Toronto's first one-way street was Leader Lane, regulated by By-Law No. 4108 on July 2, 1901, due to its narrowness. Originally named Berczy Street, it reflects early traffic regulation efforts amid an increasing vehicle presence. Subsequent decades saw various streets transformed into one-way routes, influencing Toronto's traffic management.| Scenes From Toronto
Note: This article first appeared in Spacing Magazine, Issue 67. It has been reproduced here with permission. When did Toronto become noisy? One indication might come from the reports of Toronto historic newspapers, which were commenting on the apparent noisiness of the city by the 1890s. The wording used by the Toronto Daily Star, the … Continue reading Toronto’s Historical Clamour and The City’s “Anti-Noise” Doctor→| Scenes From Toronto
This is the third article in a series explaining the origins and histories of “Old”-named streets in Toronto. Here is Part I and Part II. You will find an interactive map of the title image here. Old Kingston Road Year rerouted: 1922 Kingston Road once followed a “tortuous” route into the Highland Creek valley, also … Continue reading Even More “Old” Streets of Toronto→| Scenes From Toronto
From the late 19th century to the middle of the 20th century, almost half a dozen waterfront amusement parks entertained Torontonians, offering a lost layer of the city's social life and geography. One of those fun resorts was Scarboro Beach Park, formerly located in the east end of Toronto, on the south side of Queen Street east of Woodbine Avenue. While the story of the park itself is interesting, the evolution of the property it sat on is a story in itself, consisting of at least three maj...| Scenes From Toronto
The article discusses the historical evolution of a pentagonal plot of land in Toronto, originally designated for a market and later used as a city pound and park. The area underwent various transformations, culminating in its redevelopment as the Canary District residential development in the 21st century.| Scenes From Toronto
On September 14, 1878, The Globe reported on “The Great Rainstorm”, a phenomenon that overwhelmed Toronto and the Don River. A view from the Necropolis Bridge, the crossing near the cemetery, described the water swelling gradually in the morning, but overflowing by eight o’clock. By mid-day the bridge had been completely swept away. The river … Continue reading A Quick History of Winchester (Royal) Drive, Toronto→| Scenes From Toronto
In the annals of Lost Toronto, Sayer Street is a very colourful chapter. It is an interesting case if one only starts from the fact that the name only existed for about thirty years and no longer lives on in any capacity. It gets even more intriguing when we consider that the current version of the street is about a third in length of its older self at its longest in history. Finally, it is most fascinating when we learn that its modern geography contains very few remnants of its historic cha...| Scenes From Toronto
Note: This is the second article in a series which aims to describe the 230-year evolution of the Castle Frank area. The first part is available here. “The Sugar Loaf hill stands alone in the Don Valley. It is still covered with woods that join with those of Castle Frank, a quarter of a mile … Continue reading The Evolution of Castle Frank Hill, Toronto→| Scenes From Toronto
Castle Frank is a name steeped in the early beginnings of colonial Toronto. The focus is naturally on the destroyed landmark associated with one of the city's most important political figures. The area surrounding that lost landmark is one of the unique topographies in Toronto and holds some of the most interest hidden histories and geographies the city has to offer, including some of the city's oldest streets.| Scenes From Toronto
In the lost geography of Toronto’s sports history, there are notable sites that have disappeared from the city’s streets. On the east side of the Don River in particular, a group of sites representing three sports — baseball, cricket, and shooting — tell an intriguing tale of late 19th-century and 20th-century sporting in the city. … Continue reading ‘Sports of All Sorts’: A Quick History of Sporting East of The Don River→| Scenes From Toronto