An early view of College Street looking east from Bathurst with the College fire tower in the distance, The purpose of the tower is twofold. To have a high vantage point to see potential trouble and also to dry the original leather and later, linen fire hoses after use.
2010 and the Fire Station is still here, or is it?
Station No. 8 plans.Station No 8, built in 1878 at the south-west corner of College St. and Bellevue Ave., was severely damaged by fire in May 1972 while undergoing renovations. It was fully re-built in 1973-1974, and added to the Toronto Heritage Properties Inventory in 1976.
Thanks to Ric McGinnis for the heads up.
See his comment below.
Another early hand tinted postcard from the Chuckman Collection.
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The tower - indeed the whole station - are also a counterfeit. The station and its tower burned down, I think, in the '70s, and were re-built as a perfect replica (on the outside). Up close it's easy to see that the brick is fairly new. Even today, it would be an unusually heritage-oriented gesture by the city; in the '70s, it would have been unprecedented.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the input.
ReplyDeleteI also remember a large Public Works Depot just to the west that's been replaced by Community Housing.