St. Lawrence Antique Market

 Another thoughtful display.

A Johnny Toymaker set from Topper Toys.

A vintage commercial can be seen here

Topper Toys also made the well known Johnny Seven.

As well as the Secret Sam...

Let's not forget Johnny Speed.

Cherry and Front/Then and Now

 The old Canary Restaurant and School on Cherry Street (formerly Palace Street)

More on the history of this building here.

 It doesn't look much different now but it will!

An old house on the opposite side of the street circa 1983. It's hard to imagine that not only was this once a residential neighbourhood but that it was also the centre of the town. The Parliament buildings were a block away and Gooderham and Worts a major employer.

B&W photos by Cummins

Fraser Street/Then and Now

 Fraser Street looking north in 1986 before the gentrification of Liberty Village.

2010.

This is the alley where "The Fly" was shot.

B&W photos by Patrick Cummins.

Fly Alley as seen from the front, 2010.

Queen West/Then and Now

 The entrance to a very nice Art Deco Vitrolite storefront on Queen West as seen in the early 1980's by Patrick Cummins. I used to but Christmas trees here.

A current view. Although the original facade has been obliterated, it's spirit lives on withe the un-molested facade of the Swan restaurant next door.

Simcoe and Richmond/Then and Now

 Another of the City's long forgotten diners, the Simcoe Grill.
The N/W corner of Simcoe and Nelson Street.

Sorry, no arugula with a raspberry drizzle here....

Photo by Patrick Cummins circa 1983.

2010.

Bathurst and Stewart Street/Then and Now

 Thank you again to Patrick Cummins for taking the time to document the changing face of the city. 

Stewart Street as seen in 1983 with the the Executive Motor Hotel in the background. Downtown was a lot rougher back then....

 A scrap yard.

 A stitch up.

A view from 2010. The Executive was demolished last year and new condos are going up in it's place.

The Executive in better days.

Queen and Elmgrove/Then and Now

Queen and Elmgrove looking west along Queen in the fall of 1916. The building on the right with the awning (1372 Queen) still stands and is seen below. I've never noticed the bull and ram's heads at the top before. The 1903 City Directory has the store listed as William Small, Butcher. By 1921 it was listed as a grocery Store.

1903 Directory.

 1921

1372 Queen Street West.

More More More Bikes

 A vintage BMW.

 Honda CB200T.

 A 1968 BSA Lightning.

A Honda Rat Bike.

Even More Cool Bikes Around Town

 A nice mid 50's BSA thumper (single cyclinder) parked on Camden Street last week.

Also, a late 70's Honda 550 Four.

1936 Chevrolet Assembly Line

Nothing to do with Toronto but a stylish and interesting film.

Bloor and Glendonwynne/Then and Now

 The N/W corner in 1958 when it was an Imperial gas station.

Now it serves a different kind of fuel...

Queen and Carlaw/Then and Now

 940 Queen Street East in the early 1980's. A nice selection of hand painted signs.

There's a good chance that these were painted by a man named George who was also a life model at O.C.A. His work was a mainstay on Queen West throughout the 70's and 80's. Painted restaurant windows were his forte.

2010.

Front and Church/Then and Now

 A very early shot of the "Coffin Block".

2010.

And somewhere in between.

Richmond Street/Then and Now

 The changing face of these two storefronts as documented by Patrick Cummins since 1983.

Today only the building's ghost remains on the side of the Victorian town house.

Ossington/ Then and Now

 Ossington as seen by Patrick Cummins in the mid 1980's way before this strip was hip.

2010.