HISTORICAL WALKING TOUR OF Deer Park Joan C. Kinsella

Ye Merrie Circle, at Reservoir Park, c.1875

T~ Public Library Published with the assistance of Marathon Realty Company Limited, Building Group. ~THON ---

© Copyright 1996 Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data Toronto Public Library Board Kinsella. Joan c. (Joan Claire) 281 Front Street East, Historical walking tour of Deer Park Toronto, Includes bibliographical references. M5A412 ISBN 0-920601-26-X

Designed by: Derek Chung Tiam Fook 1. Deer Park (Toronto, OnL) - Guidebooks. 2. Walking - Ontario - Toronto - Guidebooks Printed and bound in by: 3. Historic Buildings - Ontario - Toronto - Guidebooks Hignell Printing Limited, Winnipeg, 4. Toronto (Ont.) - Buildings, structures, etc - Guidebooks. 5. Toronto (OnL) - Guidebooks. Cover Illustrations I. Toronto Public Ubrary Board. II. TItle. Rosehill Reservoir Park, 189-? FC3097.52.K56 1996 917.13'541 C96-9317476 Stereo by Underwood & Underwood, FI059.5.T68D45 1996 Published by Strohmeyer & Wyman MTL Tll753

St.Clair Avenue, looking east to Inglewood Drive, showing the new bridge under construction and the 1890 iron bridge, November 3, 1924 CTA Salmon 1924

Pictures - Codes AGO Art Gallery of Ontario AO Archives of Ontario CTA DPSA Deer Park School Archives JCK Joan C. Kinsella MTL Library NAC National Archives of Canada TPLA Toronto Public Library Archives TTCA Toronto Transit Commission Archives ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Woodlawn. Brother Michael O'Reilly, ES.C. and Brother Donald Morgan ES.C. of De La This is the fifth booklet in the Toronto Public Salle College "Oaklands" were most helpful library Board's series of historical walking in providing information. linda Scott, tours of Toronto neighbourhoods and also Archives, and Karen L. Tinsley, one of the Board's contributions to the Yonge Public Affairs, Imperial life, provided infor­ Street 1796 - 1996 bicentennial celebrations. mation on their head office buildings. Local history holds a fascination for those Richard Stromberg, Toronto Historical Board, who live in, are new to, or have nostalgia for made available the Board's files on local her­ a former neighbourhood. I am indebted to itage buildings. Lynda Moon, Northern the Toronto Public Library Board for fostering District library, Toronto Public Library, Alan an interest in and preserving this priceless Walker, Metropolitan Toronto library, history, through branch local history Glenda Williams, City of Toronto Archives, collections, and the publication of walking and Ken Wilson, United ChurchlVictoria tour booklets and local history handbooks. University Archives helped in locating infor­ My interest in local history was first mation. Carl W. Washer, president of awakened by Donald Jones' insightful articles Jackson-Lewis Company, also assisted in find· on "Historical Toronto", featured in the ing information on the United Church Toronto Star, and through his very popular House. and fascinating walking tours. Thanks also to Ray Corley for information Many sources were used in gathering on the railways and street railways, and for information, and for their assistance I would reading the manuscript and offering useful like to thank the staffs of the Archives of recommendations. I am also grateful to Lynn Ontario, City of Toronto Archives, City of Stanborough, Administrative Support Toronto Department of Public Works and the Toronto Public Library, for typing the manu­ Environment, Commemorative Services of script into the computer, and to Derek Ontario (Mount Pleasant Cemetery and St. Chung for the design of the booklet. I James' Cemetery), Metro Archives, appreciate the work of Simon Hristov, a Metropolitan Toronto Reference library cooperative education student from Western (Baldwin Room), Ontario Land Registry Technical School, Toronto, in collecting data. Office, Toronto Historical Board, and Toronto A special thanks to Marion Fowler, the noted Public library. The Deer Park Branch library author and a Deer Park resident, who led the local history collection was especially helpful. inaugural walk on Sunday, September 22, More information on Deer Park and the area 1996. may be found in my book, A Walking Tour of Acknowledgement and thanks is given to the Old Deer Park farm area (1984), and Marathon Realty Company limited for its Deer Park School: a centennial celebration support and generous donation which helped 1888 to 1988, by Conrad Heidenreich. to make this publication possible. (1988). I am deeply grateful to Barbara Myrvold, I am grateful to and thank all who so gen­ Toronto Public library, Local History erously shared research and information. Coordinator, for the help and guidance she Mitchell Cohen, Director of Planning and gave and for sharing with me, her vast Sales, Marathon Realty Company limited, knowledge and expertise. kindly provided a history of the old Station. Robert D. Mikel, Toronto Joan c. Kinsella, Historical Board, gave material on the Heath July 1996 family of Deer Park. Guy L. Saunders graciously shared the history of his home,

3 looking north from St.Clair Avenue, 1912

DEER PARK: AN OVERVIEW HISTORY Canada in 1791, he saw the need for a mil· itary and colonization road north from Lake Boundaries Ontario to Lake Simcoe and beyond, made imperative once the Town of York (Toronto) eer Park is a Toronto neighbourhood was established as the provincial capital in Dflanking Yonge Street from the 1793. The deputy provincial surveyor, tracks in the south Augustus Jones, began to survey the road on to the Belt Line Railway Bridge February 26, 1794. With the help of the sol· at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in the north. diers of the Queen's Rangers, the road was St. Clair Avenue between the Rosedale opened to Holland Landing in 1796. Ravine (Vale of Avoca) and the Nordheimer Simcoe called the road Yonge Street in Ravine is the main east·west artery.! honour of his friend, Sir George Yonge, then Traversing Deer Park is the Davenport the Secretary of State for War in the British Ridge, as the escarpment south of St. Clair Parliament. Generally, Yonge Street fol· Avenue is sometimes known. It was once lowed a straight north·south line, but occa· the steep shoreline of a much larger ancient sionally the road builders had to deviate its glacial lake, Lake Iroquois. This predecessor course around natural barriers, as historian of Lake Ontario was formed after the last ice Henry Scadding described in 1873: age began its northern recession thousands of years ago. The hill divides Deer Park in Just after Deer Park, to avoid a long two, the upper plain north of St. Clair and ravine which lay in the line of the the lower plain south of Summerhill direct route northward, the road Avenue. In earlier times, the grade of this swerved to the left and then steep hill, particularly around Summerhill, descended, passing over an embank· presented an obstacle to those who had tol ment. .. the apex of the long triangle climb it or drive on it with horse and (known as the Gore Lot) of no man's wagon. land that for a great while lay deso· late between the original and subse· Land surveys and building Yonge Street quent lines of Yonge Street. 2 When John Graves Simcoe was appointed During the surveying, lots were laid out the first lieutenant·governor of Upper on either side of Yonge Street, all rectangu·

4 lar and 200 acres each. In the Deer Park tion records by that name from 1802 until area, the lots on the west side of Yonge the mid·1850s. "A Plan of the Town of Street ran parallel to it from one concession Drummondville," an undated map at the road to the next. The Second Concession Registry Office, showed three north·south Road is now Bloor Street, the Third streets (King, Queen, and Old Yonge Street), Concession Road is St. Clair Avenue, and two east· west streets (William and John), the Fourth Concession Road is Eglinton and four of the 36 lots occupied. Avenue. Each lot had a frontage of one and The intersection of Yonge Street and the a quarter miles on Yonge Street and a quar· Third Concession Road began its commer· ter·mile on the concession road. It was the cial development in the 1830s with a feed opposite on the east side of Yonge Street. store operated by John Dew, a local entre· The lots followed the concession roads. The preneur. There were also a few market gar· frontage on Yonge Street was a quarter· mile dens and some industries. In 1836, Dew and ran east one and a quarter miles to a built a grist mill, a distillery and a saw mill road allowance, present·day Bayview in the ravine. He dammed the creek origi· Avenue. nating from a pure water spring south of the However it would be some time before present Mount Pleasant Cemetery, to create these lots were occupied, because of the a large mill pond and generate enough deplorable condition of Yonge Street. On water power to operate his mills. Dew sold June 10, 1801, one official reported, "that his whiskey to the hotels along Yonge Street from the Town of York to the three· mile at eight cents a quart. Michael Whitmore post [south of St. Clair Avenue], the road is also operated a sawmill in the area. cut, and that as yet the greater part of the Transportation along Yonge Street gradu­ said distance is not passable for any carriage ally improved, along with the condition of whatever on account of logs which lie in the the road. In 1828, stage coach service was street. "3 established between York and Holland Later Yonge Street was much improved Landing. Charles Thompson, the squire at through financial contributions from the Summer Hill, ran stage coaches on Yonge North West Company who decided to aban· Street in the 1830s and ' 40s. By 1839 don the River route from the Upper Yonge Street had been macadamized for 12 Lakes in favour of Yonge Street. Toronto his· miles from Toronto (so named and incorpo­ torian Henry Scadding recalled in 1873 that rated as a city in 1834), and tolls were near today's Rosehill Avenue, "at the top of established at various locations to help pay the hill, were formerly to be seen, as we for the improved road. have understood, the remains of a rude windlass or capstan, used in the hauling up Country estates and Deer Park community, of the North West Company's boats at this 1840·1880 point of the long portage from Lake Ontario to Lake Huron."4 In 1851, Deer Park was identified on Browne's map of York Township. The name was used for the forty-acre estate of the Early developments to 1839 Heath family, located at the northwest cor­ With the opening of Yonge Street, some ner of Yonge Street and the Third development began to slowly occur, espe· Concession Road. Deer wandered around cially at the crossroads. A small area on the the area, and were so tame that they could west side of Yonge Street, around present· be fed by guests at local hotels, one of the day Heath Street, Duggan Avenue, and first being in John Dew's old feed store at Oriole Road, was laid out as the northeast corner of Yonge and today's Drummondville, appearing in land transac· St. Clair. Michael O'Halloran operated it for

5 Seller's Hotel, Yonge Street, formerly Deer Park Hotel, southwest comer of StClair Avenue, September 13, 1911 a time, then in 1862 relocated to the south­ established country estates on the escarp­ west comer. He called his new, 12-room ment, in the area that became known as establishment the Deer Park Hotel. It was The Hill (and is still called that today). surrounded by fields for football, quoits and Henry Scadding included many in his tour horse racing. St. Michael's Cemetery was up Yonge Street, published in Toronto of established on the west side of Yonge, south Old in 1873. Both Oaklands (1860), John of the Third Concession Road in 1855, and Macdonald's reSidence, and Rathnelly soon St. Charles Separate School opened in (18S?), William McMaster's "palatial front. abode," were considered "modem resi­ By the 1870s, the residential population dences." had increased. The Deer Park Post Office Next up Yonge was Woodlawn (1840), opened on May 1, 1878 on the east side of built by William Hume Blake and then Yonge Street, just north of St. Clair, with owned by his law partner, Joseph Curran merchant William H. Swetman as first post­ Morrison. Summer Hill (c.1840), on the master. A few churches were established. opposite side of Yonge Street, had been Christ Church, Deer Park, an Anglican con­ started by Charles Thompson, and was then gregation, opened in 1870 in the gore lot on ~ the property of Larratt Smith. Scadding Yonge Street. Deer Park Presbyterian remarked, "Summer Hill, seen on the high­ Church built a frame church on the north rand far to the right and commanding a side of St. Clair, just west of Yonge, in 1880, noble view of the wide plain below, Jnclud­ replacing it with a bigger, brick building in ing Toronto with its spires and the lake view 1888. A few properties were bought for spe­ along the horizon." It was this vista that cialized uses. A City of Toronto water reser­ was a major attraction of the area, along voir and park, named Rosehill, was com­ with the healthy atmosphere of living on pleted in 1874. Mount Pleasant Cemetery higher ground and the convenience of the opened in 1876. Yonge Street location. By that time, several of Toronto's Mashquoteh ("the Ojibway for mead· wealthiest and most prominent families had ow"), on the north side of St. Clair, was "a

6 Dr. Meyers' Private Hospital for Nervous Diseases, Heath Street West, view from the east, 1897. colony transplanted from the neighbouring at Eglington (as it was then spelled). The Spadina, being the home of Mr. W. route was electrified in 1890. The Canadian Augustus Baldwin." Close by was Deer Pacific Railway opened the North Toronto Park, "the name given it when the property Station in 1884 west of Yonge Street on of Mrs. Heath." A part of this property Marlborough Avenue. It became a busy became Lawton Park, in Scad ding's day stopover on the CPR's new main east-west "the abode of Mr. Fisken. "5 line, and the Rosedale Hotel (later the Ports of Call) soon opened on the east side of Transportation improvements and sub­ Yonge Street, north of the station, to take urbanization, 1880-1908 advantage of the traffic. (The extended its line from Yorkville to By the 1880s, most of these estates had just north of Price Street in July 1885.) been subdivided into building lots. The city Other services slowly improved as the was coming closer: Yorkville, to the south, local population grew. St. Charles School had been incorporated as a village in 1853, had a new brick building of two rooms in and was annexed to Toronto 20 years later. 1880. Deer Park Public School (School Deer Park was included in the city directo­ Section 10, York Township) opened in ry for the first time in 1885, under "Places September 1889 in a two-room building on in the neighbourhood of Toronto," with the north side of St. Clair Avenue East, just 120 people listed. Walker and Woodlawn east of present-day Ferndale Avenue. avenues became part of the city on January In 1891, the Deer Park Sanatorium 2, 1888. opened "for the subjects of inebriety or nar­ Transportation improved greatly in the comania."6 Later called Dr. Meyers' Private 1880s. While street railway service was Hospital for Nervous Diseases, it was locat­ established in Toronto in 1861, it was not ed in a large, three-storey, white-brick build­ extended north of Yorkville for another 24 ing on the north side of Heath Street West. years. In 1885, the Metropolitan Street In 1890, John T. Moore had an iron Railway Company of Toronto began to oper­ bridge built on St. Clair Avenue over the ate horsedrawn streetcars north on Yonge Vale of Avoca to Moore Park, his subdivision Street from the CPR tracks to the town hall 7 Deer Park Presbyterian Church, St.Clair Avenue West, north side, c.1889? east of Deer Park. Moore was also a driving Railways established streetcar service on St. force behind the Toronto Belt line Railway, Clair Avenue from Yonge Street west to whose trains skirted the area during two Station Street (now Caledonia Road). years of operation from 1892 to 1894. Local roads improved, and a new St. In the early 1900s, water and sewage Clair bridge was opened over the Vale of services were established, and local citizens Avoca in 1925. At that time, streetcar ser­ started a public library in a room at Deer vice was extended east along St. Clair to Park School, enlarged in 1904. In 1908, and north to Eglinton Deer Park had 1,324 entries in the subur· Avenue. Another major improvement in ban section of the Toronto city directory. local transportation facilities occurred on June 14,1916, when the Canadian Pacific Annexation to Toronto and expansion of Railway officially opened a new North services, 1908 and after Toronto Station on the east side of Yonge, just north of Price Street. Deer Park was annexed to the City of Toronto on December 15, 1908, and . Growth of churches and schools after Mount Pleasant Cemetery on June 27, 1908 1914. There was a marked growth in hous­ ing, particularly on St. Clair Avenue (where Several churches either constructed larger a few apartment houses were built before buildings or established congregations in the the First World War) and the area to the area. Deer Park Presbyterian moved to a north. large stone church on St. Clair Avenue There was also an improvement in civic West, at the southeast corner of Foxbar services in the years after annexation_ In Road in 1911. When it joined the United 1911, a handsome fire hall was built on Church of Canada in 1925, some members Balmoral Avenue, and Toronto Public formed Calvin Presbyterian Church, which library opened a branch in a storefront on opened a beautiful building on De Usle the west side of Yonge Street, between De Avenue in 1927. Christ Church, Deer Park Usle Avenue and Heath Street. On August relocated to the northwest corner of Yonge 25, 1913 the city-owned Toronto Civic and Heath when the TIC opened the

8 Lawton Loop in 1922. Yorkminster Baptist ger traffic, although it opened briefly on Church moved from Yorkville to the north· May 22, 1939 for the arrival in Toronto of east corner of Yonge and Heath streets in King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. 1928. St. Catharine of Siena Roman Catholic Church located in the old St. The Yonge Street subway and its effects: Charles School on Yonge Street in 1923. transformation of Deer Park, 1954·1996 Before the permanent church was opened in June 1930 on St. Clair East at Clifton The opening of the Yonge Street subway in Road, the name had been changed to Our 1954 transformed Deer Park. Houses on St. Lady of Perpetual Help. Clair Avenue were demolished to make way In 1910, the Toronto Board of Education for corporate head office buildings. Large opened Brown School on , companies had discovered what the resi· south of St. Clair, and put an addition on dents already knew: Deer Park was a presti· Deer Park School in 1913·14. gious address. High·rise apartment buildings A few private schools also moved to the appeared throughout the area, taking the area, joining Upper Canada College which place of many single· family homes. Later, had relocated to Avenue Road and Lonsdale condominium apartments gained populari· in 1891. Havergal·on·the·Hill Junior School ty. From 1941 to 1960, the population of was on the south side of St. Clair from 1911 Deer Park rose by about 5,200. to 1926. The Christian Brothers opened De In the 1960s, the City of Toronto La Salle College "Oaklands", at John Planning Board released numerous studies Macdonald's old estate in 1931, relocating and proposals on Deer Park. One of the first from Bond Street. noted, "Deer Park contains the head offices of several large national companies, anum· Development of Yonge and St. Clair ber of handsome churches and a large por· tion of the major apartment buildings built By the 1930s, Deer Park had established the in the city over the past decade. Its housing reputation as an excellent shopping district, ranges from the residences of the well·to·do and a fine residential area. Yonge Street in the northwestern section to modest row between Rosehill Avenue and Heath Street dwellings mainly located in the south.'" was the main shopping street, with an aux· The Planning Department predicted that iliary commercial strip on St. Clair Avenue, Deer Park's already spectacular redevelop· east for about a block and west to Fran's ment would continue, because it was a Restaurant (opened in 1940) on the south good district, with many outstanding fea· and A. W. Miles Funeral Chapel (1927) on tures. It identified the main planning prob· the north. lem, to accommodate this continuing St. Clair Avenue west of Yonge to growth, and at the same time preserve the Avenue Road was still primarily a street of basic qualities and character of the district. private homes, apartments (four taller Art· A secondary concern was traffic - most of it Deco apartment buildings were constructed generated outside the area. during the decade), and institutions. The Colin Vaughan and Annabel Slaight latter included the Deaconess Home and described the area south of St. Clair in Training School, opened by the Methodist 1972, "Twenty years ago this area was Church at the southeast corner of Avenue extremely run down. A tremendous renais' Road in 1911, the Badminton and Racquet sance occurred throughout the 1960s. Deer Club of Toronto (1924), and the Granite Park South is still typical of the many neigh· Club (1927). bourhoods, however, fighting for their exis­ At the beginning of the decade, the tence."8 Gradually, the community became North Toronto Station was closed to passen·

9 involved, and by their combined efforts was tinues to be a good district. As well as being able to change some development plans close to downtown and having excellent they considered to be harmful to the area. public transit service, it is an area of natural The redevelopment continued, and now, in beauty with numerous parks and parkettes the mid· 1990s, there are major commercial and 37 acres of ravine lands. But, now, one and residential projects under construction. can only see the lake from high office build­ Many of the names given to the streets ings and apartment towers, or down recall old families or estates, thus perpetuat· through the narrow stretch of Yonge Street, ing an era of gracious living. Deer Park con· and only on a smog-free day.

10 Pierce-Arrow Showroom, c.1930

ORIGINALLY PIERCE-ARROW SHOWROOM closed the following year. Other makes of 1140 YONGE STREET cars appeared behind the stately windows Southwest (orner of Halborough Avenue until 1941 , when Girvan moved down to • Sparling, Hartin & Forbes. 1929/30_ number 921, on the east side of Yonge Street at Baxter Street, to a building previously ome may have wondered why this build­ occupied by the Rosedale Garage Company Sing has an automobile motif carved on Ltd. Girvan remained there until he retired the capitals of the pilasters. Note the man around 1948. with a motorcar in his lap and holding a The old Pierce-Arrow building had several winged tire. These whimsical stone carvings, different occupants until 1954, when the designed by Toronto artist Merle Foster, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation purchased reflect the structure's original purpose: a it for a television studio. They covered the win­ showroom for the Pierce-Arrow motor car. dows, and removed the parapet, carved with In 1930, H.E. Girvan Ltd. opened a deal­ more of Foster's stonework. For almost 40 ership for the Pierce-Arrow, a truly presti­ years the building was home to such produc­ gious automobile to own and drive. At the tions as Front Page Challenge and Mr. Dress­ time, a Model-A Ford could be purchased for Up, and some radio broadcast recordings. $550. The Pierce-Arrow was $9,000 more! In 1992, the CBC opened a new head­ Girvan's showroom was designed to reflect quarters on Front Street West at John Street, the elegance and quality of the car. but continued to use the Yonge Street build­ "Handsome" and "Imposing design" were ing occasionally until 1994. It was vacant for words used to describe the $90,000 building a time after that, but when the site came up by architectural magazines of the day. The for sale, the CBC was inundated with pur­ large windows displayed the cars to perfec­ chase offers. A retail office supplier opened tion. The north comer was built on the diag­ there in June 1996 and has generated consid­ onal, and could be easily seen by those trav­ erable criticism for its exterior renovations. elling south on Yonge Street. The old Pierce-Arrow Showroom was By 1937, the Pierce-Arrow factory, locat­ listed on The City of Toronto's Inventory of ed in Buffalo, , was building very Heritage Properties for its architectural and few cars. The company, like so many others, historical importance on September 25, had been affected by the Depression and 1978.

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North Toronto Station, 1916

ORIGINALLY CANADIAN PACIFIC (track elevation) from to West o RAILWAY NORTH TORONTO STATION Toronto commenced in 1912. The new sta­ 1121 YONGE STREET tion's location on the east side of Yonge Darting & Peallon, 1915-16. Street (on the site of little Grimsby Street) caused less residential interference while "This is one of Toronto's great "lost" allowing the old station to continue to func­ buildings." So declared historians tion. \ William Dendy and William Kilbourn in Darling & Pearson (best known for 1986, noting that, "Familiar as the 'Yonge designing the Centre Block and the Peace Street's liquor store', it is known to few for Tower of the Canadian Parliament what it originally was: a railway station."' Buildings, the Canadian Bank of Commerce The striking Beaux Arts building, with its on King Street, the Royal Ontario Museum, landmark l40-foot tower, was not the first and Convocation Hall at the University of railway station in the area, though. Toronto) used fine materials and craftsman­ The original North Toronto Station was ship throughout the elegant new North opened in 1884, west of Yonge Street on Toronto Station. It was the first building in Marlborough Avenue. It became a busy Toronto to be built of Tyndall (Manitoba) stopover on the Canadian Pacific Railway limestone, noted for its weather resistance, line with up to ten passenger trains operat­ fossilized appearance and mottled beige ing daily to and from the station_ The vol­ colour. Three two-storey arched windows, ume of traffic was too great for the small sta­ flanked, by stone carvings with railway tion, and a new building was proposed, in crests and swags, were placed beneath the conjunction with the grade separation cornice and above the canopy on the south

12 elevation. The date on the crests, 1881, Toronto Station on September 27, 1930. commemorated the founding of the CPR The line continued to be used for freight and the beginning of the railway that linked trains. The North Toronto Station, decked Canada from sea to sea. The crowning fea­ out in festive bunting, was opened briefly on ture was, and still is, the beautiful clock May 22, 1939. The special occasion was the tower, modelled on the Campanile in St. arrival at 10:30 a.m. of King George VI and Mark's Square, Venice. The clock dials, Queen Elizabeth for a one-day visit to eight feet in diameter, were always illumi­ Toronto, the first time that a reigning nated at night. The interior of the station's monarch had visited the city. When the general waiting room was impressive with royal couple left at 6:30 p.m., they took a 38-foot·high ceilings, marble-lined walls, train from . The North Toronto and elegant bronzed lighting standards. station was also used briefly at the end of the Mayor Tommy Church laid the corner­ Second World War for returning troops. stone on September 9, 1915. The North Most of the interior and some of the Toronto Station was officially opened on original furniture remain intact, hidden June 14, 1916 although it had been in oper­ behind partitions, built when Brewers Retail ation from June 4. It was built to comple­ moved into the northern side in 1931 and ment the long proposed Union Station the Uquor Control Board of Ontario took which finally opened in 1927. At that time, over the south side in 1940. Marathon most passengers started using the new Realty plans to renovate the station and Union Station rather than the North develop the adjacent property. The clocks, Toronto Station, which served mainly small­ removed from the tower between 1948 and er towns in Ontario. 1950, will be restored. The North Toronto With the Depression deepening and rid­ Station has been designated under the ership declining, the CPR decided to dis­ Ontario Heritage Act, by Toronto City continue passenger service at the North Council By-law 526-76.

North Toronto Station Site Plan, 1995

13 23 and 25 Walker Avenue, February 25, 1996

• WALKER AVENUE RESIDENCES and York Township. After Yorkville was annexed to Toronto in 1883, Walker Avenue he residences on Walker Avenue repre­ was the north city llmlt for a few years. Tsent a variety of architectural styles, Walker Avenue was created in 1880 housing types and historic periods_ Several when John Walker, Robert Walker, Walter Victorian houses from the early days of the Walker and three other owners subdivided street remain, although many have been ren­ the property of the "late Walter Walker" into ovated. In the 1980s, part of the street was building lots, re-subdivided into l smaller redeveloped with townhouse projects, and a parcels in 1883. (Sloan and Purves' new mixed-use commercial/residential Directory of the Village of Yorkville (1876) building was constructed on the northwest listed John Walker as a waggon maker, comer ofYonge Street. A cluster of 34 town­ Robert Walker as a blacksmith, and Walter houses in six buildings at 10 Walker Avenue Walker as a councillor and a builder.) The (Ernest Annau, 1980) won an award of north side of Walker Avenue was then part excellence from the Canadian Architect of the Morrison estate, Woodlawn. (See site Yearbook. 5.) It was subdivided into lots in 1886, and Walker Avenue was named for the fami­ became part of the city in 1888. The south ly of Walter Walker, who in 1835 bought side of Walker Avenue was developed soon­ property fronting Yonge Street, on the south er than the north side. In 1889, the city side of today's street and one foot on the directory had 12 listings for the south side of north side. His lot (21, Concession 2) the street, but the north side was "vacant extended west of Yonge almost to the pre­ lots, unfinished houses, and private sent Avenue Road. It later became the grounds." boundary line between the town of Yorkville

14 A 23-25 WALKER AVENUE. C.1886. 78 WALKER AVENUE A W ------W hese semi·detached dwellings were the avid Boyle (1842·1911), an ethnologist Tfirst houses on Walker Avenue, and were Dand archaeologist, lived here for a few built for John Walker (1840·1887). They years, from about 1908 to 1911 . Boyle was were first listed in the city directory in 1886 an authority on the archaeology of Ontario. as "two unfinished houses." The following For the last 25 years of his life, he was the year, Reverend G. J. Bishop was living at no. curator of the provincial museum in 23 and W 1- Nelson was at no. 25. Over the Toronto, first under the Canadian Institute, years, there were many different occupants, then by appointment of the Ontario govern· but evidently the houses remained in the ment. Boyle also compiled a local history of Walker farnlly for the next century. Scarborough (1896). In 1979, a great·great·grandson of John Walker bought 23 Walker Avenue, and 76 WALKER AVENUE _ began to renovate the house. Many interest· ------W ing features were discovered. A door in the culptor Walter Allward (1876·1955) kitchen wall, and another in a bedroom wall Slived at this address from around 1907 were uncovered. They had once allowed until the 1920s. At that time, he was quick· access from one house to the other. Layers of ly becoming Canada's best·known sculptor. wallpaper and paint were stripped, revealing His first commission came when he won a ceiling rosettes and ornate plaster medallions competition for his design for the North and cornices in the living and dining rooms. West Rebellion Memorial in Queen's Park. From then on, he was able to make his liv· A 63-71 WALKER AVENUE ing as a sculptor. In 1921, his design for the W ------Vuny Memorial was chosen by the Canadian 1\ If any wlll recall the aroma of freshly government from 160 competing designs. 1 V!baked bread wafting over the neigh· The massive and beautiful memorial was bourhood. Hunt's Bakery was located on this unveiled at Vuny Ridge, France on July 26, site for more than 50 years, from about 1936 by King Edward VIII. 1928. The factory closed in 1979, and was (' torn down the following year. A develop· ment named The Bakery was constructed on the property in the early 1980s, extending south to Alcorn Avenue. It consisted of townhouses, and a few semi·detached and single·farnlly houses.

Walker family house, c. 1910. A branch of the Walker family once lived in this brick house, located at the southwest corner of ) Yonge Street and Walker Avenue. The building is still standing, though much altered. The Walkers manufactured brickmakers' supplies in the adja· cent board and batten structure (seen on the left side of the picture), which stood until the 1920s.

15 "" ~--~~.. ~------~~ Summer Hill Coach House, February 25, 1996 SUMMER HILL COACH HOUSE Thompson engaged the leading architect ORIGINALLY PART OF CHARLES of the day to design his home. John George • THOMPSON ESTATE Howard chose the Early Victorian style, and 38 SUMMERHILL GARDENS (REAR) planned a large, two-storey brick house, in a centre-hall plan with a front gable. (Howard his red-brick coach house at the rear of designed another house in the area around T38 Summerhill Gardens is all that the same time. See site 5, Woodlawn.) The remains of what was once a 200-acre estate house was built toward the northern side of called Summer Hill, first owned by Charles the property, facing west and back from Thompson_ The west side of the coach Yonge Street. house is older; the east side was added In 1853, Charles Thompson's fortune before the turn of the 20th century. The began to fade. The Ontario, Huron and large doors were built to accommodate car­ Simcoe Railway had begun to operate, and riages and horses. Note the animal head taken over much of his business. He sold carving to the right of these doors. The sections of his estate, and also built an coach house can also be seen from the amusement park there. Thompson's south end of the Reservoir (David A. Amusement Park, as it was originally called, Balfour) Park. (See site 10.) was located at the southern end, extending Charles Thompson was in the trans­ to the far side of the little creek which ran portation business. In the 1830s and '40s, through the property. Not long after it he ran stage coaches on Yonge Street, opened in the 1850s, Thompson changed steamboats on Lake Simcoe and also the the name to Summer Hill Spring Park and postal service for the whole of Yonge Street Pleasure Grounds. It attracted many visitors and the Upper Great Lakes. When his busi­ for the amusements and primitive rides, and ness ventures became successful, he was became popular for picnics. able to purchase Lot 17, Second Concession In 1864, the trustees of Thompson's from the Bay. estate subdivided Lot 17 into 59 building

16 Summer Hill, 190? lots, varying in size from less than an acre connected the house and the stables ... At on Yonge Street to more than 13 acres along the back of the property were the orchards, the creek. Two streets were laid out in Plan beyond them, the woods ran down to the 277. Charles Street was on the location of spring-fed creek in the ravine below." She today's Shaftsbury Avenue. Thompson also recorded that, "The old house was Avenue (now Summerhill Avenue in part) pulled down in 1909 to make room for a extended from Yonge Street to today's subdivision. "2 , taking a jog around the The memory of the Summer Hill estate creek. The plan was registered on January has been commemorated in two street 20, 1866. names - Summerhill Avenue and In 1866, Larratt William Violett Smith Summerhill Gardens -and in a subway stop. (1820-1905), a prominent lawyer, bought The Toronto Transit Commission named the property where the Summer Hill house the station on Shaftsbury Avenue, stood. He and his first wife, Eliza Thorn, had Summerhill, when the Yonge Street subway two children. In 1858, seven years after her opened in 1954. The station building was death, he married Mary Elizabeth Smith, listed on The City of Toronto's Inventor; of and had 11 more children. As the family Heritage Properties on June 23 and 27, grew, the house was enlarged, finally reach­ 1984 for its architectural importance. ing a total of 30 rooms. A granddaughter, Mary Larratt Smith, recalled the property in her book, Young Mr. Smith in Upper Canada : "Behind the house were the stables, a cow barn, and a hen house. A long gravelled driveway, winding around tennis and croquet lawns

17 Woodlawn, south elevation, 187·?

WOODLAWN ing the property in 1844. o ORIGINALLY WILLIAM HUME BLAKE Blake was born into the Irish aristocra· HOUSE cy on March 10, 1809. He married his 35 WOODLAWN AYENUE WEST first cousin, Catherine Honoria Hume, in John George Howard. 1840. 1832. Shortly after, they emigrated from Addition by Gregg &Gregg. 1895. Ireland to Canada, and settled in Middlesex County. They moved to oodlawn is one of the oldest houses Toronto in 1835. Blake studied law and Win Toronto used as a private resi· was called to the bar in February 1838. He dence. In the 1840s, a wide drive led to became a highly successful lawyer, politi· the front door from a gatehouse on Yonge cian and judge, and a chancellor of the Street. Today, the entrance is by a narrow University of Toronto. Blake died on drive between 33 and 37 Woodlawn, and November 15, 1870.3 the house is completely hidden from the The next owner of Woodlawn was street that bears its name. Blake's law partner, Joseph Curran Woodlawn was originally the home of Morrison. He was married to Elizabeth William Hume Blake and his wife. Blake Bloor in 1845; she was a daughter of purchased a 12·acre lot (part of the Lot 21, Joseph Bloor, after whom Bloor Street is Concession 2 from the Bay) around 1840, named and the founder of Yorkville. In his and commissioned John George Howard private life, Morrison was noted for his to design a "summer" home. The genial hospitality and his interest in horti· Regency·style villa was almost three times culture. He had William Mundie, the size of today's Woodlawn. The Blakes Canada's leading landscape gardener, only lived at Woodlawn for four years, sell· design a large, tWo· gabled greenhouse,

18 with a conservatory attached, considered and the westerly two-thirds of the house one of the finest in Toronto. were demolished. A two-storey Morrison's life and career mirrored that kitchen/ bedroom wing was added in of his law partner. Uke Blake, Morrison 1895 on the southeast side. was of Irish birth, a lawyer, a politician and Bernard D. Saunders bought a judge, and a chancellor at U of T. He was Woodlawn in 1920. He, his wife, and two also president of the Ontario, Simcoe and sons, Thomas and Guy, worked for 20 Huron Railway (Northern Railway after years to restore the original part of the 1858) from 1852 to 1862, resigning to house. 5 Two fireplaces, and all of the origi­ accept an appointment as a judge. nal woodwork were retained - pine in the Morrison retired in 1885, and died at hall and walnut in the living and dining Woodlawn on December 6, 1885: rooms. The living room has two remaining The executors and trustees of the fine French doors, with well-designed estate, Arthur S. Hardy and James B. inside shutters that fold against the wall Morrison, registered a subdivision plan for when not in use. There are 13-foot ceilings the property on July 24, 1886. Twenty­ in the living and dining rooms, and lots were laid out on Yonge Street, pine plank floors are over an inch thick. and 71 lots ran from the north side of Mr. Saunders has long hoped that Walker Avenue to the north side of "eventually some trust, or organization, or Woodlawn Avenue (laid out in the plan) . perhaps the municipality might take over The property was annexed to Toronto on Woodlawn and maintain it."6 Woodlawn January 2, 1888. Plan 669 showed the was listed in The City of Toronto's Morrison house in the middle of three Inventory of Heritage Properties in July large lots on the south side of Woodlawn 1979 for its architectural and historical Avenue. Soon afterwards, the outbuildings importance.

The entrance to Woodlawn showing the original (1840) section on the right and the 1895 addition on the left, 1966. 19 Henry Gordon House, February 25, 1996 ORIGINALLY HENRY GORDON HOUSE, Gordon was twice president of the Ontario 1890 Association of Architects, in 1896 and 105 WOODLAWN AVENUE WEST 1908, and was a councillor of the Royal • & Gordon Helliwell, 1890. Architectural Institute of Ganada. Among the firm's commissions were the Church of enry Bauld Gordon (1854·1951), an the Messiah, Avenue Road at Dupont Himportant Toronto architect, built this Street; and the Presbyterian Church of the distinctive residence for himself in 1890. It Covenant, (now Hare Krishna) on Avenue features a full front gable with a central win­ Road at Roxborough Street. dow divided in four units; paired column Gordon was a devout Presbyterian. He mullions support the entablature and was a board trustee at Knox Presbyterian scrolls. The shingled side gable on brackets Church for 27 years and spent three years in is similar to the front gable. The moulded Korea and North China where he built a eaves line is also distinctive_ Originally triple number of mission churches. It was not as arch windows crossed the front of the an architect, but rather for his church work, house. These were partially covered by a that Gordon was noted when he died on later garage addition, but disappeared from March 4, 1951/ view when the garage was demolished and After Gordon moved from 105 an addition was constructed there. Woodlawn, there were many owners. But, Henry Gordon was born in Toronto in none was more famous than Dr. Charles H­ 1854_ He trained under Henry Langley who Best, who with Sir Frederick Banting, dis­ had a reputation as a designer of churches. covered insulin in 1921. Dr. Best lived there In 1877, Gordon established his own archi­ from 1968 until his death on March 31, tectural firm. Two years later, he and Grant 1978. The house was listed on The City of Helliwell formed the Gordon & Helliwell Toronto's Inventory of Heritage Properties partnership. They practised together for the for its architectural and historical impor­ next 52 years until both retired in 1931. tance on July 13 and 14, 1989.

20 De La Salle College "Oaklands," southwest elevation, February 25, 1996 OAKLANDS house. He planned a two-storey, bufI-brick­ ORIGINALLY JOHN MACDONALD HOUSE and-stone dwelling, with a small tower on • LATER DE LA SALLE COLLEGE the south side and a turret on the northeast "OAKLANDS" side of the present building. As Macdonald's 131 FARNHAI1 AVENUE family ?Jew (he eventually had 12 children), William Hay, 1860. a large addition, with its landmark tower, Addition by Gundry & l.an~ey, 1869. was added at the west side in 1869, and the Addition by Gordon & Helliwell, 1906. entrance was relocated to the north side. Many fine details were incorporated in the "This is the Victorian house par excel- exterior including slender chimneys, iron lence", proclaimed Eric Arthur in the finials and weathervanes on the pinnacles, first edition of Toronto, no mean city handsome decorative bargeboards, and, on (1964), the definitive book on the city's the west facade, a stone carving of the architectural heritage. In 1&56, John Macdonald crest. Macdonald purchased 35 acres on the east John Macdonald was born in Perth, side of the Avenue Road hill (part of Lot 22). Scotland on December 27, 1824, and came Oak trees ?Jew in abundance on the proper­ to Canada with his family in 1837, opening ty, so Macdonald named his estate a dry goods store in 1848. In 1863, he estab­ Oaklands. Oak was used extensively in the lished a wholesale dry goods business, soon interior of the house, for panelling, a beamed the largest in Canada with annual sales of $1 ceiling in the dining room, and a quarter­ million in the 1870s. With his business well turn staircase; most of the oak has been established, Macdonald turned to politics in retained. 1863, becoming a member of the Legislative Macdonald, wealthy from a wholesale Assembly of Canada. Defeated in the 1867 dry goods business, engaged William Hay, federal election, he was returned in 1875. the leading architect of the day, to design the After his defeat in the 1878 election, he

21 retired from politics. Prime Minister John A. Help School on Garfield Avenue in Moore Macdonald appointed him to the Senate in Park. The house was adapted for school use November 1880. The two Macdonalds were with very few alterations, and De La Salle friends, but not related. College "Oaklands" opened in September After Senator Macdonald's death on 1931. The house was used for the school February 4, 1890, the family began to sell until 1950, when a new school building, the property. In 1904, the City of Toronto designed by James H. Haffa in the Colonial paid $13,320, for 4.5 acres which became style, was opened. The house became a res­ Cottingham Square park. The remaining idence for the Brothers. In 1960, the bowl­ 13.5 acres, where the house was located, ing alley was demolished and replaced with were sold to the Cyrus McCormick estate in an additional residential wing. A retreat cen­ 1906. His daughter, Mary Virginia tre was built in 1989. De La Salle College McCormick, moved in and made the last "Oaklands" became a private co-educational major changes to Oaklands. She added a school in 1994. Oaklands was designated stone porte-cochere, bay windows to both under the Ontario Heritage Act by Toronto sides of the front entrance, and a bowling City Council on January 17, 1977. alley. Evidently, the heiress was South of Oaklands, at the northeast cor­ quite eccentric. She shunned publicity and ner of Avenue Road and Oaklands Avenue, is entertained small, select groups; uninvited a gate house. It was built by Mary neighbours invented strange stories about McCormick c.1906. The wrought iron gates life at Oaklands. 8 beside it were constructed in the 1860s, and In 1931, the estate was sold to a religiOUS served as an entrance to Oaklands by way of order, the Christian Brothers. They ran De a winding road up the hill. The buttressed La Salle College, then housed in two loca­ stone piers are of smoothly dressed ashlar tions. The junior school was on Bond Street with bell-shaped caps. The gates were listed and, because of increasing emollment, the in The City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage senior school was at Our Lady of Perpetual Properties on March 5, 1984.

Oaklands, southwest elevation, c.1895

22 Farnham Lodge, October 10, 1990 FARNHAM LODGE AND COACH HOUSE ship to the chemists trade, Hooper moved o ORIGINALLY EDWARD HOOPER HOUSE to Canada. He lived in Kingston, where he 50-52 FARNHAM AVENUE married, and then Dundas, before settling in 1844. Altered c.1910. Toronto around 1838. Hooper was about 30 when he joined the Beckett firm of dward Hooper, a Toronto druggist, built chemists at King and Yonge streets. So suc­ Ethis two·storey dwelling and adjacent cessful was the enterprising young druggist coach house west from Yonge Street in that when Beckett retired, Hooper bought 1844. At that time, they stood in the middle out the company. E. Hooper & Co. grew to of a six-acre lot (part of Lot 21) . Hooper become a chain of eight drug stores. named the property Farnham Lodge, after Hooper was also involved with impor­ his boyhood home in Surrey, England. tant financial institutions. He was a director Over the years, different owners have of the Canadian Permanent Loan and made alterations to the Georgian-style, wood­ Savings Company for several years and its and-stucco house. James Fullerton, a promi­ president from 1884 to 1887. He was also a nent Toronto lawyer, had the house (and the director of Confederation Ufe from its estab­ coach house) faced in buff brick around lishment in 1871 until just before his death, 1910. Architect Geoffrey Armstrong bought serving as its vice· president from October Farnham Lodge in 1957 for $33,000, and 1887 to March 1900. Edward Hooper died designed interior renovations which were on April 21, 1900 in his 92nd year. completed around 1972. He put the house up for sale ten years later, with an asking price of $530,000.9 Farnham Lodge and the coach house became separate properties many years ago. Both have been listed in The City of Toronto's Inventory of Heritage Properties for their historical importance. Edward Hooper was born in England in 1808, and grew up in Farnham, Surrey. At the age of 24, having served his apprentice- Coach House, October 10, 1990

23 The Jackes Residence, The Elms, c.1875 ROSE HILL horizontal, a sort of hangman's limb, from o ORIGINALLY ESTATE OF WALTER ROSE which it was rumoured, a few of Stood 1839-1948. Mackenzie's rebels had been hanged. When Walter Rose died, the property alter Rose acquired Lot 16, was divided and sold. A subdivision plan for WConcession 2 from the Bay in 1839. Lot 16, "part of the Estate of the late Walter The property extended from Yonge Street Rose" was registered on February 6, 1865, east to today's Bayview Avenue between the laying out 24 building lots. In that year, present Jackes Avenue and the Third Joseph Jackes bought lot one of Plan 274, Concession Road (St. Clair Avenue). Rose, a where the Rose house stood. Jackes was private banker, married Jesse Ketchum's studying law and acting as the Canadian daughter, Anna, around 1836. The Roses agent for the land holdings of his father-in­ built a two-storey, Georgian-style house in law, the Honourable James H. Price. The red brick, just north of present-day Jackes Jackes considered the stories about Gallows Avenue. They named their 200-acre estate Hill to be vulgar, and also not true, and never Rose Hill. The house, which faced Yonge perpetuated them. Street,was one of the fine residences built Joseph Jackes wrote to his brother in on the escarpment. 1874, "My home is a large red brick house The Yonge Street hill, south of present­ at the top of a hill, vulgarly known as day St. Clair Avenue, was known at the time Gallows Hill, on the right hand side going as Gallows Hill, and numerous references north. I bought it cheap and have improved can be found to it during the 1837 it greatly, so that now, with the improve­ Rebellion. There have been some legends, ments and the increase in property, it has too, originating because of an elm tree on become worth about $20,000."l oThe Jackes the Roses's front lawn. A lower limb was built a two-storey addition on the east side.

24 The lower floor housed a dining room and a property south of the house. He opened a new kitchen; the upper floor contained bed· short street running east of Yonge Street to rooms. The old dining room became a study the reservoir property, which was named and library for Jackes. The whole north side Jackes Avenue. After the lots were sold, very of the original house was used as a drawing little property remained around the house. room. The Jackes changed the name to The When Edwin died in 1930, the days of Elms. The gardens and grounds were well estates had long gone. The nearly 100· year' maintained, and Jackes often let them be old house was no longer surrounded by gar· used as settings for garden parties in aid of dens and orchards but by the commercial local causes. development along Yonge Street. Edwin's Joseph Jackes' wife died in 1886 and he widow lived in the house until her death in remained at The Elms until his death in 1937. It was unoccupied for a few years, 1895. The house was then shared by his and then became an office for a used car unmarried daughter, his son Edwin and his dealership. Around 1948, after another wife. With the increasing value of real estate vacancy period when the old house was in the area, Edwin decided to divide the often vandalized, The Elms was demolished.

Ernest Rolph House (now Scouts Canada, Ontario Headquarters), February 25, 1996 _ JACKES AVENUE RESIDENCES Laidlaw house next door a few years later. W ORIGINALLY ERNEST ROLPH HOUSE Sproatt & Rolph were influential in estab· NOW SCOUTS CANADA, lishing the academic prototype of the Neo· ONTARIO HEADQUARTERS Gothic style in Canada, exemplified in their 9 JACKES AVENUE designs for Burwash Hall (1910) and Hart Sproatt & Rolph. 1910. House (1911·19), both at the University of Toronto. his was first the home of architect The Rolph house is in the Georgian TErnest R. Rolph (1871-1958). It was he style; beauty of design and plan is achieved and his partner, Henry Sproatt (1866·1934), by simple lines and good proportion. The who planned the house, as well as the ordinary red·brick exterior may have been

25 Robert Laidlaw House (now Frontier College), February 25, 1996 plain, but in Rolph's day the interior was Unlike the Rolph house, some original elegant. The living room walls were cov- interior detalls of the Laidlaw house are ered with soft green velvet paper, and green intact. The wide outer front door opens to a silk curtains hung from gilded cornices_ The small vestibule_ The inner twelve-section Rolph house is now used as the Ontario wooden door leads to a large entrance hall_ headquarters of Scouts Canada. It has been Beyond that is a room with a beautiful fire- completely renovated and nothing remains place of green marble surrounded by deco- of the old interior. rative woodwork. To its left is the library, with a fine carved stone fireplace and an ORIGINALLY ROBERT LAIDLAW HOUSE ornate decorative ceiling. All three rooms NOW FRONTIER COLLEGE are panelled in wood, in the same rectangu­ 35 JACKES AVENUE lar-pattern as the inner front door. Sproatt & Rolph, 1914. Robert Laidlaw entered his father's busi­ ness, the Laidlaw Lumber Co. and rose to he Laidlaw house is now used by be secretary-treasurer. He became promi­ TFrontier College (founded 1899), which nent in the business and financial life of provides literacy programs and other educa­ Toronto and also one of the City's greatest tional opportunities to adults. Robert benefactors. During his life, he gave away Alexander Laidlaw had the house built after millions. He was a quiet, gentle man who his marriage to Julia G. Cayley in 1913. shunned publicity, preferring to support The elegant two-and-a-half storey build­ numerous causes as anonymously as possi­ ing is an excellent example of Tudor Gothic­ ble. During his later years he became inter­ Revival architecture, and is listed in The ested in the National Ballet School of City of Toronto's Inventory of Heritage Canada and admired the work of its Properties. The design features fine brick­ founder, Celia Franca. It was to the ballet work and stone trim with casement win­ school that the Laidlaw house was given dows and stone lintels throughout. The after his death there on June 21, 1976 at two-storey bay on the west side, with the age 90. The old house was used as a ballet triple row of windows, contains a one-turn school until larger facilities were found on staircase which leads to the second floor. in the early 1980s.

26 ROSEHILL RESERVOIR AND PARK ly to the water system and consumers. ROSEHlll AVENUE, EAST Of YONGE STREET, TO AVOCA During the Second World War, the reservoir AVENUE was fenced (but not covered) to prevent the 1873. enemy from poisoning the water supply. After the war, locai residents repeatedly n 1908, Robertson's Landmarks of asked City Council to remove the fence. I Toronto noted that, "One of the largest Council replied that in war or peace it was city parks is just on the limits, the grounds best to keep people away from the water, surrounding Rosehill Reservoir, just north of and from about 1949, City officials began the city and east of Yonge street. Reservoir considering covering the reservoir. The Park, while cared for by the water-works open reservoir was exposed to pollution department, [is] in one of the best groomed from birds, dogs and humans. In winter, breathing places in the city. It is 52 acres in people walked over the icy surface; in sum­ extent and has a fine greenhouse."!! Today mer, weeds flourished. There were also this park and the adjacent ravine lands are reports of tiny fish in tap water; when the known as the David A. Balfour Park, named reservoir was checked, six- to 12-inch perch for a City alderman and Board of Control were found. The greatest contamination member from 1939 to 1955. source was from ducks and geese which In the early 1870s, the City of Toronto used the open water on their migratory hired two consultants, E. S. Chesborough flights. and T. C. Keefer, to design a new water sys­ In 1953, water supply came under the tem. They recommended a reservoir north jurisdiction of the newly-incorporated of the city that would provide an improved Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto. distribution pressure and would supersede Metro commissioned Gore & Storrie existing reservoirs at lower elevations. The Limited, Consulting Engineers, in 1960 to City purchased land for a new reservoir in expand and cover the reservoir. Area resi­ 1872 from local landowners, Richard dents protested the plan at meetings and Dunbar, Joseph Jackes and Larratt Smith. with petitions. "The aesthetic appeal of this Smith sold his section on the condition that miniature lake in the centre of the city the property would be maintained in perpe­ should overrule considerations of economy tuity as a public park. or efficiencY,"!2 stated one local resident to On October 22, 1873, the contract for the Toronto Star in May 1961. construction of the new reservoir was Metro went ahead, and between 1963 awarded to the lowest bidder, R. Mitchell & and 1967, the Rosehill Reservoir was deep­ Co., for $73,800 and work commenced. By ened, enlarged and covered at a cost of $3.4 December 1874, the reservoir was complet­ million. To appease local residents over the ed and placed in service, connected to the loss of their "lake," Metro added surface distribution system by a 24-inch pumping features consisting of a water fountain, a main from the John Street Pumping Station, fountain pool, four acres of reflecting pools, about five miles away. The new reservoir and a cascading waterfall, as well as a weir, and park were called Rosehill, after the a bridge, and a terraced stone entrance on name of the nearby estate, Rose Hill. (See Rosehill Avenue. site 9.) When the reservoir was completed, On May 4, 1983, the American Water it had a total capacity of 33,473,600 Works Association erected a commemora­ Imperial gallons and the water surface cov­ tive plaque at the Rosehill Reservoir, desig­ ered 9.5 acres. nating it "A National Water Landmark Water arrived at the Rosehill Reservoir significant in the history of public water in a treated state and was discharged direct- supply."

27 Firehall No.24, October 10, 1990

FIRE HALL NO. 24 there to dry. The hoses are still dried this 20 BAlHORAl AVENUE way, pulled up through a square opening in Robert McCallum, 1911. the ceiling of the main floor by means of a pulley. The Balmoral station is also one of Drehall architecture reflects the needs the halls where hoses from the waterfront r and styles of the time, as well as other fire boats are dried. buildings in the neighbourhood. Firehall McCallum designed the Balmoral firehall No. 24 came into service three years after in the Queen Anne Revival style. This archi­ Deer Park was annexed to the City. At that tectural style first appeared in Canada in the time, horse-drawn steam pumps were used late 1870s and early 1880s, and remained to fight fires and motorized fire vehicles popular until the First World War. In his were just being introduced. book on Queen Anne Revival architecture, In 1911, the Toronto Fire Department Leslie Maitland commented, "For the design (est. 1838) had ten steam pumpers, 26 hose of the Balmoral Fire hall, McCallum took the wagons, 21 sleighs (for winter use), 114 theme of commercial buildings of the horses, and its first motorized fire truck. Flemish Renaissance." The Balmoral firehall The horse-drawn equipment continued to displays many distinctive Queen Anne be used for some time; the last horse-drawn Revival features: patterned brickwork, stone team was retired in 1931. Staff at Firehall keystones, and window voussoirs across the No. 24 have noticed, that under certain cli­ front of the second storey, as well as a deco­ matic conditions, there is still evidence that rative band course and stepped brick gables. the building once housed horses. Maitland continued, "With such simple Firehall No. 24 was one of several sta­ techniques the Queen Anne Revival could tions designed by Robert McCallum while dress up a small building with charm and he was the City architect from 1905 to economy."13Firehall No. 24 cost $26,000. It 1913. McCallum planned a two-and-a-half remains a fine landmark building for the storey building, with a tower attached. The Deer Park area, and was selected in 1979 for tower was not included for aesthetic reasons inclusion in The City of Toronto's Inventory or to locate fire sites, but rather for a more of Heritage Properties for its architectural practical purpose: wet hoses were hung importance.

28 St. Michael's Cemetery Mortuary Vault, April 11 , 1996 ST. MICHAEL'S CEMETERY there have been approximately 29,000 1414 lONGE STREET internments at St. Michael's Cemetery (the 1855. number steadily declined after Mount Hope Cemetery opened on Erskine Avenue in t. Michael's Cemetery, called "a quiet gen· 1900), including the following three_ Stle surprise" 14 by the daughter of an early Denis Dempsey was one of the first recip­ sexton, occupies ten acres in the midst of the ients of the Victoria Cross, instituted in 1856 Deer Park business district. The cemetery, to recognize exceptional bravery and only part of Lot 21, Concession 2 from the Bay, ever awarded to 93 Canadians. Queen extends west from Yonge Street, opened in Victoria presented Dempsey with the medal 1855. The mortuary vault, also opened in at Windsor Castle in November 1860, for 1855, was designed by (1813· three separate acts of bravery during the 1883), an important Toronto architect and Crimean War. Dempsey died in 1886 and also the city's mayor in 1871-2. It was used his grave, located on St. Charles Road, was for storing caskets in the winter when the unmarked until 1992 when the Catholic ground was frozen. Cemeteries of Toronto placed a bronze Architectural historian John Rempel has plaque there to honour the dead hero. called the octagonal vault building, "finest of John Pickford Hennessey, whose grand­ the 'dead houses' in the Province of Ontario, daughte~ Gladys Smith, changed her name to perfectly proportioned except for the door­ Mary Pickford and became America's way, which is too large for good scale ... For Sweetheart, is buried on South Sl Joseph's Road. a very peculiar reason, the corbels in the but­ Theresa Small's final request was that no tresses are of wood_The buttress caps as well memorial be erected on her grave on South as the sills in the dummy windows are also of St. Margaret's Road. Her husband, Ambrose wood. This is, of course, most unusual for a Small, disappeared in December 1919 after structure of such fine proportions and con­ completing the sale of his Grand Opera struction. "15 deSignated House for $1,750,000. Theresa continued the vault, under the Ontario Heritage Act, for to hope for his return, until her death on its architectural, contextual and historic October 14, 1935. She devoted her life to value on December 10, 1975. (By-law 574) charity, and gave their Glen Road home to Since the first burial in September 1855, the Sisters of Service. 29 Historical Walking Tour of Deer Park

UPPER CANADA COlLEGE

MOUNT PLEASANT CEMETERY

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ST. ....CHAEL·S CElIE TERY CD

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Originally Pierce-Arrow Originally Heruy 98 Originally Robert Laidlaw 14A Duplate Canada Building 18 Deer Park Junior and 22 Yorkminster Park Baptist Showroom Gordon House House now Frontier (now Rolex Canada) Senior School Church Originally Canadian Oaklands College 148 Imperial Oil Building 19 Calvin Presbyterian 23 Lawton Park Pacific Railway North Farnham Lodge and 10 Rosehill Reservoir and 14C Wittington Tower Church 24 Christ Church, Deer Park Toronto Station Park Coach House 15 Originally Toronto and 20 Hollywood Theatre 25 Originally Lawton Loop of 3A 23-25 Walker Avenue_ Originally Edward II Firehall no_ 24 York Radial Railway 21A Originally Alfred Hoskin the Toronto Transportation 38 63-71 Walker Avenue_ Hooper House 12 St Michael's Cemetery Company, Deer Park House Commission 3C 78 Walker Avenue Rose Hill originally estate 13A Vernon Apartments Carhouse and Shops_ 218 42 Heath Street West 26 Mount Pleasant Cemetery of Walter Rose Now the Badminton and 3D 76 Walker Avenue 138 Villa Nova Apartments Racquet Club of Toronto 21C 50 Heath Street West 27 Toronto Belt Line Railway 9A Originally Ernest Rolph 13C Bridge, later Canadian 4 Summer Hill Coach Aeetwood Apartments 16 Deer Park Branch, 210 Originally John WtIIis House House now Scouts House National Railway Bridge Canada, Ontario 130 Park Lane Apartments Toronto Public library Woodlawn Headquarters 13E 70 Rosehill 17 St. Clair Bridge 21E Originally James Hobbs House YONGE AND ST. CLAIR: THE APARTMENT family houses were sold and demolished, COMMUNITY IN DEER PARK and high-rise apartment buildings rose in their place. During the 1950s, more apart­ A partments in the Deer Park neighbour­ ments were built in Deer Park than in any !"\hood have been developed in four dis­ other section of the city. tinctive phases. The first apartment buildings The late 1970s saw the beginning of a appeared in the area just before the First new concept in apartment construction, the World War. A number of low-rise apartment condominium, which fetched increasingly houses were built along St. Clair Avenue high prices during a period of economic West, as well as apartments above stores, boom. One of the first condominium pro­ mostly on Yonge Street. In the 1930s, four jects in Deer Park was at 150 Heath St. taller apartment buildings were constructed West. Granite Place (Webb Zerafa Menkes on St. Clair Avenue West, all in the Art Deco Housden Partnership, 1979-81) opened on style. the site of the old Granite Club, which Apartments continued to be built in the had stood on the south side of St. Clair, area following the Second World War. When just west of Yonge from 1927 to 1973. the Yonge Street subway opened in 1954, Condominiums have continued to be built residents on the streets near the intersection in the area during the 1990s, despite an eco­ of St. Clair saw their property values dra­ nomic recession and a generally sluggish real matically increase. Gradually many single- estate market.

Villa Nova Apartments [left) and Vernon Apartments, June 5, 1996

VERNON APARTMENTS columns, and detailing of the contrasting 56 ST. CLAIR AVENUE WEST red brick and stone. The adjacent, three­ Shildrick & Hatchett, 1913. storey buildings were designed identically by their architect owners. The dentillated VILLA NOVA APARTMENTS pediment and cornice are still in place at no. 60 ST. CLAIR AVENUE WEST 56 (originally owned by Jonathan Shildrick & Hatchett, 1913. Matchett), but have been removed from no. 60 (first owned by Edgar Shildrick). Both he facades of these apartment houses apartments are on The City of Toronto's Tare characteristic of Edwardian Inventory of Heritage Properties for their Classicism of the early 20th century, with architectural merit. their classical porticos, paired Ionic

32 Aeetwood Apartments, March 14, 1996

FLEETWOOD APARTMENTS Historical Board installed a plaque in front of 64 ST. CLAIR AVENUE WEST 110 St. Clair Avenue West commemorating Henry j. Chown, 1939. his residency there. The parkette on the northwest comer of St. Clair and Avenue PARK LANE APARTMENTS Road was officially named the Glenn Gould 110 ST. CLAIR AVENUE WEST Park on September 25, 1995. Forsey, Page & Steele, 1938. 70 ROSEHILL 'T'he Reetwood Apartments and the Park 70 ROSE Hill AVENUE 1 Lane Apartments have similar features. Rafael Burka Architects, 1983. Both are of buff-brick construction, and were designed in a U-shape plan, with elements of his 61-suite condominium became the Art Modeme style. In each, a recessed block Tknown as the most luxurious and contains the main entrance, and wing; with expensive of the 1980s projects. When the rounded inside comers are on the east and west official ground-breaking for the two, nine­ sides. The Reetwood is six storeys high topped story octagonal towers took place in by a fiat roof with a decorative parapet The February 1983, a local resident from Avoca Park Lane is nine storeys tall; and also has a fiat Avenue, former Lieutenant-Governor roof which once contained a terrace. Both Pauline McGibbon christened the project building) have been listed in The City of with a bottle of champagne. "70 Rosehil1 Toronto's InventOTY of Heritage Propefties for promises elegance not grandeur", ran the their architectural merit Two other similar apart­ headline in the Toronto Star on Saturday, ments were built on St Oair during the 1930s. June 16, 1984, heralding it as "the most The London Terrace on the south side has been prestigious condominium residence in demolished, but the Whitehall remains. Canada". Apartments sold for between Pianist Glenn Gould lived at the Park $500,000 and $1 million each, and annual Lane for over 20 years, until his death on city taxes and maintenance fees were just October 4, 1982. In 1992, the Toronto less than $30,000 on some units.

33 YONGE AND ST. CLAIR: THE CORPORATE and St Clair began to be redeveloped. The COMMUNITY IN DEER PARK northwest corner was first, with the Proctor • and Gamble Building (Page and Steele, he 1950s ushered in a new era for Deer 1963) rising more than 20 stories. Later, TPark, as corporations began to locate Colonia Life Tower (Bregman & Hamann, their head office buildings in the area, pri­ 1977) was constructed at the northeast cor­ marily along St Clair Avenue. The long­ ner. awalted Yonge Street subway, opened in Other head offices in the area include 1954, was a major factor in drawing busi­ Imperial Life at the Imperial Life Building nesses, as well as the prestige of the neigh­ (Webb Zerafa Menkes Housden Partnership, bourhood. Before the subway opened, there 1965) at 95 St Clair Avenue West George was no need for office buildings. The space Weston Limited is in Wittington Tower above the stores and banks had served local (Leslie Rebanks, 1975) at 22 St Clair Avenue needs quite well. East. The United Church of Canada estab­ Duplate Canada Ltd. opened the first lished its headquarters at 85 St. Clair Avenue head office building in Deer Park at 50 St East in 1959. They relocated to in Clair West in 1950. The first high-rise head March 1995, and United Church House (A. office building, Imperial Oil Ltd. at 111 St Leslie Perry, 1957) was demolished; a con­ Clair West, opened in 1957. dominium/town house development is In the 1960s, the four corners of Yonge being erected on the property.

DUPLATE CANADA BUILDING (NOW ROLEX CANADA) 50 ST. (LAIR AVENUE WEST Allward & Gouinlock, 1950-51.

UPlate Canada, being the first head Doffice to locate on St Clair, designed a building complimentary in scale to the streetscape and sensitive in design to the neighbourhood. The four-storey, Georgian Revival building was constructed in red brick with stone detailing. The main entrance, located in the secona of eleven bays, has a Classical door case with a pedi­ ment supported on columns. The fourth floor has a low, copper-clad hip roof with parapet ends, segmentally-arched dormers, and a stone ball finial at each end. In 1957, a five-storey office annex, later Duplate Building (now Rolex Canada), May 23, extended to 12 storeys, was built on the 1996 east side of the building. In 1990, the four­ storey building was sold to Rolex Canada, Inventory of Heritage Properties in October who renovated it and located their 1990. Canadian head office there in 1994. For its architectural merit, the Duplate Building was listed in The City of Toronto's

34 Imperial Oil Building, May 23, 1996 Wittington Tower, May 23, 1996

IMPERIAL OIL BUILDING WITTINGTON TOWER III ST. CLAIR AVENUE WEST 22 ST. CLAIR AVENUE EAST Mathers & Haldenby, 1957. Leslie Rebanks, 1975.

he first high-rise head office building on his 20-storey, octagonal tower is con­ TSt. Clair Avenue West has 19 storeys, Tstructed with stainless steel spandrels, with a glassed-in observation deck above. In aluminum mullions and tinted glass. The 1957, the deck was the city's highest eleva­ American Institute of Business Designers tion point, almost 800 feet above sea level; awarded the architect honorable mention in on a clear day the mists over Niagara Falls 1976 for his lobby design. It includes a strik­ can still be seen from here. ing stalactic ceiling, a floor to ceiling metal­ At the time of construction, the Imperial lic sculptured mural (the lower section Oil Building was the largest all-welded steel includes an escape door), and a five-ton frame building in the world. (Welding was granite reception desk. chosen over the much noisier rivetting The upper three floors house the corpo­ process, in deference to local reSidents.) It rate headquarters of George Weston was designed on the core plan, which limited. Rebanks also designed its interior meant that practically every office had win­ and furnishings, winning him the Grand dows. The centre or core contained service Prize of the American Institute of Business areas, such as elevators and meeting rooms. Designers in 1975. A stainless steel sculp­ The lobby is decorated with a large ture, Sails, created by sculptor Gordon mural, painted by R. York Wilson in 1957. Smith, was erected outside the tower on The left panel depicts the history of oil and May 7, 1982. the right panel illustrates the benefits of oil.

35 Toronto and York Radial Rallway Company Repair Barns and Marshalling Yard, November 22, 1911 ORIGINALLY TORONTO AND YORK MSR rebuilt the entire line and the electric RADIAL RAILWAY COMPANY, cars were once again in service early in DEER PARK CARHOUSE AND SHOPS. 1891. A power house and shops were built NOW THE BADMINTON AND RACQUET at the top of Cemetery Hill, south of the Belt CLUB OF TORONTO line Railway bridge, on what was then the 25 S1 CLAIR AVENUE WEST northwest corner of the Mount Pleasant 1907 ) Cemetery property, just west of Yonge Renovation by George. l1oorhouse & King. 1924. Street. In 1904, the Toronto and York Radial he Metropolitan Street Railway Railway (incorporated in 1898 and con­ TCompany of Toronto was incorporated trolled by the on March 2, 1877 to provide street railway from 1904) acquired the Metropolitan service north on Yonge Street from Yorkville Railway Company (as renamed in 1897). to the Town Hall at Eglinton. Service began The TRC was headed by Sir William on January 26, 1885 when the company Mackenzie (1849-1923), a local reSident, began to operate'horsedrawn streetcars on a having purchased Simeon H. Janes' beauti­ single track (with sidings for crossings) on ful Avenue Road manSion, Benvenuto, in the west side of the roadway. Riders could 1897. The electric street railway began at buy 25 tickets for one dollar, and according the CPR crossing and by 1909 service had to the company's franchise there were to be reached Sutton. a minimum of four round trips a day. The carhouse, shops and yards for the In 1889, the company decided to elec­ suburban and interurban systems were trify its streetcars. The first electric car ser­ located on the west side of Yonge Street, vice began on September 2, 1890, but was south of St. Clair Avenue. They replaced the soon withdrawn due to technical difficul­ original Cemetery Hill facility, and were ties, and the horsecars were reinstated. The enlarged in 1910. In 1920, the Toronto

36 Transportation Commission was established became seven badminton courts, and the to provide public transit for the city, and the marshalling yards were transformed into Deer Park property·had to be vacated by the four clay tennis courts. The old machine Toronto and York Radial Railway. Three shops were changed into squash courts and years later, the T&YRR offered the property clubhouse facilities. Since 1924, the club and buildings for sale. has had some alterations, some major con­ The newly-formed Badminton and struction, and a tennis bubble added. Racquet Club of Toronto purchased part of During one construction period, a section of the site and the buildings in 1924. The club railway track from the marshalling yards sold the Yonge Street frontage -access to the was uncovered. The metal pieces were club is now by a private driveway from St. forged into fire irons for the fireplace in the Clair Avenue West - and converted the lounge. buildings for racquet sports. The barn

Badminton and Racquet Club of Toronto, 1925

37 Deer Park Branch, Toronto Public library, 1952

DEER PARK BRANCH, stock. Deer Park Public Ubrary was original· TORONTO PUBLIC LIBRARY ly a subscription library. Adults paid 50 cents 40 ST. CLAIR AVENUE EAST per year and the children's fee was 25 cents. Northeast comer of Alvin Avenue After annexation, the grants ceased, and Beck & Eadie, 1952. in 1910 Thomson was moved to the new Brown School. The library situation was his is the fifth home of public library ser­ acute: no funds and no librarian. Thomson Tvices at Deer Park. The first library approached the Toronto Public Ubrary's opened in 1906, mainly through the efforts chief librarian to apprise him of the situa­ of three local citizens. Edwin Grainger, a tion. George Locke, who lived on De Lisle Yonge Street florist, acted on behalf of the Avenue, went to the school and found that reSidents, who had expressed interest in the library had an excellent collection and having a public library from the early 1900s. most of the books were in good condition. Thomas Gibson, Deputy Commissioner of The residents asked the Toronto Public Mines for the Ontario government, gave his Library Board to establish a branch library, support on the legislative level and ensured and on January 27, 19[.1 the Deer Park that all the requirements of the Public Branch of the Toronto Public Library was Ubrary Act were met. William J. Thomson, opened at 1524 Yonge Street, between De principal of Deer Park School, arranged to Lisle Avenue and Heath Street West. For the house the new library in his school, which next four decades, Deer Park was a store­ had been enlarged in 1904. He also acted as front library operation. In 1915 it was the librarian and book selector, using grants moved to larger quarters at 2-4 St. Clair from the province and the County of York to Avenue West. The branch was so well purchase books. patronized that the Board had to relocate it At the time Deer Park was annexed to in 1919 to 5-9 St. Clair Avenue East, the City in 1908, there were 1,200 books in between Tamblyn Drug Store at the south-

38 east comer of Yonge Street and Tamblyn Through the years, the residents regular­ Lane. ly sent deputations and petitions asking the During the Depression, the City cut Board for a permanent library. But it was back library grants. In 1933, the Toronto not until 1952, after 41 years in rented, Public Library Board reluctantly decided to makeshift quarters, that a library was close the Deer Park Branch, targeted housed in a Board-owned building. On because it was in rented premises. The Monday, June 2, 1952, the new Deer Park Board was quite unprepared for the storm of Library was officially opened by an area res­ protest when the news broke. Never before ident, Mayor Allan Lamport. Among those had it been so inunda~d by petitions, in attendance was William J. Thomson's protests and deputations. The Board found daughter, Jean, who was then head of the other ways to economize and Deer Park Boys and Girls Division of the Toronto stayed open! Public Library.

William J. Thomson, his wife Hermie Annie, their son Grant and daughter Jean, c.1910

39 St.Clair Avenue, looking east to Inglewood Drive, showing the new bridge under construction and the 1890 iron bridge, November 3, 1924

ST. CLAIR BRIDGE The St. Clair Bridge was one of a series ST. CLAIR AVENUE EAST, FROH AVOCA AVENUE TO of bridges constructed by the City of INGLEWOOD DRIVE, OVER THE VALE OF AVOCA. Toronto when R. C. Harris was commis· City of Toronto Department of Public Wooo, 1924. sioner of public works. They all used steel Renovated 1985. for the major span and concrete for abut· ments and piers. he St. Clair Bridge connects Deer Park The St. Clair Bridge replaced "the ele· Tand Moore Park, the neighbourhood to gant high·level steel viaduct"'O built by the the east. It spans the section of the Rosedale Dominion Bridge Company and completed Ravine, 90 feet below, known by the in 1890. Its western end began at Avoca romantic name of Vale of Avoca. The bridge Avenue and Pleasant Avenue (renamed is approximately 500 feet long; originally it Pleasant Boulevard in 1912). From there it was 64 feet wide, but, when the bridge was angled to just west of Grace Terrace renovated in 1985, the road allowance was (renamed Inglewood Drive in 1915) and cut reduced and lookouts were created. into St. Clair Avenue. The old bridge had a Originally, elegant light standards ran wooden plank sidewalk on the south side, along the centre of the roadway; they were Lambeth lamps to illuminate it at night, and topped with decorative cross bars which sup­ wrought iron railings on the sides. ported the overhead wires for the St. Clair After the new bridge opened, late in streetcars. At that time, streetcar service along 1924, the old steel bridge was demolished, St. Clair Avenue continued east of Yonge starting from the Moore Park side. The Street to Mount Pleasant Road and north to wrought iron railings were reused in the , beginning on November 3, fence built along the east side of Avoca 1925. The old Moore Park loop is now the Avenue. site of the Loring-Wyle parkette. It was through the efforts of John T.

40 Moore that the steel bridge was built, as roundings, and commanding vistas over val· well as a wooden bridge constructed in ley, hill and lake will yield perpetual plea· 1891 on Moore Avenue east of Spring sure."1 7 He realized that to attract buyers, Avenue (now Hudson Drive). Moore was transportation facilities were needed, so he the owner and developer of the property not only had bridges built but was instru· from the Vale of Avoca east to Spring Valley mental in the establishment of a railway to Ravine. He wanted to develop Moore Park, the area. (See site 27.) Moore Park remains which he named for himself, to be an area true to the vision of its creator, and one hun· "wheron taste and wealth may rear palatial dred years later it continues to be a fine res· mansions · beautiful in their immediate sur· idential district.

New St. Clair Bridge, south elevation, looking east to Inglewood Drive from Avoca Avenue, January 9, 1925.

Demolition of old St. Clair Bridge, December 16, 1924.

41 Deer Park School, 1920

DEER PARK JUNIOR AND SENIOR SCHOOL principal in August 1889, and Deer Park 23 FERNDALE AVENUE School (School Section 10) opened for class­ Pendand and Baker, 1961. es the following month. Northern Addition, 1971. The school was enlarged to a two-storey, five-room building in 1904 to accommodate A Ithough this building was only con­ the increased enrollment, and was further ./"\structed in 1961, there has been a pub­ expanded in 1913-14. In 1908, Deer Park lic school at Deer Park since 1889. In the was annexed to Toronto and Deer Park 1880s, Deer Park was a growing communi­ School was taken over by the Toronto Board ty, and needed a public school. There had of Education. been a separate school in the area since the In January 1940, the Toronto Board of 1850s, when St Charles School was estab­ Education voted to close three schools; one lished on the west side of Yonge Street, just of them was Deer Park School. The ratepay­ south of today's St Clair Avenue, in front of ers took immediate steps and gathered 341 St Michael's Cemetery. (See site 12.) But signatures on a petition which they present­ local non-Catholic children had to travel to ed to the Board. Several other groups and Yorkville or Davisville for school. At the urg­ organizations in the area supported the ing of local residents, York Township ratepayers and sent petitions. The uncer­ Council agreed to erect a school in Deer tainty of the school's existence went on for Park. The process for acquiring the land and over a year. During that time numerous planning the school began in 1888. A site votes, for and against, were taken. Finally, was purchased on the north side of today's on March 6, 1941, by a vote of eight to five , St Clair Avenue East, just east of the pre­ the Board decided to keep Deer Park School sent-day Ferndale Avenue. Mancel Willmot, open. the architect for Cottingham School (1877) Around 1958 the Board announced that in Yorkville, was chosen to design the new Deer Park would become a composite school, and tenders for a two-room school school and a new building would be erect­ were called in February 1889. William ed on Ferndale Avenue, north of St Clair, James Thomson was appointed as the first with property extending north to Heath

42 Street East. It would continue to serve as a schools. The new Deer Park Junior and junior school for neighbourhood children, Senior School was opened in March 1961. and would become the senior school for Shortly afterwards, the old school was grade seven and eight students at Deer demolished and an apartment building was Park, Whitney, Brown and Rosedale erected on the site.

St. Charles Separate School, Deer Park, 1912

43 Calvin Presbyterian Church, October 10, 1990 CALVIN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Road was used. The congregation was for­ 26 DE LISLE AVENUE mally recognized by the Toronto Presbytery Wickson & Gregg, 1926. on June 29, 1925 as The Hill District Presbyterian Church. Reverend Joseph "on De lisle Avenue is a jewel·box of a Wassman of Northern Ireland was given the church called Calvin Presbyterian", call to be the first minister on November 23, the Toronto Telegram enthused on July 4, 1925. 1944. Wickson & Gregg incorporated sever· On March 9, 1926, the congregation al Neo·Classical features in this beautiful approved the purchase of a site for a perma­ stone church. Modified Ionic columns sup· nent church building - two adjoining prop­ port twin spires. The pedimented central erties, each with a house, on the north side entrance, set in a portico, is flanked by side of De lisle Avenue. The smaller house at entrances with transoms in a scallop motif. no. 26 was demolished. The house at no. The architects designed other notable local 24 became the manse, but since 1970, it buildings: Memorial Church has been used as a group home by Delisle on St. Clair Avenue West (1909·14) and Youth Services. The total cost of the land, John Eaton's house, (1909·11, the church, the Sunday school and the demolished), on the east side of Walmer manse was $225,000. The church was ded­ Road, south of St. Clair Avenue West. icated on Friday, September 23, 1927, and Calvin Presbyterian Church was found· the first service was held on Sunday, ed in 1925 by a minority group from Deer September 25, 1927. Park and Avenue Road Presbyterian church­ Calvin Presbyterian Church is still a es, who preferred not to join the new jewel-box, both inside and out. In 1971, the United Church of Canada. On January 18, Founder's Chapel was dedicated in the west 1925, the group met as a worshipping body bay of the transept. It includes a beautiful at the Queen's Royal Theatre on the west stained glass window. The church was list­ side of Yonge Street, north of St. Clair ed in the Toronto Historical Board's first Avenue. (See site 20.) Later, the kinder­ Inventory of Heritage Properties, adopted garten room at Brown School on Avenue by City Council on June 20, 1973.

44 M C> ;;; ~ ~ ~ ;:\ B" s "' ~ ~ 8 u"' ."§ Hollywood Theatre, 1931 i ~ HOllYWOOD THEATRE .~ nJ ., 1517 YONGE STREET u H. G. Duerr, 1930. Queen's Royal Theatre, 192-?

Wt;en the Hollywood Theatre opened in ond auditorium_ 1930, it was one of the first motion Before the Hollywood opened, a smaller picture theatres in Canada to be designed for theatre was located in Deer Park on the west sound films _ "Canadian acoustic engineers side of Yonge Street, between St Clair and consider that it offers an example of excep- De lisle, by 1917_Known first as George L. tionally good acoustics and that conditions Thompson's Amusements, it was called the there are superior to those encountered in Queen's Royal Theatre in the Toronto City much larger and more costly theatres of the Directory of 192 L The Queen's Royal pre-sound era, elsewhere," Construction Theatre closed in 1931, and reopened the noted in March 193 L "As such, it has following year with a new name, the Beverly attracted wide attention in purely theatrical Theatre_ The name was changed again in circles_ "18 "Talkies" were introduced with 1942 to the Kent Theatre, by which it was The jazz Singer, released in October 1927_ called until closing in the early 1960s. Theatre managers soon became convinced Through the years, the upper floor of the that sound movies were not a fad, and theatre housed the Deer Park Branch of acoustics began to play an important role in Shaw's Secretarial School. The building was theatre design and construction. One of demolished to make way for a new develop- Canada's leading authorities on acoustics, ment started in August 1963: the Proctor Professor G.R. Anderson of the University of and Gamble Building, at the northwest cor- Toronto, assisted the architect of the ner of Yonge Street and St Clair Avenue. Hollywood Theatre. The third theatre to be located in the dis- The Hollywood Theatre also attracted trict was the Odeon Hyland, opened as a sin- wide attention for its elegant decor and fur- gle auditorium theatre in 1948. Sometime nishings, and again in 1947, when it became before the 1970s, it became a dual auditori- a dual auditorium theatre, then a new con- um theatre. It is now called Cineplex Odeon cept in theatre design. The parking lot beside Hyland, and was renovated in 1996. the Hollywood became the site of the sec-

45 THE HEATHS OF DEER PARK AND HEATH STREET RESIDENCES 1

eer Park was originally the estate of the DHeath family. On January 31, 1837, Agnes Heath paid £1050 for the southeast forty acres of Lot 21 in Concession 3 from the Bay. The property extended from Yonge Street west to the present Oriole Road, and ran north of the Third Concession Road (St. Clair Avenue) to a line between today's Oriole Gardens and Lonsdale Road. Mrs. Heath was the former Agnes Wallace of Arbroath, Scotland, the widow of Charles Heath. Her husband was with the Honourable East India Company Service. He was also Brigadier General of the Madras Presidency, and died in camp in 1818 while engaged in active service during the Deccan War. In the absence of a chap· Charles Wallace Heath, c.1835 lain, the 30· year-old Mrs. Heath read the burial service for her husband. Their chil­ the first properties in the area to be subdi­ dren, Charles Wallace, Elizabeth Wallace vided into building lots. On May 23, 1846, and Emily Mary, were born in India. After a few years after she had moved to Cobourg Colonel Heath's death, the family went to with her daughters, Agnes Heath sold all Switzerland, then to , where the chil­ forty acres to her son. Within weeks, on July dren were educated. 16, 1846, Charles Wallis [sic] Heath had the In 1836, the Heaths emigrated to Upper Deer Park property surveyed and subdivid­ Canada. The following year, Mrs. Heath built ed into 33 lots. By the time Plan 20 was reg­ a house near the west side of Yonge Street, istered on September 17, 1850, many of the south of present-day Heath Street. Mrs. lots had been sold, including the northerly Heath called the estate Deer Park. For years, five along Yonge Street to Colonel Carthew. deer had roamed through the area: they were (See site 23, Lawton Park.) quite tame and Charles Heath kept a herd of Heath continued to have an interest in deer on their land. The Heath home became the Deer Park property until 1874. In that a well-known landmark, and the family trav­ year, the lots south of Lawton Park to St. elled in the city's best social circles. Clair Avenue were further divided by Charles and Emily married into the Weymouth G. Schreiber, the new owner. Boulton family of The Grange. Emily moved Plan 365 laid out 52 large building lots and to Cobourg, Ont. with her husband, Darcy three streets: De Lisle and Heath streets par­ Edward Boulton (he was mayor of Cobourg allel to St. Clair, and Marlborough Crescent, at one time), to a Regency-style villa called a curved street, parallel to Yonge. The Lawn. Mrs. Heath and her elder daugh­ De Lisle Avenue was named for Harriet ter, who never married, also relocated to De Lisle, Schreiber's wife. Marlborough Cobourg, where in 1844 Mrs. Heath built a Crescent was renamed Deer Park Crescent stately home which she called Heathcote. in 1909, after Deer Park was annexed to Charles trained as a lawyer and remained in the City. Heath Street links the three origi­ Toronto with his wife, Sarah Anne Boulton. nal districts, College Heights, Deer Park and The Heath estate, Deer Park, was one of Moore Park.

46 37-41 Heath Street West, March 14, 1996

ORIGINALLY ALFRED HOSKIN HOUSE 42 HEATH STREET WEST 37-41 HEATH STREET WEST 1880 his house gained nationwide notoriety Alteration and addition by Gabor and Popper, 1983. Twhen Edwin Boyd, Canada's most egre­ gious bandit and leader of "The Boyd Gang," he eastern two units in this building -37 was captured here after a stakeout. Sergeant Tto 39 Heath Street - date back to 1880, Adolphus ("Dolph") Payne of the Toronto when it was the first house to be built on police force made the arrest around 6:00 the south side of Heath Street between a.m. on March 15, 1952. The front pages of Yonge Street and Avenue Road. The west­ the major newspapers across Canada ernmost part - 41 Heath - was added in showed photographs of Boyd, always noted 1983, but has been designed so cleverly for his sartorial elegance, wearing a dapper that it appears to be part of the original sports jacket and grey slacks, and being building. escorted from the house by Payne and The three-storey brick house was first Mayor Allan Lamport. There were many owned by Alfred Hoskin, a barrister. The photographs of Heath Street, and the entrance to Hoskin's house is today's 37 Toronto Star even published aerial views of Heath Street. The stately old home eventu­ the scene of the arrest. ally deteriorated into a sixteen-unit rooming house. In the early 1980s, architects Peter 50 HEATH STREET WEST Gabor and George Popper restored much of Northeast comer of Bryce Avenue the original grandeur, and were given an 1923. Ontario Renews Award for the project in 1983 in the category of single to multiple­ his one-storey white house is an excel­ family renovations. Tlent example of the influence that The facade has several interesting archi­ American architect Frank lloyd Wright had tectural details: gargoyle plaques applied to on builders from about 1910 to 1930. "The the eave brackets, basket weave treatment emphasis on geometry, with flat roof, deep of the bricks in the gables, and etched glass eaves with square cornice, grouping of case­ in the transoms, doors and sidelights at no. ment windows and strong corner piers, is 39. very characteristic of the Ontario Prairie

47 50 Heath Street West, 1990.

style, " 19 commented architectural historian, John Blurnenson. The turned square-on- square motifs on each corner pier are also Prairie features. The house was listed on The City of Toronto's Inventory of Heritage Properties on AU'E}1st 18, 1976. S!."" 55 Heath Street West, March 14, 1996 ORIGINALLY JOHN WILLIS HOUSE 0 55 HEATH STREET WEST stone and the dormer windows are deeply 1888. browed. The windows are square headed with one exception. There is an arched cen- ThiS Victorian three-storey house has a tre window in the upper bay. The arch fea- steeply pitched roof on the west side, ture has also been carried out in the brick- broken by an eyebrow dormer window. The work above a western window on the first eastern half has a two-storey bay, separated storey. Of note is the verandah above the by a wooden scrollwork frieze, and an bay, with its elegant supporting brackets. arched sleeping porch above, set in a gabled tower. The verandah is uncovered on the eastern half; the western side is covered by the sloping roof line and is supported by five wooden corner posts. The transoms in the lower bay have stained glass, possibly the work of the first owner, John Willis, who was a stained glass manufacturer. The house was listed in The City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties on June 9, 1976 for its architectural importance. Unfortunately the name of the architect is not known.

ORIGINALLY JAMES HOBBS HOUSE 0 103 HEATH STREET WEST c.l892.

ThiS three-storey red-brick Victorian townhouse has several interesting fea- S!."" tures. The sills and lintels are of dressed 103 Heath Street West, March 14, 1996

48 Yorkminster Baptist Church, 1928

YORKMINSTER PARK BAPTIST CHURCH standard of preaching and the distinguished 1585 YONGE STREET quality of its music, initiated by D'Alton Northeast (orner of Heath Street Mclaughlin, organist for 43 years until 1962. George, 1100rhouse & King, 1926-28. The church's fine organ, built by Casavant Freres of St. Hyacinthe, , was installed orkminster Park is Canada's largest in 1928. Rebuilt in 1965, and added to over YBaptist church, with seating for 1,200 the years, it now consists of 77 stops and people in the main sanctuary and accom­ 5,328 pipes. Weekly noon hour recitals and modation for another 500 in the transept concerts by many world-renowned organ­ and galleries. The immense nave - 55 feet ists have made Yorkminster Park one of the unobstructed by columns - is achieved by a leading organ recital halls in Canada. steel trussed roof structure. The length from The Yorkminster congregation is older the west wall to the chancel steps is 158 than this church building. Its history goes feet and the crossing measures 107 feet. back more than 125 years to March 1870 The church is constructed of Owen Sound when a Sunday school was opened in a rubble stone walls, and Indiana variegated room on Yorkville Avenue. In 1871, limestone was used for the piers, arches and Yorkville Baptist Church was organized, traceried windows in the aisles, nave and with a chapel on Scollard Street. A new transepts. It is in the Gothic Revival-style. church was built in 1884 at the corner of Yorkminster Park was named for the what are now Bay and Bloor streets. Later famous English cathedral (as well as the the congregation moved to the former Toronto church's beginnings in the Yorkville Central Methodist Church on Bloor Street. area), and a piece of carved stone from York The Uptown Theatre was also used for Minster is mounted on the entrance wall to Sunday evening services, sometimes attract­ the tower of the church. A brass plaque ing 3,000 persons, many of whom were below reads: "This stone for more than five young people and students. hundred years formed a part of one of the In the 1920s, the congregation decided mullions of the clerestory windows of York to move and erect a new church in what Minster, the great cathedral founded at was then the growing ' residential area of York, England, in 927 A.D., and was pre­ Deer Park. They bought property on Yonge sented to this church by the Dean of the Street at the northeast corner of Heath . ancient Minster." Street, where Glen House, the mansion of Yorkminster Park is known for its high coal merchant Elias Rogers had stood. The

49 cornerstone for the new church was laid on sanctuary. Park Road Church considered April 30, 1927. The following year, on two options: to renovate or to join with March 25, 1928, the magnificent sanctuary Yorkminster. They chose to join, and the was formally opened and dedicated as Deer Park church became Yorkminster Park Yorkminster Baptist Church. Baptist Church. The church was refur· In 1961 a fire at the Park Road Baptist bished in 1967, and the south transept was Church, located at Park Road and Asquith converted to the Centennial Chapel, Avenue, destroyed a large part of the church designed by Brown Brisley and Brown, house and caused minor damage to the Architects, Toronto.

Residence of John Fisken Esq. Deer Park, Toronto, c.1878 Buildings from left· Lawton Park; Christ Church, Deer Park; Glen House; (Elias Rogers Home) .

50 Lawton Park at the marriage of Bella Fisken and George H. Wilkes, c.1890

LAWTON PARK the site of today's Christ Church, Deer Henry Bowyer Lane and John George Howard, 1848. Park. (See site 24) Demolished 1935. The grounds of Lawton Park were beau­ tifully landscaped in the English style, with n 1847, Colonel Arthur Carthew, a half­ lawns, trees and shrubbery_ Pipes lay under Ipay officer of Cornish descent, bought six the grass for summer watering, and a large acres at the north end of the Heath estate. greenhouse provided fresh flowers for the Henry Bowyer Lane was commissioned to house throughout the year_ Mrs. Fisken was design a house, but after he abruptly very generous in offering the grounds for returned to England, John George Howard parties sponsored by various area churches. was called in to revise and complete the John Fisken died in 1890. plans_ A handsome, substantial two-storey The house and property were sold to house was built, with white-brick walls, 18- John Palmer in 1904. Palmer changed the inches thick, and a stone foundation two­ name to Huntly Lodge, for Huntly, Scotland, and-a-half feet thick. Carthew named it the birthplace of his father-in-law, William Lawton Park, but never lived there. Christie (of biscuit fame). The Palmers In 1848, Carthew sold the unoccupied made extensive alterations, added a wing house and property to John Fisken, a young and built a large ballroom. Huntly Lodge businessman who later was a founder of was demolished in 1935. A short street, the Imperial Bank. The Fiskens liked the Mallory Gardens, was opened on the prop­ name of the estate and continued to use it; erty, and apartment buildings were erected later, one of their grandsons was named there, on the site of the old house. The old Lawton_ The house stood back from Yonge estate has been commemorated in the street Street, and was reached by way of a circu­ name, Lawton Boulevard_ lar drive from a gatehouse which was on

51 Christ Church, Deer Park, Gore Lot, c.1895 CHRIST CHURCH, DEER PARK is through a quaint little porch, but a ., 1570 YONGE STREET very pretty one. The building is solidly Northwest comer of Heath Street erected, of timber, and internally is George, Moorhouse & King, 1922-23. neat, c07:'l, and artistic in its decora­ tions. The ceiling is open timber work his beautiful stone, Gothic-style church is with five neat blue gasaliers pendant Tthe third building to be erected for the therefrom. The walls are wainscotted Christ Church parish. The first, a frame struc­ and the pine seats are cushioned.20 ture, was designed by Smith and Gemmell in When the parish grew, a larger brick church 1870. It was located on the gore lot, the tri­ was erected on the gore lot and opened in June angular strip of land between Lawton 1910. The old frame church was moved on Avenue (now Boulevard) and Yonge Street. In 1881, a board-and-batten church school­ rollers along Lonsdale Road to Russell Hill Road, and became Grace Church on-the-Hill. The house was built behind the original church. schoolhouse was sold to Century Baptist Robertson's Landmarks of Toronto described Church and moved to 110 Glenrose Avenue. the church and its setting in 1904: Baptists used it until 1920 when sculptors On a commanding site overlooking the Frances Loring and Aorence Wyle bought the city, and even with a glimpse of the building for a studio and residence. (One of blue waters of the lake in the far dis­ Wyle's sculptures, Mother and Child (1947), tance, stands Christ Church, Deer stands at the entrance to the Canadian Park. .. The gore fonned by Yonge Mothercraft Society at 32 Heath Street West) Street on the east and Lawton Avenue In 1923, Christ Church relocated to the on the west is filled with fine trees that, northwest comer of Yonge and Heath, on prop­ in summer time, hide all of the church erty purchased from John Palmer of Huntly from the south save the little belfry giv­ Lodge. (See site 23, Lawton Park.) The comer· ing notice of the building beneath. The stone for the new church was laid on June 17, property is surrounded by a picket 1922, and the opening service was held on fence, and the entrance to the church Easter Sunday, April 1, 1923.

52 Lawton Loop of Toronto Transportation Commission, , May 1923

A ORIGINALLY LAWTON LOOP OF THE opened in 1954. One time, the Lawton W TORONTO TRANSPORTATION Loop was used to house a subway car. On COMMISSION the night of September 14, 1953, when Yonge Street, west side, east of Lawton Boulevard one of the original new subway cars was Operated 1922-54. being returned from being displayed at the Canadian National Exhibition, it had to be n 1922-the City wanted to expropriate parked in the loop due to difficulties in get· Ithe gore lot to make a short turn loop for ting to the Davisville yard at Yonge Street. the Yonge Street streetcars. Christ Church, The Lawton Loop has been made into a Deer Park agreed and received $92,000 for parkette, but its old stone retaining wall the land. The Toronto Transportation (later remains, a reminder of the place where, Transit) Commission used the Lawton for 32 years, the streetcars turned to travel Loop until the Yonge Street subway down Yonge Street.

53 Mount Pleasant Cemetery, c. 1902 Field Cemetery or Strangers Burial Ground ), MOUNT PLEASANT CEMETERY located at the northwest corner of Yonge 1643 YONGE STREET and Bloor streets, had closed in 1855. Its Henry A. Engelhardt, 1874. replacement, the Toronto Necropolis, had been established by the Trust in 1850, but it ount Pleasant Cemetery dates back to was only 18.25 acres and was quickly filling MOctober 20, 1873 when the Toronto up_ General Burying Ground Trust paid In 1874, Henry A. Engelhardt was hired $20,000 for Lot 19, Concession 3 from the tp layout and design 53 acres of the new Bay, a 200-acre property stretching between cemetery, at the Yonge Street side of the Yonge Street and today's Bayview Avenue, property_ Engelhardt, originally from north of the present Glen Elm and Moore Germany, had trained as a civil engineer avenues to south of Merton Street. (It is the and was a keen horticulturalist. In 1872, he only original 200-acre lot still intact in the wrote a book on ornamental gardening, The area.) Toronto needed a new cemetary. The beauties of nature combined with art, city's first non-sectarian cemetery, York which included a chapter on cemetery Burying Ground (also known as Potter's beautification. Under Engelhardt's supervi-

54 sion, walks and drives were laid out, fences Lyon Mackenzie King. The Toronto and bridges built, and a large vault erected. Historical Board has listed several tombs An 1885 publication noted that Mount and mausoleums on its inventory of her· Pleasant Cemetery "is beautifully situated itage properties, such as the Cemetery and very tastefully laid out in accordance Mausoleum (Darling & Pearson), the with the modem idea that the last resting· Massey Mausoleum (E. J. Lennox, 1894), place of those we have loved and lost should and the Northrop Gooderham Tomb (David be made attractive and cheerful in its sur· Roberts). roundings, instead of sombre and repel· The cemetery has one of the finest tree lant."21 ' collections in North America, and is a well· The first burial was that of Marion known arboretum. For a full tour, see Mike Martin on March 13, 1876. Between 1876 Filey's book, Mount Pleasant Cemetery; an and 1881, 364 bodies from Potter's Field illustrated guide (1990). ' Cemetery were reburied at Mount Pleasant Originally the western boundary was on Cemetery. (The Necropolis had 981 of the what is now the west side of Yonge Street. reburials.) A plaque in the Mount Pleasant In 1922 the Trustees sold a narrow 2.5 acre Cemetery marks The Resting Place of strip to the City. In 1933, a little park was Pioneers (Section K). created and became the Alexander Muir Over the years, many important Memorial Gardens, named for the Toronto Torontonians and distinguished Canadians teacher famous for writing the national have been buried at Mount Pleasant song, The Maple Leaf Forever (1867). Cemetery including Sir Frederick Banting Because the park lay in the path of the and Dr. Charles Best, co·discoverers of Yonge Street subway, the Toronto insulin; Dr. Alan Brown, the Pablum doctor, Transportation Commission relocated it to hockey great Charlie Conacher, sportscaster the southeast comer of Yonge Street and St. Foster Hewitt, and Prime Minister William Edmunds Drive, 1951·2.

Gates to Alexander Muir Memorial Gardens, Yonge Street, west side, opposite Mount Pleasant Cemetery, October 1935

55 Toronto Belt Line Railway Bridge, later Canadian National Railway Bridge, May 6, 1915

TORONTO BELT LINE RAILWAY BRIDGE, line east from Union Station along the LATER CANADIAN NATIONAL RAILWAY waterfront and then branched north nearly BRIDGE 2 miles up the west bank of the Yonge Street, south of Merton Street Valley. Then it left the river to pass through c.1891. the picturesque Spring Valley Ravine to the Moore Park Station, south of today's Moore his bridge is a remnant of the Toronto Avenue. TBelt Une Railway, described by an edi· The Belt Une Railway station buildings torial writer many years ago as, "one of the were identical, but of two sizes. Moore Park most remarkable instances of over·optimism followed the large plan, but with added in the history of Ontario railroading. It had embellishments for which John T. Moore little trains running no place with no one. " 22 paid about $300. Moore was the vice·presi· However, when the idea was conceived in dent of the Toronto Belt Une Railway and the 1880s, Toronto was booming and there managing director of the Toronto Belt Land was much real estate speculation in the sub· Corporation. The Recorderof]uly 16, 1891 urbs. noted that, "An exceptional amount of A group of prominent city businessmen "tone", however, will be put on by the sta· and suburban landowners incorporated the tion at Moore Park, as Mr. J. T. Moore has Toronto Belt Land Corporation, Limited, on arranged that the structure adjacent to his July 16, 1889 to subdivide and sell building fine property shall be completed in a more lots in outlying areas. They also incorporat· ornate style than the rest, in conformity ed the Toronto Belt Une Railway Company with his own notions of good taste. "23 on March 23, 1889 to build a steam railway After leaving the Moore Park Station, line around the outskirts of Toronto, to trains angled northwest through Mount attract buyers to the properties. Pleasant Cemetery to Merton Street. Two loops encircled the city. The Yonge Permission to use the cemetery property Street (eastern) loop followed the main GTR was only reached after lengthy negotiations

56 On the Toronto Belt line Railway; at Yonge Street, looking north; Upper Canada College, from the north, 1891 ( with the cemetery board and lot owners. vice was abruptly terminated on November Between today's Mount Pleasant Road and 17, 1894. The tracks in Spring Valley and Yonge street, the line ran just north of the the cemetery were removed for use in the cemetery. The next stop, Yonge Street (the First Word War. largest station), was on the east side of The Grand Trunk went bankrupt in Yonge Street at Merton Street, where 1923, and what remained of the old Belt Milnes Fuel Oil Limited is now located. Line became part of the Canadian National Trains then crossed over Yonge Street on Railways. They operated freight service a bridge, stopping next at the Upper Canada from west of Mount Pleasant Road to the College Station, located north of the west side of Marlee Avenue until 1970 College's new grounds. When UCC formal· when all the remaining tracks were ly opened on October 14, 1891 the Belt removed (due to construction of the Allen Line, although not yet open, ran a special Road). train service for about 200 guests. Next was In 1988, after stonewalling for three Eglinton, on the south side of Eglinton years, the CNR finally sold the Belt Line Avenue (under the bridge crossing) east of property to the City. In May 1987, plans Spadina Road. The final stop in this area was were unveiled for a park from Forest Hill to the Forest Hill Station, located at present­ Rosedale. The big obstacle to having a con­ day Bathurst Street and Eglinton Avenue. tinuous linear park was the bridge over While the Belt Line was being built, the Yonge Street, which had been closed since land boom broke and the Corporation the 1960s. But, after a year of renovations, declared bankruptcy. The line was taken the Belt Line Bridge officially reopened as a over by the Grand Trunk Railway and pedestrian and cyclist bridge on December opened on July 30, 1892. A fare of five 4, 1993, and the east and west sides of the cents was charged at each stop which was park were joined. From June 1994 to April expensive even for the affluent suburban­ 1996, the bridge had a special display of 12 ites. After the novelty of Sunday rides wore life-size black silhouettes of horses, the off and local use diminished, passenger ser- work of Toronto artist Robert Splachman.

57 NOTES

Overview 9. Liane Heller, Toronto Star, 16 June 1982. 1. These boundaries were established by the City Of Toronto Planning Board, Deer Park 10. Edith G. Firth, Toronto in art; 150 years planning district appraisal (Toronto, 1960). through artists' eyes, (Toronto: Fitzhenry and Whiteside in cooperation with the City 2. Henry Scadding, Toronto oj old. Abridged of Toronto, 1983), 58. and edited by F. H. Armstrong, (Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1966), 309·10. II. Robertson's Landmarks oj Toronto, (Toronto: J. Ross Robertson, 1908), 5: 358. 3. Jay Myers, The Great Canadian road; a history oj Yonge Street, (Toronto: Red Rock 12. Toronto Star, 27 May 1961. Publishing, 1977), 39. 13. Leslie Maitland, The Oueen Anne Revival 4. Scadding, Toronto oj old, 308. style in Canadian architecture (Ottawa: National historic Parks and Sites, Parks 5. Ibid, 307 passim. Services, 1990), 6. Recorder, 28 May 1891,2. 14. A Ouiet gentle surprise, (Toronto: Toronto 7. City of Toronto Planning Board, Plan jor Catholic Trust Cemeteries Association, Deer Park, (Toronto, 1961), 3 passim. 1980),26. 8. Colin Vaughn and Anabel Slaight, "Along the 15. Ibid, 16. Escarpment", in Exploring Toronto. 16. Recorder, 3 December, 1891. (Toronto: Toronto Chapter of Architects in affiliation with Architectural Canada, 1972), 17. Highlands oj Toronto, illustrated. Toronto: lIS. Toronto Belt Land Corporation, 1891, 18.

Sites 18. "Hollywood Theatre," Construction 24 I. William Dendy and William Kilbourn, (March 1931), lOS. Toronto observed; its architecture, patrons, 19. John Blumenson, Ontario architecture: a and history, (Toronto; Oxford University guide to styles and building terms 1784 to Press, 1986), 193. the present, (Toronto: Fitzhenry & 2. Mary Larratt Smith, Young Mr. Smith in Whiteside, 1990), 189. Upper Canada, (Toronto: University of 20. Robertson's Landmarks oj Toronto, Toronto Press, 1980), xii. (Toronto: J. Ross Robertson, 1904), 4: 117.

3. Dictionary oj Canadian Biography. 9: 55-60. 21. History oj Toronto and County oj York 4. Dictionary oj Canadian Biography. II: 617- Ontario, (Toronto: C. Blackett Robinson, 19. 1885), I: 85 5. Guy Saunders, "Woodlawn," York Pioneer 22. Ouoted by William French, A Most unlikely (1972),46. village: an injormal history oj the village oj Forest Hill (Toronto: Printed for the 6. Ibid, 47. Corporation of the Village of Forest Hill by Ryerson Press, 1964),44. 7. "Henry B. Gordon, 96 church figure dies," Toronto Star, 6 March, 1951; "Knox trustee 23. Recorder, 16 July 1891. built missions in China, Korea," Toronto Telegram, 6 March, 1951. 8. Lucy Booth Martyn, Toronto, 100 years oj grandeur: the inside stories oj Toronto's great homes and the people who lived there, (Toronto: Pagurian Press, 1978).

58 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Arthur, Eric. Toronto no mean city. Revised by Kinsella, Joan C. A walking tour of the old Deer Stephen A. Otto. 3rd ed. Toronto: University of Park farm area. Toronto: Deer Park Branch, Toronto Press, 1986. Toronto Public Library, 1984. Berchem, F. R. The Yonge Street story, 1793- Martyn, Lucy Booth. Toronto 100 years of 1860: an account from letters, diaries, and grandeur; the inside stories of Toronto's great newspapers. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, homes and the people who lived there. 1977. Toronto: Pagurian Press, 1878. City of Toronto's inventory of heritage proper Martyn, Lucy Booth. Aristocratic Toronto: 19th ties. Toronto: Toronto Historical Board. 1994. century grandeur; more stories of the fascinat­ ing homes and elegant people of early Dendy William. Lost Toronto; images of the Toronto. Toronto: Gage Publishing, 1980. city's past. Rev. and enlarged ed. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1993. Miles and Co. Illustrated historical atlas of the County of York; selected and reprinted from Dendy William and Kilbourn, William. Toronto the 1878 edition. Toronto: P. Martin observed; its architecture, patrons, and history. Associates, 1969. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1986. Myers, Jay. The Great Canadian road: a history Filey, Mike. Mount Pleasant Cemetary; an illus­ of Yonge Street. Toronto: Red Rock, 1977. trated guide. Willowdale, Ont: Firefly Books, 1990. Robertson, John Ross. Robertson's Landmarks of Toronto. 6 vols. Toronto: J. Ross Robertson, The First fifty: the Badminton and Racquet Club 18941914. of Toronto 19241974; the club, the record, the tradition, the membership. [Toronto, Scad ding, Henry. Toronto of old. Abridged and 1974]. edited by F. H. Armstrong. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1966. Heidenreich, Conrad. Deer Park School: a cen­ tenary celebration 18881988. Toronto: Deer Sherk, Bill. The way we drove: toronto's love Park School Association, 1988. affair with the automobile in stories and pho­ tographs. Toronto: Stoddart, 1993. Highlands of Toronto, illustrated. Toronto: The Directors of the Toronto Belt Land Smith, Mary Larratt. Young Mr. Smith in Upper Corporation, 1891. Canada. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1980. Hoskin, Mary. History of St. Basil's Parish St. Joseph Street. Toronto: Catholic Register and Canadian Extension, 1912. Hood, J. William. The Toronto Civic Railways; an illustrated history. Toronto: Upper Canada Railway Society, 1986. Hutcheson, Stephanie. Yorkville in pictures 18531883. Toronto: Toronto Public Library Board, 1978 Jones, Donald. "Historical Toronto." Toronto Star, 1979-94. Jukes, Mary. New life in old houses. Toronto: Longmans Canada, 1966.

59 Council.()Jfict, Dec. 29, 1798. YONGE­ ST R E E T. OTICE is hereby given to all per. N fons fettled, or aOOQl to fettle QD YONGE·~TREET, and whofe I«ations have not yet been confirmed hyorderof the PR.ESIDENT in council, that before fuch locations can be confirmed it will be. ex­ peaed that the. following CONDITIONS be complied with : . First. That within 1:iJJ.1/lJlIll0s fwg' JM. time they are permitted to occupy their refpeBive lots, they do caUfe to be ereaed thereon. a good iUKl fufficient dwelling houle, ofat leaft 16 feet by 20 in the clear, and do occupy.the fame in Ptr/()II, or by a fubftanttal T mont. Second, !HAT within the fame ~od o( tIme, they ~o clear ~d fence,fiDe acres, of theIr refpealve lots,m a fubfiantial manner. Third, THAT within the fame periQd . of time, they' do open as much of the Yonge.Street road as lies between the front of their lots and the mid. die of faid road, amounting to one acre or thereabouts: JOHN SMALL, c. L c.

60