Parliament /Then and Now

 Another selection of photos by Patrick Cummins. The east side of Parliament south of Gerrard in the early 1980's. These buildings were demolished shortly afterwards.

 The Parliament Cinema, formerly the Gay Theatre.

 The Parliament in it's final days.

When the sign was removed this sign was revealed.
The original name of the theatre was the Bluebell

Today.

Old Spadina

The top two photos are by Patrick Cummins taken in the early 1980's.

Sammy Taft with Cab Calloway.

Bob Hope and Louis Armstrong below.

Note the Shopowitz (Shopsy's) in the background.

Queen West/Then and Now

 481 Queen Street West in the early 1980's way before this strip was in any way hip or trendy. Photo by Patrick Cummins.

 Patrick re-visited the same site years later and the old wood framed store was still standing with new tenants.

2010.

King and John/Then and Now

 The S/W corner of King and John as captured by Patrick Cummins in 1979.

Farb's Car Wash was on the opposite corner.

Again in 2010. For awhile in the 1980's the building that the second cup is in was quite abandoned. Jolly Tambourine Man shot their music video in there featuring Jerry Spew....

I Thought it Came in a Can.

The Half and Half House

Portland and Niagara/Then and Now

 What appears to be the S/W corner of Portland and Niagara in 1913.

2010.

Niagara Street follows the serpentine path of the old Garrison Creek and is named after the foot path that ran beside the creek as the soldiers marched towards Niagara.

Custom Honda Rukus'

 A selection of customized Honda Ruckus' on Queen Street last weekend.

Cool Bike For Sale

A late 60's Honda 160 done up as a cafe racer.

Currently offered on Kijiji.

Lakeshore and Parklawn/Then and Now

This is the south side Lakeshore just west of Parklawn in the late 1970's.

It's a frame grab from the New Avengers. Several episodes were filmed here in 1977.The Pickin' Chicken Bar-B-Que.

Barbeque is a French word meaning head to tail (beard to tail)

This condo development replaced the Pickin' Chicken.

Looking east towards Parklawn, you can see how undeveloped this stretch was.

A Star delivery van in front of the Polish Alliance.

A current view with the Alliance in the BG.

Steed and Purdy, 1977.

2010.

Thanks to Mark Moore for the heads up on this post.

For a complete story click here.http://www.blogto.com/city/2012/08/that_time_the_avengers_came_to_toronto/

 As shot by Patrick Cummins in 1983.

Another Pickin' Chicken on Queen just east of Roncesvalles in the early 1970's
Photo by lindsaybridge

Man Angry Over Movie Concession Prices

Abandoned Gas Station on Highway 7

Old Highway 7 is Ontario's Route 66.

Naked Bike Ride

A naked man riding a rented Bixi bike in the Toronto Naked Bike Ride through Kensington a few weeks ago. I hope he wiped down the seat...

Bar Six/What Happened?

 What ever happened to Cadbury's Bar Six?

Queen and Sorauren 1958

Looking west on Queen across Sorauren in 1958. This is a frame grab from a super 8 film that was shot. The full version can be found here and is worth watching. 

Toronto Vintage Bicycle Show This Sunday

Response to the show has been very positive and we're expecting a good turn out.Come on down this Sunday, July 29th from 12:00 noon - 6:00pm. Bring your vintage bike.

buy a vintage bike or just have a look around.

Hope to see you there.