2001, the Cineplex Odeon Eaton Centre closed, because attendance had dwindled. It was demolished shortly thereafter.

On June 20, 2010, Cadillac Fairview commenced renovating the Eaton Centre at a cost of $120 million. It required two years to complete. The north food court was rejuvenated and a new restaurant added, “Open Kitchens by Richtree.”

Today, the Eaton Centre continues to be a prime tourist attraction and a magnet for shoppers in the city’s downtown core.

Sources: thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/eaton-centre and torontoist.com/2017/02/historicist-opening-the-eaton-centre and

blogto.com/city/2010/12/the_origins_of_the_eaton_centre/

Model of the completed Eaton Centre, showing phases one and two. Photo of the model, taken in 1975, gazes south from Dundas Street.

Final sales at Eaton’s old Queen Street store in 1977, as Phase Two containing the new Eaton’s Store was set to open. Toronto Public Library tspa 0110133.

The south facade on Queen Street of the Eaton’s store on April 5, 1977. Signs in the windows advertise the final sales before the store closed for demolition. Toronto Archives, F 1526, fl 0085, item 9.

Looking west on Queen Street from Yonge Street in 1978 at the construction of the bridge connecting Phase Two to the Simpsons Store. Toronto Public Library tspa 019985

View gazing west on Queen Street on September 25, 1978 of the glass-covered bridge that connected the Eaton Centre to Simpsons (now the Bay and Saks Fifth Avenue). The south facade of the Centre, which is under construction in the photo, is visible in the background. Toronto Archives, F1526, Fl0090, item 0014.

Gazing north on Yonge Street (c. 1978) as Phase Two of the Eaton Centre progresses. This is the section where the old Eaton’s store had been located at Queen and Yonge. Toronto Archives, Series 8, File 0008, id 0014.

Opening day in 1979 of Phase Two of the Eaton Centre. Premier Bill Davis is on the left, John Craig Eaton in the middle, and on the right Allan Lawrence, Federal Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs. In the background is the art installation “Flight Stop” by Michael Snow, which depicts Canada Geese descending for a landing.

Close-up view of “Flight Stop” by Michael Snow.

Southwest corner of Yonge and Dundas in 1987, the north entrance of the Eaton Centre visible, Toronto Public Library tspa 0018592.

Eaton Centre, Christmas 2011.

Christmas 2012.

Phase Two of the Eaton Centre at Christmas in 2012. View looks south to Queen Street.

Christmas at the Eaton Centre in 2017.

Eaton Centre in December 2017, looking north to Nordstrom’s, where Eaton’s was once located.

The bridge that links The Bay and Saks Fifth Avenue to the Eaton Centre. The bridge was opened in 2017 to replace the one erected in the 1970s.

For a link to Phase One of the Eaton Centre:

https://tayloronhistory.wordpress.com/2018/01/19/torontos-eaton-centre-phase-one-history/

To view the Home Page for this blog: https://tayloronhistory.wordpress.com/

For more information about the topics explored on this blog:

https://tayloronhistory.wordpress.com/2016/03/02/tayloronhistory-comcheck-it-out/

Books by the Blog’s Author

“ Lost Toronto”—employing detailed archival photographs, this recaptures the city’s lost theatres, sporting venues, bars, restaurants and shops. This richly illustrated book brings some of Toronto’s most remarkable buildings and much-loved venues back to life. From the loss of John Strachan’s Bishop’s Palace in 1890 to the scrapping of the S. S. Cayuga in 1960 and the closure of the HMV Superstore in 2017, these pages cover more than 150 years of the city’s built heritage to reveal a Toronto that once was.

“Toronto’s Theatres and the Golden Age of the Silver Screen,” explores 50 of Toronto’s old theatres and contains over 80 archival photographs of the facades, marquees and interiors of the theatres. It relates anecdotes and stories by the author and others who experienced these grand old movie houses. To place an order for this book, published by History Press:

https://www.historypress.net/catalogue/bookstore/books/Toronto-Theatres-and-the-Golden-Age-of-the-Silver-Screen/9781626194502 .

Book also available in most book stores such as Chapter/Indigo, the Bell Lightbox and AGO Book Shop. It can also be ordered by phoning University of Toronto Press, Distribution: 416-667-7791 (ISBN 978.1.62619.450.2)

“Toronto’s Movie Theatres of Yesteryear—Brought Back to Thrill You Again” explores 81 theatres. It contains over 125 archival photographs, with interesting anecdotes about these grand old theatres and their fascinating histories. Note: an article on this book was published in Toronto Life Magazine, October 2016 issue.

For a link to the article published by |Toronto Life Magazine: torontolife.com/…/photos-old-cinemas-doug–taylor–toronto-local-movie-theatres-of-y…

The book is available at local book stores throughout Toronto or for a link to order this book: https://www.dundurn.com/books/Torontos-Local-Movie-Theatres-Yesteryear

Toronto: Then and Now®

“Toronto Then and Now,” published by Pavilion Press (London, England) explores 75 of the city’s heritage sites. It contains archival and modern photos that allow readers to compare scenes and discover how they have changed over the decades. Note: a review of this book was published in Spacing Magazine, October 2016. For a link to this review:

spacing.ca/toronto/2016/09/02/reading-list-toronto-then-and-now/

For further information on ordering this book, follow the link to Amazon.com here or contact the publisher directly by the link below:

http://www.ipgbook.com/toronto–then-and-now—products-9781910904077.php?page_id=21

Leave a comment

Posted by Doug Taylor on January 19, 2018 in architecture toronto, Doug Taylor, Toronto history, Eaton Centre Toronto, Eaton's Queen Street store, historic Yonge Street, local history Toronto, Queen Street West Toronto, Salvation Army at Albert and James Street, tayloronhistory.com, Toronto, toronto architecture, Toronto history

Tags: Eaton Centre Toronto

Memories of Toronto’s old Terminal One (demolished)

08 Jan

Terminal One (Aeroquay 1) at Toronto International Airport in 1972. Toronto Public Library, tspa 003228.

The Terminal at the Toronto airport, which became known as Terminal One (Aeroquay 1) after Terminal Two was built, was one of the finest airport facilities that I have ever experienced. It was so modern and up-to-date, it is difficult to believe that a mere decade after it opened, it was beyond its capacity due to the increase in the number of passengers, the amount of cargo, and the expanded size of new aircraft. However, it remained operative for several more decades before it was finally closed and demolished. Unfortunately, it is the latter years, when it was frustratingly beyond its capacity, that people remember the most.

My interest in the structure was perhaps more than the average traveller, as in the early-1960s, my father was a rodman who worked on structural steel on the site. For several years, I listened as he described the various stages of its construction.

My first time aboard an airplane was in 1965, only one year after the terminal opened. The occasion was a trip to New York City. Two years later, in 1967, I ventured on my first overseas flight to Europe. On both these occasions, I flew out of Toronto’s Terminal One (Aeroquay 1). I am grateful that I had the opportunity pass through it during the days when it was among the most advanced facility of its kind in the world. It established Toronto as a world leader in airport design.

I will never forget my first view of the terminal in 1965, and can easily recall my keen anticipation to see the building that my father had helped construct. It resembled the futuristic structures I had seen as a boy in space films—an enormous modernistic expanse of glass and steel that appeared as if it were intended for journeys to the far reaches of the universe. Compared to the terminals that I was to visit in the years ahead, Terminal One was amazingly convenient to navigate.

At the time, other airports around the globe were long rectangular buildings in which passengers walked considerable distances to reach the gates. In Toronto’s Terminal One, due to its oval design, all the gates were not more than two minutes from the elevator doors descending from the parking garage. This was a new concept in the 1960s, and it was eventually copied by many airports around the world.

It is said that after the famous author, Arthur Hailey, toured Terminal One, he was inspired to write his famous book Airport. Now that I am older, shorter distances to walk inside airports is a feature that I greatly appreciate. It is a pity that Toronto’s two new terminals did not continue this concept, as today, the distances required to walk to departure gates is far too long.

In fairness, passenger numbers have grown so greatly that to employ the concept of an oval-shaped terminal today, it would have to be so large that the advantage of shorter distances would be lost. Pity! Bigger is not always better.

I remember that in 1965, travelling to New York, prior to going to my assigned departure gate, I strolled around the full circumference of the concourse level to gaze at the shops, restaurants, kiosks and lounges. They were amazing. The vast surfaces of glass in the windows allowed plenteous daylight to flood the interior, so that everything was sparkling and brightly lit. In that era, adding to the delight of travelling, security was minimal. As a matter of fact, it was done so unobtrusively that to this day, I do not even recall it.

On the roof of the terminal’s concourse level, there was a restaurant that overlooked the runways, allowing diners to view the departing and arriving aircraft. The ever-changing 180-degree scene was fascinating. The identifying logos and colours on the fuselage of the planes of the various international airlines created visions of faraway exotic destinations. I also remember that the food in the restaurant was not all that good, and the wine list even worse. After all, it was the 1960s. My return flight was on a Trans-Canada Airline turboprop, and was considerably noisier, but retrieving my luggage and departing the airport was convenient.

It was on April 10, 1937 that Trans-Canadian Airline had been created by an Act of Parliament, to provide air flights across Canada’s enormous land mass. The airline was renamed Air Canada in 1965, the year of my first flight.

In 1967, I journeyed to Europe aboard a flight on Canadian Pacific Airlines, later renamed Canadian Airlines. Because the flight was delayed for two hours, I was given a voucher to purchase food, and when I returned home three weeks later, there was a letter from the airline apologizing for the delay of my outbound flight. It was indeed the glorious age of air travel.

The words “glorious age of air travel” bring to mind Wardair. This airline offered the finest inflight service that I have ever known. The company possessed a great respect for its passengers, maintaining their holidays commenced the moment they stepped inside one of their aircraft. On their jumbo-jet 747 flights, they did not employ carts in the aisles to serve meals and drinks, but delivered all items efficiently with trays. This meant that there were no blocked aisles. On a Wardair flight I took to Spain, they served the evening meal by a buffet, located at the front of the plane. Passengers were notified according to their seat numbers when it was their turn to go to the front to choose the items for their dinner. This level of service remains possible today, but no airline seems to be motivated to provide the staff and organization required. Using carts in the aisles to service passengers’ needs require fewer personnel.

Terminal One opened on February 28, 1964. Designed by architects John P. Parkin, who designed the original Yorkdale Plaza, it possessed the capacity to handle 1400 passengers an hour. The concourse (passenger) level of the structure had 24 gates, which were arranged in an oval structure that surrounded a nine-storey parking garage.

The terminal was constructed on the site where a terminal had been built in 1939 for what was then known as Malton Airport. It had formerly been the site of a military training airstrip where test flights had been conducted for the famous Avro Arrow.

The Malton terminal was a small square-shaped structure of two storeys, with a small structure on its roof. I am not certain if it contained the control tower. It was this inauspicious terminal that welcomed Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh when they arrived in Toronto in 1951, on their first visit to Canada. A year later, on the death of her father, King George V1, Princess Elizabeth was to become Queen Elizabeth II. Photo above is of the Malton Terminal, which opened in 1939.

It was small by modern standards, as it was built in a decade in which very few people travelled by plane. Airfares were expansive when compared to the wages earned by most people. In this era, personnel onboard the aircraft were referred to as stewardesses or stewards, and Trans-Canada Airlines (now Air Canada) required that stewardesses be qualified nurses. When travelling on a plane, most people dressed in formal attire, the men wearing suits and ties, the women donning hats, as flying was a special occasion.

Prior to the building of the terminal at Malton, the city’s airport at been located on Hanlan’s Point, on the Toronto Islands. Its terminal resembled the one that was erected at Malton. The airport on Toronto Islands had been relocated to Malton as on Hanlan’s Point there was limited space for expansion and the site was often fog-bound, causing many flights to be cancelled. These were the days prior to radar.

In 1960, the name of the airport at Malton was changed to Toronto International Airport. To accommodate increased passenger numbers, a second terminal opened in 1972. It was a rather ugly structure, looking more like a freight depot than a passenger terminal. In 1984, the airport’s name became the Lester B. Pearson International Airport. In 1991, Terminal Three was opened, originally named the Trillium Terminal. There were now three terminals at the airport.

In 2004, a new terminal opened to replace the old Terminal One, and it became the new Terminal One. On April 5, 2004, flight 862 to London was the final departure from Terminal One, and on November 4th the same year, the terminal’s demolition commenced. In 2007, Terminal Two was demolished, so that only Terminals One and Three remained. The number were never changed, so today, the Toronto airport has two terminals — Terminal One and Terminal Three.

With the demise of the old Terminal One, another of Toronto’s great architectural feats disappeared into history.

History Leading to the construction of Terminal One

Island Airport

The terminal at the airport on Hanlan’s Point in 1930, in the background the newly completed Royal York Hotel (opened in 1929) and on the far left-hand side, The Terminal Warehouse, which opened in 1927, and later renamed the Queen’s Quay Terminal Building.

Site of the Island Airport in 1937, when summer cottages lined the shoreline facing west. The cottages and trees were later removed. In the far background on the left are the Canada Malting Silos. Toronto Archives, Fonds 200, Series 372, Item 1966.

View in 1938 of the Island Airport when it was being expanded and a new terminal built. View gazes south, the western gap in the foreground. In the far distance, the lighthouse on Gibraltar Point is visible, jutting above the trees. Toronto Archives, Fonds 1244, item 1456.

Opening of the newly expanded Island Airport in 1939. In the background is the Royal York Hotel, and on the far right is the Harbour Commission Building. Toronto Archives, Fonds 1244, item 4590.

View on June 14, 1938 of the Island Airport, looking south, the camera on the roof of the grain elevator. On the south side of the Western Gap is the new terminal building and the expanded airfield. Toronto Archives, Fonds 1231, item 0117.

Malton Airport

Airfield at Malton in June 1939. Toronto Archives, Fonds 1231, item 1141.

Undated photo of Malton Airport, the Terminal in the background. Toronto Archives.

Undated photo from the Toronto Archives of the terminal at Malton.

     Undated photo of the Malton Terminal, Toronto Archives.

Malton Airport in 1946, a Trans-Canada Airlines plane in view. The door of the gas truck has the logo of Supertest Petroleum. Toronto Archives, F 0124, fl0008, id 0004.

Immigrants arriving at Malton Airport in 1947. Toronto Archives, Fonds 1257, S 1057, Item 7569.

Immigrants arriving at Malton in 1948. Toronto Archives, Fonds 1257, S 1057, item 7603.

     Terminal One (Aeroquay One)

Terminal One with its oval concourse level that surrounds the square-shaped nine-storey parking garage. The restaurant is on the roof of the concourse level.

Undated aerial photo of Terminal One and the runways surrounding it. Toronto Archives.

View c. 1965 of Terminal One from near the runways. Toronto Archives.

Entrance to parking garage of Terminal One by night. Undated, Toronto Archives.

Flight departing from Terminal One in 1966. Toronto Archives, F 0217, S 0249, fl 0096, item 0001.

Canadian Airlines jet at Terminal One, 1989. Toronto Public Library, tspa 0003112.

         Wardair jumbo jet at Terminal One in 1980. Tspa 0003260.

Wardair jet departing Terminal one in 1989. Toronto Public Library, tspa 00030921.

To view the Home Page for this blog: https://tayloronhistory.wordpress.com/

For more information about the topics explored on this blog:

https://tayloronhistory.wordpress.com/2016/03/02/tayloronhistory-comcheck-it-out/

              Books by the Blog’s Author



“ Lost Toronto”—employing detailed archival photographs, this recaptures the city’s lost theatres, sporting venues, bars, restaurants and shops. This richly illustrated book brings some of Toronto’s most remarkable buildings and much-loved venues back to life. From the loss of John Strachan’s Bishop’s Palace in 1890 to the scrapping of the S. S. Cayuga in 1960 and the closure of the HMV Superstore in 2017, these pages cover more than 150 years of the city’s built heritage to reveal a Toronto that once was.

“Toronto’s Theatres and the Golden Age of the Silver Screen,” explores 50 of Toronto’s old theatres and contains over 80 archival photographs of the facades, marquees and interiors of the theatres. It relates anecdotes and stories by the author and others who experienced these grand old movie houses. To place an order for this book, published by History Press:

https://www.historypress.net/catalogue/bookstore/books/Toronto-Theatres-and-the-Golden-Age-of-the-Silver-Screen/9781626194502 .

Book also available in most book stores such as Chapter/Indigo, the Bell Lightbox and AGO Book Shop. It can also be ordered by phoning University of Toronto Press, Distribution: 416-667-7791 (ISBN 978.1.62619.450.2)

“Toronto’s Movie Theatres of Yesteryear—Brought Back to Thrill You Again” explores 81 theatres. It contains over 125 archival photographs, with interesting anecdotes about these grand old theatres and their fascinating histories. Note: an article on this book was published in Toronto Life Magazine, October 2016 issue.

For a link to the article published by |Toronto Life Magazine: torontolife.com/…/photos-old-cinemas-doug–taylor–toronto-local-movie-theatres-of-y…

The book is available at local book stores throughout Toronto or for a link to order this book: https://www.dundurn.com/books/Torontos-Local-Movie-Theatres-Yesteryear

“Toronto Then and Now,” published by Pavilion Press (London, England) explores 75 of the city’s heritage sites. It contains archival and modern photos that allow readers to compare scenes and discover how they have changed over the decades. Note: a review of this book was published in Spacing Magazine, October 2016. For a link to this review:

spacing.ca/toronto/2016/09/02/reading-list-toronto-then-and-now/

For further information on ordering this book, follow the link to Amazon.com here or contact the publisher directly by the link below:

http://www.ipgbook.com/toronto–then-and-now—products-9781910904077.php?page_id=21

Leave a comment

Posted by Doug Taylor on January 8, 2018 in historic Toronto, local history Toronto, tayloronhistory.com, Terminal One, Toronto Airport, toronto architecture, Toronto's lost buildings

Tags: Aeroquay One Toronto, Island Airport Toronto, Malton Airport, Toronto Terminal One, Wardair Canada

Gibraltar Point Lighthouse — Hanlan’s Point

01 Jan

Gibraltar Point lighthouse at Hanlan’s Point, Toronto Islands

Recently I dined at a restaurant located atop one of the city’s towering skyscrapers that overlooks Toronto Harbour. The ever-changing panorama was mesmerizing. The dazzling pinpoints of light from the downtown buildings illuminated the darkness, their brilliance augmented by the many streams of red and white from the myriad of cars snaking along the Gardiner Expressway, Front Street, and the Lakeshore Road.

I tried to imagine the same harbour scene during the last decade of the 18th century, when it would have been enveloped in almost total darkness. The few flickering candles in the windows of the small cabins clustered around the eastern side of the harbour would not have been visible from my modern-day perch. Thankfully, we have a first-hand account of how the islands and the harbour area appeared in those long-ago decades.

In May 1793, Mrs. Elizabeth Simcoe, wife of Lieutenant Governor Simcoe, arrived in Toronto. After the tents, which were to be her home for the forthcoming months, were set-up beside the lake, she commenced exploring, recording and sketching the environs of the settlement. Elizabeth wrote: “We rode on the peninsula opposite Toronto, so I called the spit of land, for it is united to the mainland by a very narrow neck of ground.”

The peninsula is today known as the Toronto Islands, as in later years it was separated from the mainland by a fierce storm that washed away the sandbar at the eastern end of the harbour. How did the peninsula appear in the 1790s?

Elizabeth described it as having “. . . natural meadows and ponds, its poplar trees covered with wild vines, the ground where everlasting peas of purple colour were creeping in abundance, and where wild lilies-of-the-valley grew.” She discovered the sands bordering the open lake, and referred to these as, “my favourite sands.” She visited them time and time again “. . . praising the sweep of the wild fresh air, riding on the hard white surface, watching the antics of unnumbered wild fowl, and listening to the cry of the loons.” The peninsula [today’s Toronto Islands] was reached by boat, a mile across the bay when parties would land on Hanlan’s Point [its modern name]. Elizabeth added, “The Governor thinks the manner in which the sand banks are formed that they are capable of being fortified, he therefore calls it ‘Gibraltar Point’.”

Governor Simcoe thought that the land at the mouth of the harbour was as strategically important to Toronto as the rock that stands guard at Gibraltar, at the entrance to the Mediterranean. Thus, a carriage route was cut along the peninsula to connect the mainland to Gibraltar Point. It later evolved into Lake Shore Avenue, the main east-west axis along today’s Centre Island.

The small colonial town continue to develop. “The bay front and harbour, where it all began, and which for any years the main depot of transportation, was growing in wharves and landing stages. The first to be built was the landing of military stores at the garrison, [and soon] were added added Peter, John and Church Streets.” (Katherine Hale, “Toronto, Romance of a Great City,” Cassell and Company Limited, 1956),

It quickly became evident that it was important to assist ships to enter the harbour safely, to unload their goods at the newly-built wharves. “In 1799, Peter Hunter arrived as the new Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada. . . he instructed that a lighthouse be constructed on Gibraltar Point, built of limestone quarried in Queenston.” (Frederick H. Armstrong, “Toronto, The Place of Meeting,” Ontario Historical Society Windsor Publication, published 1983.)

In 1803 an act was passed by the Provincial Legislature for the establishment of lighthouses. One of them was on Gibraltar Point. According to the act “. . . a fund for the erection and maintenance of such lighthouses was to be formed by levying three-pence per ton on every vessel, boat, raft, or other craft of the burthen of ten tons and upward shall be liable to pay any lighthouse duty . . .”

“. . . a lighthouse was begun at the point of York . . . the Mohawk was employed in bringing over stone for the purpose from Queenston; and that Mr. John Thompson, still living in 1873, was engaged in the actual erection of the building . . . (“Toronto of Old,” Henry Scadding).

In the decade when the lighthouse was being built, “The peninsula in front of York was plentifully stocked with goats, the offspring of a small colony established by order of Peter Hunter at Gibraltar Point for the sake, for one thing, of the supposed salutary nature of the whey of goat’s milk. These animals were dispersed during the War of 1812-1815.” (“Toronto of Old,” Henry Scadding).

The lighthouse was completed in 1808, the walls six-feet thick at its base. It was “a hexagon tapered tower, 52 feet high, on a six-sided oaken crib, with a wooden lantern cage 18 feet high above the stonework. In 1832, a perpendicular addition of stone atop the tapered tower increased the height of the lighthouse by 12 feet, making it 82 feet to the vane. The lantern cage was later replaced by an iron one, when a change was made from a fixed light, burning 200 gallons of whale oil a year, to a revolving occulting light of greater power, operated by a clockwork mechanism.” (Source: “Historic Toronto, Toronto Civic Historical Committee, February 1953.”).

The first lighthouse keeper, J. P. Rademuller, a German who had immigrated to Upper Canada. He kept watch at Gibraltar Point for enemy ships and friendly vessels returning to a safe harbour at York. He was in residence at the lighthouse during the Battle of York in 1813, when American ships invaded the town of York.

The lighthouse was in a secluded location, and its glowing beacon was easy to spot. As a result, it became a focal point for smugglers that wished to avoid taxes on imported goods, particularly alcohol. Some sources state that it was common knowledge that Rademuller kept a supply of home-brewed ale in his home beside the lighthouse. John Paul Rademuller disappeared under mysterious circumstances on January 2, 1815. It was alleged that he had been murdered by two soldiers who had been enjoying his home-brewed beer. They were arrested but eventually set free as there was insufficient evidence—Rademuller’s body was never found.

One version of the story states that Rademuller was killed after the soldiers bought the beer, but complained that its alcoholic content was low as it had become frozen during the cold winter weather. They felt that the lighthouse keeper was trying to rip them off. Whether or not this was true, most sources agree that Rademuller was killed that night and dismembered by his killers, who buried his body parts in various graves near the lighthouse. His ghost is said to still haunt the site.

The story of the murder was recorded by John Ross Robertson in his book, “Landmarks of Toronto”, written in 1908, and it has become a source for ghost stories ever since. But Robertson raises scepticism that the event ever occurred. He admitted that he had learned the details from the current lighthouse keeper in the 1870s, George Durnan, who had apparently gone looking for a body and had dug up a coffin containing a jawbone. Despite this, the historic plaque on the lighthouse mentions the ghost story and the jawbone, although many historians thought that this was not appropriate as it was not a proven fact. (For a link to discover more information about the murder, https://torontoist.com/2017/08/spooky-story-behind-gibraltar-point-lighthouse, and spacing.ca/toronto/2015/04/30/true-story-torontos-island-ghost/ )

The painting on the left entitled, “View of York,” c. 1815,” is by Robert Irvine, and is today in the collection of the AGO. The painting depicts the lighthouse on Gibraltar Point in 1815. Irving was captured in September of 1813, during the War of 1812, and released from an American prison in September 1814. After the war, he was employed by the military and lived in York until 1817. In April 1830, records reveal that he was residing in Scotland. (Source: “Government of Fire,” Frank A. Dieterman and Ronald F. Williamson, Archaeological Services, 2001).

When completed, the lighthouse was the tallest structure in the city and remained so for nearly 50 years. Its power source was switched to coal-oil in 1863 and, then, to electric in 1916. The lighthouse still stands, but it no longer guides ships as it did for over a hundred years. It is still on Gibraltar Point, although because of the silt that has built-up over the years, the tower is now about 100 meters from the water’s edge. It was decommissioned in 1958, and is Toronto’s oldest building situated on its original foundation.

Sketch of the lighthouse and the lighthouse keeper’s cottage in 1894. Toronto Public Library, r-450.

Undated sketch of the lighthouse from the book “Historic Toronto,” by the Toronto Historical Society, published in 1953. Today, the structure is no longer at the edge of the water. Because of the silt that has been deposited on the shoreline, it is 100 metres from the water.

Watercolour depicting ships off Gibraltar Point in 1894. Toronto Public Library 987-10-2

Gibraltar Point Lighthouse in 1915. Ontario Archives F-4336.

View gazing west at the lighthouse on Gibraltar Point in 1919, with private summer cottages lining the shoreline. Toronto Archives, Fonds 1231, item 10156.

Lighthouse in 1940, Toronto Public Library, 10013724.

View from the base, where the stones are six-feet thick. Photo taken in 2010.

Door that opens to the steps to ascend to the top of the lighthouse. The door faces east.

Historic plaque on the lighthouse

Top of the structure where the lamp was located. The stones for the top of the towering lighthouse were quarried in Kingston.

Limestone base of the tower, the stones brought across the lake from Queenston.

To view the Home Page for this blog: https://tayloronhistory.wordpress.com/

For more information about the topics explored on this blog:

https://tayloronhistory.wordpress.com/2016/03/02/tayloronhistory-comcheck-it-out/

Books by the Blog’s Author

“ Lost Toronto”—employing detailed archival photographs, this recaptures the city’s lost theatres, sporting venues, bars, restaurants and shops. This richly illustrated book brings some of Toronto’s most remarkable buildings and much-loved venues back to life. From the loss of John Strachan’s Bishop’s Palace in 1890 to the scrapping of the S. S. Cayuga in 1960 and the closure of the HMV Superstore in 2017, these pages cover more than 150 years of the city’s built heritage to reveal a Toronto that once was.

“Toronto’s Theatres and the Golden Age of the Silver Screen,” explores 50 of Toronto’s old theatres and contains over 80 archival photographs of the facades, marquees and interiors of the theatres. It relates anecdotes and stories by the author and others who experienced these grand old movie houses. To place an order for this book, published by History Press:

https://www.historypress.net/catalogue/bookstore/books/Toronto-Theatres-and-the-Golden-Age-of-the-Silver-Screen/9781626194502 .

Book also available in most book stores such as Chapter/Indigo, the Bell Lightbox and AGO Book Shop. It can also be ordered by phoning University of Toronto Press, Distribution: 416-667-7791 (ISBN 978.1.62619.450.2)

“Toronto’s Movie Theatres of Yesteryear—Brought Back to Thrill You Again” explores 81 theatres. It contains over 125 archival photographs, with interesting anecdotes about these grand old theatres and their fascinating histories. Note: an article on this book was published in Toronto Life Magazine, October 2016 issue.

For a link to the article published by |Toronto Life Magazine: torontolife.com/…/photos-old-cinemas-doug–taylor–toronto-local-movie-theatres-of-y…

The book is available at local book stores throughout Toronto or for a link to order this book: https://www.dundurn.com/books/Torontos-Local-Movie-Theatres-Yesteryear

Toronto: Then and Now®

“Toronto Then and Now,” published by Pavilion Press (London, England) explores 75 of the city’s heritage sites. It contains archival and modern photos that allow readers to compare scenes and discover how they have changed over the decades. Note: a review of this book was published in Spacing Magazine, October 2016. For a link to this review:

spacing.ca/toronto/2016/09/02/reading-list-toronto-then-and-now/

For further information on ordering this book, follow the link to Amazon.com here or contact the publisher directly by the link below:

http://www.ipgbook.com/toronto–then-and-now—products-9781910904077.php?page_id=21

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Posted by Doug Taylor on January 1, 2018 in Centre Island Toronto, Doug Taylor, Toronto history, Gibraltar Point Lighthouse, historic Toronto, historic toronto buildings, tayloronhistory.com, toronto architecture, toronto's heritage buildings

Tags: Centre Island Toronto, Gibraltar Point Lighthouse, Hanlan's point Toronto

Historic Toronto

Exploring Historic Spadina House and Museum, Toronto

Sources for this article :http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/austin_james_12E.html,

Amazing story of Yorkdale Plaza (Toronto)

Church of the Holy Trinity, Toronto (history)

Toronto’s Eaton Centre—Phase One (history)

Toronto’s Eaton Centre Phase Two (history)

Memories of Toronto’s old Terminal One (demolished)

Gibraltar Point Lighthouse — Hanlan’s Point

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