October 2025 – TO Cityscapes

The latest Toronto structure succumbing to the wrecking ball are the A, B and C wings of the Michael Garron Hospital (formerly known as Toronto East General). Located at 825 Coxwell Avenue, corner of Coxwell and Mortimer Avenues, these old brick wings along Coxwell Avenue were officially closed back in March of this year in preparation for this demolition.

As intensely as I loathe East York, though, I am still very sorry to see this beautiful structure demolished; I couldn’t believe it when I first heard this was happening:

As I understand it, in addition to being an outdated medical facility, one of the factors in the building’s demise was its architecture. Built In 1951 the building was anachronistically constructed in the Art Deco and Streamline Moderne styles. Due to its mismatched style and period, it was not deemed worthy of preservation under the Ontario Heritage Act.

Working across from Michael Garron Hospital for many years I would go into the hospital several times a week for a Tim Hortons run or lunch at the Hospital’s cafeteria (my stomach still churns at the memory all these years later). I remember thinking at the time how incredibly dated, drab and dingy the lobby and interiors were. I’ve heard the state of the medical facilities there were not far behind that of the decor.

The Ken and Marilyn Thomson Patient Care Centre

The Hospital is all about moving forward, though. In 2023 a huge, ultra-modern and beautiful new MGH patient centre was opened on the northeast corner of Coxwell Avenue and Sammon Avenue. Previously nothing more than an empty grassy knoll, the Ken and Marilyn Thomson Patient Care Centre is now in full operation. The new 8-storey facility is fully wheelchair-accessible, and includes ambulatory care clinics, in-patient beds and family space, in addition to four levels of underground parking:

The Centre is so-named after a $5 million gift from Ken and Marilyn’s son Peter Thomson. The Thomson family was named as the richest family in Canada by Canadian Business magazine in 2018.

The Ken and Marilyn Thomson Patient Care Centre in background, right.

Future Plans

The opening of the new Ken and Marilyn Thomson Patient Care Centre and the demolition of the old Coxwell-facing wing is part of a long-term plan to modernize, revitalize and expand the Michael Garron Hospital complex. According to MGH, the teardown of “several outdated wings” will continue into 2026.

The rear of the Coxwell wing currently under demolition

Apparently, after demolition MGH intends to preserve the stained-glass memorial windows and plaques which were in the original Coxwell lobby. Also, the hospital states that the demolished wings will be replaced with a new Coxwell Avenue entrance and future green space. It will be a welcome change for the better!

I’ve always loved walking down the short stretch of Glen Road from Howard Street to the Glen Road footbridge. To me it has always exuded a quasi New York feeling with its walk-up apartment buildings and Victorian houses, capped off by “Howard Village” at the south end of Glen Road:

Things here, though, weren’t always so pretty. Years ago, this stretch of Glen Road was an abandoned, decayed mess, as these shots from the 1980s demonstrate:

I remember walking down this decayed part of Glen Road many years ago, when it was at its worst, and thinking how great it would look if the whole street were restored. Well, that did actually happen – from 2005 to 2016 this section of Glen Road was restored, and now is quite beautiful.

I knew that Glen Road continued on to Rosedale the other side of the footbridge, but I didn’t know how far north of there the street actually extended. I set out to shoot Glen Road, thinking it was a small street and wouldn’t take much time to cover. As I followed it I discovered it just kept going and going, twisting and turning through Rosedale, onward north well past Summerhill Avenue, then finally ending where it encounters the Don Valley Brickworks Park. The length of this street amazed me… who knew?

I started my photowalk on the south end of Glen Road, where it begins at Howard Street. Howard Street, by the way, is currently undergoing a massive condo boom and some much-needed gentrification, but that’s another post for another day.

Number 1 and 7 Glen Road

Number 1 and number 7 Glen Road are known historically as The Roslyn Apartments. They were built in two phases, with 1 Glen Road completed in 1912 and 7 Glen Road completed in 1911. The apartment buildings were designed by architect J.A. Harvey.

These two buildings complement each other but are not identical in design. Featuring red brick cladding with brick, stone and wood detailing, both buildings are three stories in height above raised bases with window openings. The rooflines are marked with extended eaves and parapets.

Number 6 and 8 Glen Road

These Glen Road houses were in place by September 1884 according to the tax assessment rolls. The occupants in 1885 included merchants, an estate agent, and the owner of a livery stable. The properties were listed on the City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties in 1974, along with the other remaining buildings along this short stretch of Glen Road:

Number 10 and 12 Glen Road

These two Glen Road Houses were also in place by September 1884. The Glen Road buildings in this stretch are examples of late 19th century houses with patterned brickwork. This style of house was once prominent on Sherbourne Street and in the adjoining neighbourhood:

Looking south from the Sherbourne TTC subway entrance on Glen Road. Howard Street is at the top of the block.

The Sherbourne Subway Entrance & Glen Road Pedestrian Tunnel

The left slider is a shot from February 2023. Note that the pedestrian tunnel was completely sealed off at that time. The slider on the right is the same area, September 2025.

Here are some shots I took of the footbridge area in 2021. I much prefer the current version!:

Current Rejuvenated Tunnel and Footbridge

Tunnel entrance outside Sherbourne TTC subway station

The City’s Economic Development & Culture division carried out a public art competition in the summer of 2019 and Inuit artist Couzyn Van Heuvelen’s proposal was selected. Metal bird silhouettes on the outer tunnel walls continue the shapes and colours used in Inuit printmaking.

In The Tunnel

Inuit artist Couzyn Van Heuvelen designed the birds and animals in the Glen Road Tunnel. The project is centred around the theme of migration and travel, and references Inuit stonecut printmaking techniques and stone carving:

The New Glen Road Pedestrian Bridge

The City of Toronto has replaced the Glen Road Pedestrian Bridge (aka the Morley Callaghan Footbridge) across the Rosedale Valley Ravine. The new bridge debuted on May 30, 2025.

The design retains the core visual character of the original bridge while enhancing the above-deck user experience and safety with innovative V-shaped barriers, stainless steel webnet, and LED lighting. The bridge and tunnel have been widened to increase openness and sightlines:

Glen Road, after crossing the footbridge and entering Rosedale

Rosedale… How the Other Half Live

It was fascinating just wandering up Glen Road, observing the elaborate houses and mansions. There’s a little piece of history in so many of the houses there:

54 Glen Road
Built in 1902, designed by Architect Frederick H. Herbert

51 Glen Road
This house was built in 1903. It was the home of Ambrose Small, the hated and envied owner of theatres across the province. He disappeared in 1919 along with $10-million from his bank account. He has never been found.

55 Glen Road
Built in 1901 in the style of Second Classical Revival, with a full-height Ionic-columned entry porch.

57 Glen Road
Constructed in 1911, designed by the Designing and Drafting Company consisting of D.C. Cotton and H.G. Macklin. The house is a neat, symmetrical red-brick neo-Georgian with Craftsman porch, eaves, and dormers.

97 Glen Road
Second Classical Revival houses with full-height Mount Vernon porches were very popular during the first half of the 20th century. This house was built in 1901 by the architects Chadwick & Beckett. This beauty is currently up for sale with Harvey Kalles Real Estate Ltd. for a paltry $8,900,000.00.

105 Glen Road – “Ravine House”

Built in 2002 by architects Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg. One of the few houses in Rosedale to show modernity on its face as well as its landscaping. The house is surrounded by the fence’s dark teak slats, broad-brush expanses of groundcover, and grass facing Glen Road.