Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Lansdowne and Rideau/Then and Now

Looking east on Rideau Street towards Lansdowne in the late 1800's. Note the row houses on the left as they're the subject of this post. At this point in time this intersection is still quite rural and lies just south of the level crossing.
A similar view in 2010.
The red line represents the original road level.
Looking head on at the houses before the level crossing.
1915 and the subway is finished and the little cottage on the N/W corner has been remodelled.
40 years later (1934) the same houses have been underpinned and transformed.
Of course I could be wrong but the doors and windows seen to line up quite well on both photos.
September 1950.
By 2010 the original cottages have been torn down and replaced by these faux Victorians.




Dundas and Bathurst/Then and Now

768 Dundas on the north side near Bathurst in 1936.
The same storefront today.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Dovercourt Subway/Then

Looking north up Dovercourt from Dupont in 1911 at the level crossing.
The same view 4 years later as the subway nears completion. It certainly seems that Toronto was able to accomplish a lot of public works projects within a short period of time with simple tools and manpower back then. I wonder why we can't do the same thing today. The roadwork on Roncesvalles has taken forever and still not finished. In addition the pavement is a mess of potholes and patches, clearly a hazard for pedestrians and cyclists.

Dundas and Lansdowne/Then and Now

I realize now that most of the hits to this post are looking for the phone number for Yummy Pizza. It's listed below and it is good.
Looking east from Dundas across Lansdowne in 1917. The building on the S/E corner is a bank.
For years afterwards it was the Dunlan restaurant and had a wonderful 1940's serpentine counter and several small booths.Scenes from David Cronenberg's Naked Lunch were shot there in 1991.
Now it's Yummy Pizza!
1745 Dundas St West
Toronto, ON M6K 1V4
(416) 588-6666

A couple of shots inside the long gone Dunlan Diner courtesy of mistagregory.
Good times!
Freshen' your drink, Hon' ?
A couple of recent photos while under renovation.
It appears that it was a music academy before a restaurant.
These last two photos are by printwithfire.

Lansdowne and Shirley/Then and Now

Not that interesting... looking N/W on Shirley Street towards Lansdowne March 1941.
2010.

Brock Avenue/Then and Now

Looking north on Brock 1n 1898 after a devastating ice storm that collapsed hydro poles.
This photo was taken before subway was built.
A similar view today.

Brock Avenue Subway/Then and Now

Looking north up Brock to the recently completed subway in May of 1915.
2010 and still black and white!
Looking north up Brock across the level crossing in 1911 prior to the subway construction in 1915. The Outwood Coal Company was located at 122 Brock.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Brock Avenue Corner Store/Then and Now

Another lost corner store at the S/E corner of Brock and Muir.

Queen and Cowan/Then and Now

When the original Parkdale Council Hall was demolished in 1931 a modern police station was built on the site. A few photos documenting the progress.
No longer a police station the building is now used as an artist's co-op, Gallery 1313.


From behind looking north to Queen during construction.

Dundas and Howard Park/Then and Now

The TTC has been very good at documenting their work over the years. The photos tend to concentrate on the track details but there's usually enough information in the background to make them interesting. Here's a series of photos of the track replacement at the intersection of Dundas and Howard Park taken in the fall of 1935.
Looking north/east.
Looking east
Looking west.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Brock Avenue/Then and now

These two little corner stores were on the N/E corner of Brock and Franklin.
The building remains but the stores are long gone.

Brock Avenue/Then and now

This group of worker's rowhouses on Brock just north of Queen appear to be in a sad state of repair as of April 1938. They were probably built in the 1880's and by the time these photos were taken already 50-60 years old.

However 6 months later they've been restored and given a new lease on life.
Another 70 years later.

The same group, this time looking north in April 1938.
Today.

College and Brock/Then and Now

Looking west along College just west of Brock in 1915.2010.