140 Wellington Street East

While surfing the internet, I happened upon "The Torontoist" web site and found some photos of Toronto that were taken more than 150 years ago.

One picture that showed "The Exchange" on the north side of Wellington, just east of Yonge Street, and adjacent to Leader Lane.

According to the web site, it was damaged by fire in the 1930's, and subsequently demolished during WWII.

 

Courtesy City of Toronto Archives, Fonds, 1498. 

Once I looked carefully at the photo, though, I realized that the building just east of it was somewhat familiar.

Curiousity caused me to crop the picture a little, so that the building at 140 Wellington was showcased a little better.

 

The lettering over the storefronts says "Hutchison & Co." and looks like it still stands today, despite the many fires on Wellington, over the years.

So I surfed over to "Google Maps" and "snipped" this picture, just to prove to myself that, indeed they were the same.

 

 Yep, when compared, they are definitely the same!

  

Queen and Bathurst

This is an old photo from the Toronto Archives of the building at Queen West and Bathurst (651).

It was a United Cigar Store, on the main floor, but according to Doug Taylor's web site (Historic Toronto) it was called the Occidental Building.
Built by none other than E.J. Lennox in 1876 for the Masons. 

The mansard roof disappeared when renovations were done in 1948.
For a while it was an ugly purple coloured bar called The Big Bop.

 

Just recently it was renovated again bringing it back to a better looking site on Queen.

 That's much better, it's hard to imagine that it is the same building.

Queen West

I took this picture in 2009 on Queen West, near Augusta.

It looks like there were two different ghost signs on the east wall of this building, at 541-543 Queen.

 

A little research on the web, produced some interesting points about this neighbourhood.

For instance, according to the Queen Street West BIA, this portion of Queen Street was the first Commercial Heritage Conservation District in Toronto.

The architecture of this four storied building is in the Queen Anne style, as evidenced by the dormers and turrets.

 

Eclecticism, asymmetry, and contrast were hallmarks of this Victorian-Era architectural design. 

One can see the stained glass transoms above the two middle windows on the second floor, as well as the decorated turrets on the top floor.

According to the Wentworth Architect web-site, the Queen Anne look was achieved in a variety of ways, using patterned brick or stone, and sometimes terracotta panels.

Decorative stone panels were frequently set into the wall, as were custom-molded with coloured bricks.

In this picture, you can see a face molded between the third floor windows.

 

More blogging will be forthcoming on architecture, because I find it fascinating! 

Hockey Hall of Fame

Here we have a picture of the Bank of Montreal, taken around 1963 or 4, from the Toronto Archives (the cars parked along Front Street, date the picture).

The building was used by the bank as a head office until 1949, when they moved to a location at King and Bay Streets. After that, it continued as a branch until 1982, when it was closed for the last time.

 

It sat unused until around 1990, when it was renovated, and included in the development of BCE Place (now Brookfield Place).

It was originally intended to be an art gallery, but was secured by the Hockey Hall of Fame. 

In 1993 they moved from the CNE grounds to their new home at Yonge and Front Streets.

Somewhere along the line, the clock (above the main entrance) was removed and never re-installed.

This picture was downloaded from the Torontoist.

I am sure that there have been thousands of folks who have paid the admission price and toured through the building; but how many have stopped just inside the main entrance, and had a good look around?

Here you will find a 70 by 70 foot room that rises to a 45 foot high stained glass dome, that was rendered in the best traditions of classical symbolism.

It is the largest dome of its kind in Toronto, and features 24 (count them) fanned panels, depicting dragons guarding gold from eagles.

The eight circles bear emblems representing the provinces and Canada.

NB: In the late 1800's there was only seven provinces in Canada.

Nico's Fourth

Sunday, March 10 was officially Nico's fourth birthday....but the party was the day before (on the Saturday).

So friends and family gathered in the party room at Michelle and Adam's condo building.

There was lots of space for the kids to run and they seemed to enjoy the freedom to play and colour.

 

There was snacks, cake, ice cream and Nico got some nice presents.

Although she does not look very happy about getting a wrapped gift from Liam Bao.

 

BTW - The white Chinese lucky cat on the table is my gift to  Nico this year.

I generally give the grand nieces and grand nephew books, but this year, Nico really wanted a cat that waves its paw.