Most of the land south of here bordered by Annette to Bloor and Dundas to Keele was a swamp and was eventually drained to build houses. In fact the N/W corner of Keele and Bloor was the City dump up until 1910 or so.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
The Incredible Leaning House on Annette
Most of the land south of here bordered by Annette to Bloor and Dundas to Keele was a swamp and was eventually drained to build houses. In fact the N/W corner of Keele and Bloor was the City dump up until 1910 or so.
Toronto, People City.
Tommy Ambrose.One of Canada's most versatile popular singers and songwriters, Tommy Ambrose starred in his own half-hour show of music, variety, dance, and comedy. Produced by Stan Harris (196l-62) and Bill Davis (1962-63), and written by Stan Jacobson and Bernie Rothman, in addition to Ambrose and his guests the program featured an eight voice chorus, under the direction of Gordon Kushner, and a twenty-five piece orchestra conducted by Lucio Agostini, with arrangements by Rick Wilkins. Choreography for the show was by Glen Gibson.
During the summer of 1962, the network presented a dozen repeats from the previous season, under the title, The Best Of Tommy Ambrose.
Here's his sign off for Global TV.
A clip from his CBC show from 1962.
King and Queen/Then and Now
Looking east across the intersection of King, Queen and River in 1910 or so before the bridge was built. The building(s) outlined is shown in detail below and was demolished to accommodate the construction of the new interchange.
After.
There are more photos of this block here.
A somewhat current view even though the angle is wrong.Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Honest Ed's and Markham Street/Then
Honest Ed's in the late 1960's when he had the revolving "beach Balls". I actually worked here for a short time after school in the late 1970's....
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Harbord Street Bridge/Then and Now



More Yonge Street in the 1960's and 1970's
the Biltmore Theatre looking south to the Brown Derby at Dundas.
A postcard from United De Forest Cleaners seen in the previous photo, courtesy of the Chuckman Collection.Monday, May 2, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Crawford Street Bridge/Then and Now
Crawford Street just south of Dundas Street. What appears to be a road is actually the roadbed of a buried bridge. A 2008 Heritage Toronto plaque reveals the history.
Crawford Street passes through Trinity Bellwoods Park over a graceful triple-span concrete bridge which still exists, but is now buried beneath the street. The bridge once crossed a ravine carved by Garrison Creek as it flowed from north of St. Clair Avenue into Lake Ontario near Fort York. Crawford Street was first extended over the ravine on a wooden bridge in 1884.
The original bridge looking south from Dundas in 1912.
In 1914 and 1915, R.C. Harris, Commissioner of Works, had the old bridge replaced with one made of concrete. (A visionary, Harris was responsible for the Bloor Street Viaduct, 1918.) The bridge's spans, railings, and lampposts captured Harris's flair for dramatic public architecture. Both Garrison Creek and the Crawford Street Bridge now lie hidden beneath this park.
The new bridge under construction in 1914.
By the 1880s, the creek was so polluted that it was gradually channelled underground into a brick sewer, built through here in 1885. Portions of the ravine were then filled in, here with earth from subway excavation in the 1960s. The bridge was buried up to its sidewalks and roadbed, and its railing and lampposts were removed. In 2004, the original sidewalks and roadbed were entirely rebuilt, but the remainder of the bridge rests intact beneath the surface.
Looking north towards Dundas in 1919, there was some trouble with the roadbed heaving.
Another shot looking towards Dundas in 1919.










































