Plaza on Evans/Then and Now

A little strip plaza on the south side of Evans just esdt of the East Mall in the late 1960's

Just as grim in 2010.

Bloor and St. Thomas/Then and Now

A shot of the once famous La Provencal Restaurant located across the street from the equally famous Windsor Arms Hotel sometime in the 1970's. We shot an episode of
Kung Fu: The Legend Continues in both the restaurant and the Windsor Arms when they were both quite abandoned in the early 90's.

2010.
A postcard of the restaurant interior from Chuckman's Collection.

Yonge and Hayter/Then and Then

The N/W corner of Yonge and Hayter prior to the building of Eaton's College in 1920 or so.
A Maxwell Car dealership, my Grandfather sold Maxwell's for a time. William Long Piano's also had a branch in New York on Broome Street in Brooklyn.

Sometime in the 1960's.

St. Clair and Ford Street/Then and Now

The S/E corner of St. Clair and Ford in the 1920's prior to St Clair being widened.
These houses would soon be demolished.
2010.
Ironically there's a Chevrolet dealership on Ford St.

Dufferrin and St Clair/Then and Now

The S/W corner of Dufferin and St Clair in 1911 when St Clair was still just a muddy road.
2010.
This could be the same building buried underneath years of renovations and additions.
The proportions are similar......
This photo from the archives from the same period is labelled Ossington and St. Clair
and indicates how far north of the city this area was.

The Spadina Hotel/Then and Now

I've published this post before but think it deserves a second look.

An early shot of the Spadina Hotel, then known as the Falconer on the N/W corner of Spadina and King Street West
The same view in 2010.

Here's a shot of The Spadina Hotel as it appeared in the 80's.

Several well known bands (and 100's of lesser known) played their
first shows upstairs at the legendary Cabana Room on the second floor..
In 1973 several scenes form The Last Detail were filmed here in Toronto
including one where Jack Nicholson slams his gun on the bar.
The Spadina Hotel is now a backpacker's hostel
but the bar remains in the lobby.
Now used as a check in desk the dents in the
formica top remain, stop in and have a look.

The Spadina Hotel today.
Handbill from 1983.
A vintage matchbook cover from Chuckman's Postcard Collection.
Some of the bands I remember playing at the Cabana Room in the 80's.


A music video from Tulpa. Initiation Rites 1984.
Tulpa consisted of John Bottomley,(guitar) his brother Chris Bottomley (bass) and Mike Severin on Drums. I'm sad to report that John Bottomley passed away two weeks ago.

A music video from K. Voice in the Bush 1984.

Sounds from the Streets, 1984.
An interview with the late Steve Banks from Ministry of Love.

This is by Jolly Tambourine Man and features Jerry Spew, who if I remember correctly, drove cab. Parts were filmed in a then abandoned house at the S/W corner of King and John pictured below.
1984.
Once a haven for dope smoking and depravity it's now a Subway and a Second Cup.

College and Bellevue/Then and Now

Looking at the north side of College from bellevue in th mid 1960's. A great shot of the Lux Burlesque Theatre as well as some great vintage storefronts.
Click on image for a better view.

2010.

Kensington Market/Then and Now

The west side of Augusta looking north in 1958.

A similar vantage point in 2010.

St. Clair West/Then and Now

A very attractive vintage storefront, Danforth Radio, located on St Clair West sometime in the late 1950's.

Now it's Centro. A great selection of Italian products and they have a good hot table at the back

Weston Road/Then and Now

Looking north on Weston Road north of Lawrence in the early 1900's.

Quite a change but I believe the peach building on the left is the same as the one above as well as the church in the background.
Another angle on the peach coloured building.

Old Inn on Weston Road

This old inn at the corner of Weston and St. Philips Road has been boarded up for years and I hope that the owners will restore. Structurally it appears to be in great shape and is definetly worth saving.

House Move Weston

Moving a house used to fairly common in Toronto before all the powerlines went up. This photo appears to be from the 1940's and was taken in Weston. The street sign on the house refers to Church Street in Weston. It's moving up Weston Road (streetcar tracks) and is small enough to fit under the streetcar power line.

Ryerson and Wolseley/Then and Now

The N/E corner of Wolseley and Ryerson Ave. in 1939.

The same corner in 2010.

Robinson Street/Then and Now

This little semi would soon be replaced.

By a Church and Manse.

2010.
The only shot I've found of the old Firehall on Claremont south of Robinson.
This is looking west towards Claremont.
Looking at these houses in fact on the N/W corner of Claremont and Cocker in 1940.
Which soon would be demolished and replaced with...
This Church.
The same Church today.

Robinson Street/Then and Now

May, 1942.

Three months later.

2010 and the first house has lost it's gable and gained an unattractive porch.

Robinson Street/Then and Now

This three unit row house was falling apart in 1940. Note the Laundry in the last unit.

One year later.

By 2010 the right hand unit has been demolished but the other two remain.

Robinson and Palmerston/Then and Now

The N/W corner of Robinson and Palmerston in 1939. When it was a corner store.

2010.