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As I understand it, in addition to being an outdated medical facility, one of the factors in the building’s demise was its architecture.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 According to MGH, the teardown of “several outdated wings” will continue into 2026.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:
Photo: glenroadvillage.com
Photo: glenroadvillage.com
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 1 Glen RoadNumber 7 Glen Road
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 6 and 8 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!:
May 2021May 2021May 2021
Current Rejuvenated Tunnel and Footbridge
Tunnel entrance outside Sherbourne TTC subway stationThe 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:
Closeup of the new bridge’s materials
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. Herbert51 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.
The Glen Road bridge passes over Yellow Creek and the Park Drive Reservation TrailView from atop the Glen Road Bridge, looking east108 Glen Road Built in 1920, designed by Architect William B. Galbraith. The house was reconstructed in 2006.110 Glen Road Built in 1932111 Glen Road This house was constructed in 1909 in the Tudor Revival style. It is a 6 bedroom, 7 bathroom house with 4 parking spots on a 68 x 109.17 foot lot. The house recently sold for $5,580,000.00.134 Glen Road Known as the Charles Davies House. This stone-veneered house was built in 1910 to plans by Curry and Spalding, architects for Charles Davies. With its novel rounded tower, it manages to look modern yet traditional, taking cues from the English Cottage style.136 Glen Road Known as the Burton House, built in 1928 and rendered by architect Douglas Kertland in the English Cottage style. Its rambling nature suggests a crofter’s cottage from Shakespeare’s day, especially with its regular arrangement of gables and windows, the mix of building materials, the steep roof and the plethora of primitive-style detailing inspired by medieval times.Rosedale United Church 159 Roxborough Drive, corner of Glen Road. Rosedale United Church opened in 1914 as Northern Congregational Church. The building was completed in 1913 in the Gothic Revival style by architect John Gemmell. In 1925, when the Congregational Church merged with the Methodist Church of Canada and two-thirds of the Presbyterian Church in Canada to form the United Church of Canada, the church was renamed Rosedale United Church. In 2014, singer Gordon Lightfoot was married to Kim Hasse, his third wife, in the church.170 Glen Road This is a Heritage property, built in 1913The unspectacular north end of Glen Road, beside the railway tracksSecurity Overkill in Rosedale? This owner has installed a bollard behind the SUV in their drivewayCute house at 205 Glen RoadGoing back across the footbridge to the south end of Glen RoadCondos on Sherbourne Street, seen from the Glen Road footbridgeNew condos at Bloor Street East & Parliament Street, seen while crossing the Glen Road footbridgeReturning to the south end of Glen Road
There’s nothing quite so rewarding in street photography as setting out for the day, having no destination in mind; you merely wind through the city with your camera wherever your feet take you, recording the city as it goes about its daily business.
I love shooting in black and white – it makes everything so much more interesting, moody, dramatic and contemplative. Here are some black and white shots from one such session:
“Sons of England War Memorial”. On University Avenue at Elm Street. The Sons of England War Memorial is comprised of a bronze statue of a lone soldier atop a granite pedestal which is flanked by three lions. It was erected by members of the Toronto Districts Sons of England Benefit Society in memory of those who fell in the First World War. The memorial was created by sculptor Charles Adamson and dedicated in December 1923 at University and College Avenues and moved to University Avenue at Elm Street some time later.
These 3 girls were taking a new mattress home, walking it up Bay Street, between Gerrard Street West and College StreetSri Lankan demonstration, Yonge-Dundas SquareHangin’ out on Yonge Street, below Gerrard StreetThe Zanzibar, 359 Yonge Street. Where else in town would you find 5 topless, bottomless vixens?The McGill Street Arch. This is an historic stone arch on the east side of Yonge Street near College Park. It served as a gateway to the former McGill Street. It was salvaged from the demolished St. Andrew’s United Church (originally built in 1923 at Bloor Street East and Park Road) and rebuilt by the city in 1981 after the intersection of McGill and Yonge was closed to create a pedestrian parkette.Waiting for a green light, corner of Dundas Street East and Victoria StreetFood truck in Yonge-Dundas SquarePerformance at WorldFest, Yonge-Dundas SquareThe Senator Restaurant, 249 Victoria Street. The Senator is a Toronto tradition, a 1940s-style diner with jazz-inspired decor, offering breakfast and classic comfort-food dishes.Derelict Buildings. Elm Street, off Bay StreetUrban Artwork. On the hoarding around the Bond Place Hotel, Bond StreetThe Massey Tower, 197 Yonge Street“Born To Rise”. Mural in laneway off Mutual Street, just south of Dundas Street East. A Jasnine design.The morning sun gleams off The Aura, Yonge and GerrardAnother Jasnine creation. In lane behind 368 Church Street, north of Gerrard Street EastCondos at Jarvis Street and Dundas Street EastUnder construction. New condos, corner of Church Street and Queen Street EastMonoliths. Church Street and Shuter StreetJarvis and Shuter StreetsLamp. Adelaide Street EastThe King Edward Hotel, 37 King Street EastBiergarten, off King Street EastAt Yonge Street and Wellington StreetsThe delicate arches of Brookfield Place“Jacob’s Ladder” by Toronto artist Luis Jacob, Berczy Park“Family Group” by Almuth Lutkenhaus, Berczy Park. This sculpture has been moved from the west side of Berczy Park to the east side near the Flatiron building.Rugs For Sale, Front Street East
If I had to assign Toronto apartment buildings a theme song, it would be Queen’s Another One Bites the Dust.
For decades I’ve passed by 88 Isabella Street, a 14-story rental building borne from 1960s architecture. It has always been tidy-looking, well kept and kind of dignified. Built in 1965, 88 Isabella – also known as The Villager – typified a mid-century residential apartment building in the Church-Wellesley neighbourhood. At one point, I remember there being a sign on the building saying Furnished Apartments For Rent. Now – sadly – it is falling victim to another condo mega-tower, this one a 62-story behemoth, consisting of 720 condo units.
The condo developer, Capital Developments, claims they will provide 82 rental units in the new building to replace existing units from the original building. Allegedly, the building proposal includes a Tenant Relocation and Assistance Plan that addresses the right for existing tenants to return to a replacement rental dwelling unit at similar rent and financial compensation to mitigate hardship. I’ll believe that when I see it.
Many former tenants forced from their homes, and people from the neighbouring housing co-op, are registering protest, opposition and argument, as well they should. Researching this post, I’ve been reading about the plights of some “renovicted” tenants of 88 Isabella Street, and my heart goes out to them.
The proposed future look of 88 Isabella Street
I was incredulous when I heard this beautiful older building had been emptied of tenants and demolition work begun. It saddens me greatly to see Isabella Street slowly going the way of nearby Charles Street. Until a few years ago, Charles Street was a quiet, leafy, dignified street with a few older brownstones and walk-up apartments. Now, a walk down Charles Street feels like you’re carving your way through the valley of the super-high rises – it is noisy, overcrowded, packed with people, clogged with cars and devoid of its former character. I fear Isabella Street is heading for the same fate.
This latest travesty also pains me because I used to live on Isabella Street during its heyday, and remember it as a wonderful, calm street on which to live. It’s sad to see Isabella Street now devolving, but I guess that’s urban progress for you (harummffff!!).
Meanwhile, across the street…
Directly across the street from 88 Isabella Street is 81-83 Isabella Street, two joined, beautiful walkup-style apartment buildings, known as The Merlan:
Unbelievably, these two charming buildings are also destined for demolition, being replaced by a 69-storey condo tower.
The Merlan is a three-storey, U-shaped Edwardian Revival apartment constructed in 1927, containing 48 rental units in one-bedroom configurations. Designed by architect Norman Alexander Armstrong, The Merlan stands as an example of Toronto’s second apartment building boom. The Edwardian Revival structure originally offered 49 units across its distinctive U-shaped layout, with twin entrances anchoring each wing. Recognized for its heritage value, the building was added to the City’s Heritage Register in December, 2024.
The heritage facade of The Merlan would be integrated into the new build, according to a planning report that went to the City in early June. The new design features a two-to-three-storey base reconstructing The Merlan’s heritage facades along Isabella Street. The new condo will be topped by a ten-storey podium and a stepped tower volume.
The project proposes 647 residential units, including 48 replacement rental suites replicating the one-bedroom format of the existing apartments.
But wait, it gets worse…
In November 2023 Capital Developments received approval for a 69-storey building at 90-94 Isabella Street. Additionally, 135 Isabella is slated for a 69-storey tower, which the developer KingSett Capital proposed in June 2023.
Isabella Street is going to be a very different street within the next few years…
The Water’s Edge Promenade stretches from Sugar Beach near the foot of Jarvis Street, past Sherbourne Common, ending at the foot of Parliament Street – for now. There are future plans to keep extending Water’s Edge Promenade further along the eastern waterfront.
On the way to Water’s Edge Promenade: Passing the Redpath Sugar Factory at 95 Queen’s Quay East
Sugar Beach, at the western end of the Water’s Edge Promenade
The Water’s Edge Promenade was a Waterfront Toronto initiative, envisioned by West 8 (an award-winning international office for urban design and landscape architecture) and DTAH (a landscape architecture and urban design company) as the “Green Foot” of the city at the edge of Lake Ontario.
Silva cells provide adequate soil volume for healthy tree growth of the double row of fall colouring maple cultivars, and rainwater is captured to water the trees as a passive irrigation system. The trees were selected a year ahead of planting, and were hand-picked individually at various local nurseries, as a cautionary measure due to the high profile nature of the project, and the significant quantity of trees required for the area (including for the adjacent Sugar Beach).
The granite cobblestone “maple leaf” promenade was constructed with skilled Irish stonemasons who were brought over to teach local contractors this special technique. The project is also part of the East Bayfront District’s comprehensive stormwater management plan, which includes a future wood boardwalk over a forebay system to treat stormwater runoff as part of the ‘treatment train’ approach employed.1
Condos… lots of ’em
Almost as noticeable as Lake Ontario are the condo developments on, and near, the Water’s Edge Promenade:
Looking north from Water’s Edge Promenade: a sea of construction cranes
I must say that the most striking building I observed on this walk was the Aqualuna Condos, located at 155 Merchants’ Wharf. This building was absolutely stunning and I was fascinated by its colour, form and architecture. Its opulent design was created by Danish architects 3XN, and apparently the building features first class amenities. I shudder to think what a unit here would cost.
The Water’s Edge Promenade is considered one of Canada’s Best Landscape Architecture Projects. It’s so nice to see our long-neglected waterfront coming to life and becoming a welcoming destination within the city.
Watching a suggested video on YouTube a few days ago reminded me of a fascinating urban relic in Toronto: the Hearn Generating Station:
Photo: City of Toronto
The Hearn Generating Station (named after Richard Lankaster Hearn) is a vast decommissioned electrical generating station down in the docklands. The plant was originally fired by coal, but later converted to burn natural gas. Everything about the plant is on a massive scale and, according to sources, encompasses 650 thousand cubic metres of space. The plant opened in 1951 and closed in 1983.
The R. L. Hearn Generating Station was the site of Canada’s first 100 MW steam turbo-generator set. The station sits in what was once Ashbridge’s Bay, a shallow marsh that was filled in with rubble from downtown construction sites from 1911 to 1950s.
Located in the Toronto Docklands, the Hearn’s surrounding area has not been gentrified whatsoever. You would not know you are still within the boundaries of the City of Toronto; the location feels remote and desolate:
Industrial mess at its finestLooking back at the city
The Hearn Generating Station is located at 440 Unwin Avenue. Once reachable only by car or on foot, a TTC bus now has a route down Cherry Street which will take you to Unwin Avenue after passing over two of the dockland shipping channels. There are no sidewalks down Unwin Avenue, and it’s a long and dusty trek past industrial warehouses and landfill mess to get out to the Hearn.
Not the most uplifting neighbourhood…
Is this where old City Sightseeing buses go to die?Industrial mess at its finest
Approaching the Hearn
At any rate, my goal is now in sight:
The architecture and former use of the structure of the Hearn reminds of the Battersea Power Station in London, UK. The Battersea, though, has been restored and transformed into a very hip and modern venue with a mixture of over 150 shops, bars, restaurants, leisure and entertainment venues. The Battersea has thrived but the Hearn currently remains decayed and abandoned.
BlogTO recently called the Hearn Generating Station the most dangerous site in the City of Toronto… with good reason. The site is a favourite with urban explorers and photographers, and there has been more than one death of these intrepid people on the site:
Disclaimer: these are not my images
I was able to get these shots by sticking my camera lens through the fence (security is quite serious here, and the rolled barbed wire at the top proves a point). I was being closely watched by the Security there, but had no nefarious or illegal intent other than grabbing a few shots for the blog:
Denied!Taken through the steel webbing of the gates
Here is the excellent YouTube video which triggered my interest in the Hearn Generating Station:
A Rebirth… Sort of
On June 5, 2014, the building was partially cleaned up and used for the Toronto Luminato Festival Big Bang Bash, their 2nd annual fundraising gala. It also featured the Yves Saint Laurent Opening Night Party later that evening. In 2015 the building was used for UNSOUND hosted by Luminato Festival. In 2016 Luminato Festival used the building for its festival.
There is Hope for its Future, Though…
There are future plans, though, for this behemoth and the portlands area in general. According to the development site:
A massive redevelopment proposal is planned for the historic Richard L. Hearn Generating Station in Toronto’s Port Lands. Dubbed The Hearn District, the redevelopment would incorporate the shuttered power station into a multi-use district to be built over 30 acres by the Cortel Group. With the conceptual design for the masterplan by PARTISANS, SvN, and public realm design by CCxA, the proposal envisions thousands of residential units and extensive cultural and commercial spaces.
Click here to read the full details of this redevelopment proposal.
Let’s hope this comes to pass. It would be wonderful to see this amazing building and the desolate area of Toronto come alive.
In decades past, “the stockyards” at Keele Street and St. Clair Avenue West were just as the name implies: stock yards where cattle, sheep and pigs were slaughtered and sold for human consumption.
The property began as a 30-acre lot but eventually expanded to be nearly 200 acres. A fire in 1908 burnt down most of the timber structures; they were quickly replaced by concrete ones. As the stockyards expanded, more and more packing houses began popping up along St. Clair Avenue West. Famously, Maple Leaf Foods opened in the neighbourhood in 1927.
Given all the animals and meat-packaging companies, the area had a rather unpleasant smell, which only further reinforced Toronto’s “Hogtown” nickname (I’ve always wondered why Toronto is still sometimes referred to as Hogtown… now I know):
The Stockyards were called “Canada’s Greatest Livestock Market” Photo: BlogTO
In 1944, the Ontario government took ownership of the stockyards, renaming them the Ontario Public Stockyards and later the Ontario Stockyards. This site was one of the largest in all of North America:
The Canada Packers stockyards, located at the southwest corner of Keele Street and St. Clair Avenue, 1950. The Junction was home to a large manufacturing community for the first half of the 20th century. Photo: City of Toronto Archives
Redevelopment
In January 1994, the Ontario government closed the yards; demolitions were mostly complete by March. The horse exchange was demolished in December 1994. An administrative building, erected in 1904/05, was demolished in 1995. The last manager of the stockyards moved to the CNE in 1995.
The area was redeveloped and the current mall opened in March 2014. The Stock Yards Village mall is anchored by several major stores, including SportChek, Winners, and HomeSense. The mall formerly had a Target from March 2014 to April 2015. That space remained vacant from April 2015 to November 2017, when Nations Fresh Foods opened:
Corner of Keele Street and St. Clair Avenue WestCorner of Keele Street and St. Clair Avenue West
The architecture of the outdoor mall is rather odd: the small streets twist and wind around the shops, and the shops themselves are located on 3 different levels which can only be reached by going to the parking lots or the suspended pedestrian bridges. The site is part-pedestrian mall, part-vehicle throughway, and part-parking lot. Music blares from loudspeakers situated throughout the entire site, sidewalks are wide, and benches are scattered throughout the outdoor mall. Clearly, the architects were striving to achieve a “village feel” to the place:
Shot from one of the pedestrian walkways
Nations Fresh Foods
Nations Fresh Foods is an independently owned grocery store chain, founded in August 2012 in Woodbridge. According to the company, Nations are considered “a new, higher-end, banner store”. In total, the parent company owns 8 stores: 5 Nations Fresh Foods stores, 2 Oceans Fresh Foods Market stores, and 1 Grant’s Foodmart store, which is another affiliate chain. Two of the stores are located in Brampton, three in Mississauga, one in Vaughan, one in Hamilton, and one in Toronto.
Nations Fresh FoodsGoing up the escalator to Nations Fresh FoodsTornado-like sculpture outside Nations Fresh Foods
Nations Experience
A ride up the escalator will bring you to the Nations Experience, a vast, noisy and chaotic gaming spot/playground for kids:
Food Court
Nations Fresh Foods
And yes, there is actually a bona fide grocery store amidst the chaos:
Over the decades, the neighbourhood has almost completely transformed. Since the closing of the original stockyards the land has been redeveloped, mainly for big-box stores.
New townhouses down Weston Road, across from Stock Yards VillageNew townhomes lining Weston Road, opposite Stockyards Village
These days the Ontario Stockyards are found further north, in Cookstown.
The lone row home at 54 1/2 Saint Patrick Street dates back to Toronto’s slums in the late 19th century. Built somewhere between 1890 and 1893, this bay-and-gable relic from a bygone era once was one of six identical, structurally intertwined homes on what was then known as Dummer Street.
Time passed, the street names changed, and a particularly sharky land holdings company began buying up property throughout the neighbourhood in the middle of the 20th century. Eventually, the owners of the row houses caved, but not as a unit. Each half of the row houses’ wholes were torn down at an excruciatingly slow pace… until 54 1/2 remained the only one left.
This begs the question: how does half a building cleave away so cleanly only to leave the rest of it standing? Very carefully. In a miraculous feat performed with clumsy and powerful machinery, a demolition crew managed to tear down 54 1/2’s neighbour to the north with such precision as to not disturb any of the original facade on the building that was to remain. The white, exterior wall had once been a load-bearing wall hidden internally to divide the neighbours’ bedrooms and living rooms from each other. One slip with an excavator and the half-house would have come tumbling down.
By 1975, The Village by the Grange Housing Project opened just next to the Half House, giving it another odd appearance – a half of a house next to a full housing project. And that’s the way it has stayed for decades.
As of 2013, the house was reported to be privately owned and vacant. The current assessed value, according to city officials, is $648,000. As it begins to show signs of wear, its status as last bastion of the neighbourhood’s less pleasant days are beginning to show on its craggy, half-face. Then again, if any house has earned its character, it’s this one.
The sun was actually shining for more than three minutes last weekend, so I set out for another photowalk in the city. It had been a few years since I’d walked along Richmond Street East, so I thought I’d give that street a try with my trusty camera in tow.
Richmond Street East runs from Yonge Street to just east of Parliament Street, where it crosses the Don River and becomes known as Eastern Avenue. As you walk along Richmond Street East, you can tell its had a long history of hard labour and warehouses. In the 20th century, the area saw the rise of large-scale warehouses, factories, and office buildings, many of which replaced earlier low-rise structures.
These days Richmond Street East is definitely – and literally – on the rise: there are condo projects everywhere you look. The street is a vibrant part of Toronto’s downtown core, with a mix of commercial, residential, and entertainment spaces.
Walking from the start of the street at Yonge, and finishing at Parliament, here’s a bit of what I encountered:
The Confederation Life Building, a seven-floor Romanesque Revival office building, is a historic structure in Toronto. Completed in 1892, it was designated a historic property by the City of Toronto under the Ontario Heritage Act on November 26, 1975.Condos everywhere! Looking upwards from the corner of Richmond Street East and Yonge Street.This is currently a fully tenanted office building owned by the City of Toronto. In future it may be required for the Toronto Parking Authority.Toronto EMS Station #40, located at 58 Richmond Street EastThis is a housing co-op located at 60 Richmond Street East. It was designed by Teeple Architects and completed in March 2010. This 11-story, 85-unit mixed use building is among the first new housing co-ops to be built in Toronto in recent years. It won the Ontario Association of Architects Design Excellence Award (2010) and the Canadian Architect Award of Excellence (2007).Another Wild Wing location meets a sad end. Located at 107 Church Street, northeast corner of Richmond Street East and Church Street.Dwarfed and surrounded by highrise condos, McVeigh’s Irish Pub looks very out of place. The pub was founded in 1962.The Canadian Venture Building, 82 Richmond Street East. This company provides outfitted office spaces for daily, weekly, monthly or long-term occupancy.Mural in Green P parking lot #219, at 99 Richmond Street EastLots of colour on the Tangerine bikes, 99 Richmond Street EastThe George Street Diner, 129 George Street, northeast corner of George Street and Richmond Street East. Comfort food at a classic diner.At 121 George Street, Alterra’s Celeste Condominiums are currently under construction. That company recently collaborated with J. Hutton, a Toronto-based multimedia artist and musician, who has brought the construction hoarding to life. Inspired by vintage cinematography and live music, his mural “Ballet & Granite”, invites the viewer to appreciate the beauty of movement, the skill of the performers, and the ephemeral nature of artistic expression. It celebrates the universal language of dance and encourages viewers to reflect on the fleeting moments that make up the tapestry of life and art.354 Richmond Street East is the former home of the Downtown Ford Service Centre. It looks like it’s now slated for condo conversion.384 Richmond Street East. The City of Toronto has passed a by-law designating this building as being of cultural heritage value or interest. This is the site of a future, massive condo development. The upcoming project will retain facades from the buildings at 263-265 Queen Street East, 90 Ontario Street, 410 Richmond Street, and 384 Richmond Street. All of these buildings are listed on the City of Toronto’s Heritage Registry.The Turco-Persian Rug Co. at 354 Richmond Street East looks quite out of place amongst all the upcoming condos in the area.These painted curbs are a nice diversion from the somewhat dreary neighbourhood. The painted curbs, seen in several areas of downtown Toronto, are an initiative of the City of Toronto’s StreetARToronto program. The program aims to make streets more vibrant, animate the paths, and showcase the work of diverse Toronto Artists.The end of Richmond Street East. Beyond this Parliament Street intersection, the one-way Richmond Street East passes over the Don River and becomes Eastern Avenue.
Last weekend, while in the Bay-Bloor area, I suddenly had an idea to check on the state of the Cumberland Terrace mall. I knew it had fallen from grace lately, but I just wanted to see how far down it had gone – way down, as I found out.
For those not familiar, Cumberland Terrance is a two-story mall running from Bay Street to Yonge Street – a considerable distance. The lower level host(ed) a huge food court, and the street level contains shops and services (or what’s left of them…).
It was mid-day Saturday – peak time for people to be out and about, I should think. As I walked through the lower level food court area, it gave off a creepy vibe: there was no one around, other than a homeless person or two, and everything was shuttered. What little sound there was bounced off the barren walls and floors. I went up to the street level portion of the mall to see if it was in a similar state; it had fared a little better as it didn’t look quite as deserted as the lower level.
The Nicest Way From Yonge to Bay...
“The nicest way from Yonge to Bay” was Cumberland Terrace’s slogan when it opened on October 14, 1974:
Described in an ad as “three glass-enclosed levels of intriguing shops and restaurants,” it utilized fashionable hues of red and orange brick and flooring to enhance its landscaped interior. Initial tenants included a mix of chains (Black’s, Classic Book Shops, Dack’s Shoes, LCBO), and independent retailers with odd names like “Mr. Eat ’Em”.
Highlights of the opening on day one included a steam calliope playing at the northwest corner of Yonge and Bloor, and a display of classic cars sponsored by a cigarette maker. Within a month, DeBoer’s opened a two-floor furniture store. The mall’s location above a busy subway junction and across the street from a new parking lot seemed to bode well for its future.
Decline
The mall slowly decayed over the following decades, as its higher-end retailers moved elsewhere and its upper levels emptied. As the owners failed to upgrade the premises, Cumberland Terrace became an unofficial monument to 1970s shopping design. Despite providing a home for independent businesses, it was increasingly viewed as a blight on the increasingly aspirational neighbourhood streetscape. **
In Toronto, Cumberland Terrance is one of the last barely-altered examples of 1970s retail architecture. It never did bounce back after COVID wrecked havoc on the world; it’s a pity the mall has come to such a sad state.
Currently…
Like many, I remember how this mall was the place to shop and eat back in the day. Fast forwarding to today, here’s how the lower level looks:
The Future of Cumberland Terrace?
Apparently there have been many different development proposals over the years. The latest one can be found here.
Development proposal by KingSett Capital
We will just have to wait and see what becomes of the space.
Yes, it needed To go. I lived nearby and would pass this hospital many times over the years. Looking forward…