So, I don’t know if shots from 2014 qualify for inclusion in my so-called series From The Vaults (i.e. old shots of Toronto). I found these the other day while browsing and thought I’d post them as they are a bit of a blast from the past, so to speak.
Some of the shots are slightly “arty”; I was experimenting at the time with capturing urban life using a slow shutter speed, hence the intentional motion blur.
The Bay at Queen and Yonge
The original Bay store at Yonge and Queen Streets only partially exists since Saks Fifth Avenue took over the entire east half of the building in 2016. These shots are prior to the merge and remodel of the building.
The Bay’s southeast entrance on to Yonge Street. This entrance is long gone; in its place is a trendoid coffee bar/resto, which is part of Saks Fifth Avenue.Pay phones!!?? Remember those? In the lobby of The Bay’s southeast entrance.The Bay sales floor, ground levelRiding The Bay’s escalatorsMore people moversGround level sales floor, Women’s jewellery (note Ivanka Trump’s jewellery line, far right – that dates it!)
In The Old Queen Street Bridge
I shot these while crossing over from The Bay to the Eaton Centre in the old pedestrian bridge spanning Queen Street West. This bridge has long disappeared and been replaced with a new one (check out my Eaton Centre bridge post here).
Above Queen Street during a rainstormThe old Eaton Centre pedestrian bridge
Inside the Eaton Centre
Another busy Saturday afternoon in the Eaton Centre
I discovered these on King Street East a couple of weeks ago while walking over to Sumach Street to photograph the Cube House (if you’d like to read that post you’ll find it here).
Above these supports lie the Richmond and Adelaide Street East overpasses:
Not underpass art per se, but very cute nonetheless
Located at the busy intersection of Yonge and Queen Streets, the Toronto Eaton Centre Bridge is a dramatic public landmark that replaces the previous pedestrian bridge, which was completed in 1978. The bridge spans Queen Street West and links the Toronto Eaton Centre with The Bay/Saks Fifth Avenue on the south side of Queen Street West.
The design challenge involved carefully merging the contrasting buildings the bridge links – on one side the historic 1896 sandstone Hudson’s Bay/Saks Fifth Avenue (formerly Simpsons – anyone remember that?) with Romanesque revival features, and on the other, the contemporary glass and steel forms of the 1977 Toronto Eaton Centre.
From the architect’s website:
The new bridge was designed as a beautiful, sustainable addition to Toronto’s streetscape and pedestrian infrastructure. Conceptualized as a metaphorical handshake between these two seemingly opposing architectural styles, the geometry of the bridge transitions from the circular arches found on the historic Hudson Bay facade into the rectangular forms of the Eaton Centre. In addition to its steel, bronze and glass appearance echoing the materials and iconography of the historic buildings it links, the Bridge maintains the original ethos of the Eaton Centre in its honest use of simple materials. In total, the structure is comprised of 190 patinated bronze panels and 210 double, curved glass panels, each unique in shape and curvature. The Bridge has transformed the link between the historic buildings it sits aside. It enhances, rather than overshadows, the architectural features of each building.
In order to minimize disruption to the busy intersection of Yonge and Queen Streets, the bridge’s main structural components were assembled on nearby James Street and moved into place in one piece. I took these shots on May 28, 2017 while the bridge was still very much a work in progress on James Street:
Moving the 218 metric tonne bridge in place required a highly specialized hydraulic lift system given the minimal clearances on both the Eaton Centre and Hudson’s Bay sides. The entire process took several hours in the early morning hours on a weekend, shutting down this section of Queen Street. The remainder of work was done in place allowing the street to remain operable.
After The Move
The new bridge opened in late 2017. I took these shots of the completed pedestrian bridge on April 10, 2021:
Located at 524 Front Street West over the busiest railway corridor in Canada, the Puente de Luz is a sculptural pedestrian bridge and the largest public art installation in Canada. The name Puente de Luz, or Bridge of Light, was chosen to signify the link between North and South and the connection between the two countries that came together to build it – Canada and Chile.
The Puente de Luz was designed by Chilean sculptor Francisco Gazitua with structural engineer Peter Sheffield. Located in the Concord CityPlace neighbourhood, the bridge carries pedestrians and cyclists from the western portion of CityPlace to Front Street West just between Spadina and Bathurst.
The $8 Million bridge was completed in 2011. It was built as required by the City of Toronto for developer Concord Adex to create inter-connectivity with surrounding neighbourhoods.
Entrance on Front Street WestBridge exit on to Iceboat Terrace
This is such a lovely part of the city. I love how they fixed up that square and the fountain…