TorontoJourney416

✨1971/March 14, 2026 - Looking north up Yonge St from College St/Carlton St, in the Downtown Yonge area of Toronto.

✨The archive photo shows the streetscape over 50 years ago. In the foreground on the left, a CIBC branch is located on the main floor of a building constructed in the early 1890s for the International Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF). Designed by the architects Dick & Wickson, this four-storey landmark incorporates several architectural styles, including Gothic Revival and Chateau elements. The lower floors were used for shops and offices, while Odd Fellows Hall occupied the upper levels. In 1931, the building was modified for the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, and in 1974, it was added to the city’s list of heritage properties.

✨Further down the street is the St. Charles Tavern Clock Tower, which was built in 1871 and originally part of Yonge Street Fire Hall No. 3. The recently restored, heritage-designated clock tower is part of a condo tower called Halo Residences.

✨In the foreground on the right is a retail and office building known as 2 Carlton Street, completed in 1959. In the vintage photo, it features a CAA sign. Just behind this building is the Westbury Hotel, now the Courtyard by Marriott Toronto Downtown.

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Archive Photo Credit: City of Toronto Archives, Ellis Wiley fonds, Fonds 124, File 2, Item 107

✨Circa 1945/February 15, 2026 – Looking northwest towards the corner of Queen St E and Sumach St in the Corktown neighbourhood of Toronto.

✨The archive photo features the Dominion Hotel at 500 Queen St E. Built in the late 1880s, the hotel was originally part of the neighbouring Dominion Brewery, today known as Dominion Square, which was founded by Robert Davies in the 1870s.

✨The Dominion Hotel was designed by architect David Roberts Jr. and was originally four stories tall. A fire damaged the upper part of the building, leading to several changes, including the removal of the top floor.

✨In 2024, ERA Architects completed a redesign of the storefront inspired by the building’s original design. They also rehabilitated the stone and masonry above. Today, the storefront of the heritage-designated building is home to a restaurant.

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Archive Photo Credit: City of Toronto Archives, Alexandra Studio fonds, Fonds 1257, Series 1057, Item 521

✨August 28, 1915/February 15, 2026 – Looking north up Toronto St from King St E, in the St Lawrence neighbourhood of Toronto.

✨The archive photo shows a busy Toronto St with various modes of transportation, including pedestrians, bicycles, horse-drawn wagons, and automobiles—one with right-hand drive and others with the more common left-hand drive.

✨Among the buildings visible, several still stand today. Three notable structures are located on the left side of the images. The first is in the foreground, with a sign for the U.S. Life Insurance Company. Just behind it is a building with columns that originally served as the city’s Seventh Post Office, completed in 1853. In the distance on the left is the tall Excelsior Life Building, which features a sign for Melville Steamship Tickets. There are also a few buildings in the right distance that stand today, including the Consumers Gas buildings.

✨One significant building that no longer exists is the General Post Office, visible in the centre distance of the archive photo, at the top of Toronto St, on Adelaide St E. Completed in 1874, this Second Empire-style gem was designed by architect Henry Langley. Later known as the Adelaide Street Postal Station, it was demolished in the late 1950s and replaced by the present-day Mackenzie Building.

Archive Photo Credit: City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1231, Item 1667 – James Victor Salmon photographer

✨November 24, 1955/March 14, 2026 - Looking southwest along Front St E from Scott St, in the St Lawrence neighbourhood of Toronto.

✨The archive photo shows the buildings that once lined Front St E, between Scott St and Yonge St. Many of these structures dated back to the 19th century and, according to vintage maps, were used as warehouses, factories, and a manufactory in their early years. They were torn down in 1957 to make way for the O’Keefe Centre, which opened in 1960. Today, the performing arts and entertainment venue is known as Meridian Hall.

✨Both photos also show the Dominion Public Building, completed in 1935, in the background on the right.

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Archive Photo Credit: Toronto Public Library Pictures-R-3700 - James Victor Salmon photographer

✨April 1958/February 15, 2026 – Looking northeast towards 508-502 Queen St W, opposite Portland St, in the Queen Street West and Alexandra Park neighbourhoods of Toronto.

✨A few of the establishments in the archive photo, from left to right, include Rubinoff & Sons men’s and women’s clothing (which was later the location of The Velvet Underground and, as of May 2026, is home to HYVE nightclub), Princess Fashion Furs, Hykel Men’s Wear & Shoes, and Haba’s Grill.

Archive Photo Credit: City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 200, Series 372, Sub Series 100, Item 338

✨1972/January 4, 2026 – St Lawrence Centre for the Arts, located at 27 Front St E, east of Yonge St, in the St Lawrence neighbourhood of Toronto.

✨After eight years of planning and construction, the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts officially opened in February 1970. Initially, it was expected to be completed three years earlier as part of Toronto’s contribution to the country’s Centennial celebrations; however, the project faced several delays. Designed in the Brutalist style by the architecture firm Gordon S. Adamson & Associates, it originally featured an 863-seat theatre and a 483-seat town hall auditorium.

✨Today, it houses two auditoriums: the Bluma Appel Theatre and the Jane Mallett Theatre.

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Archive Photo Credit: City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Series 841, File 13, Item 17

✨November 16, 1930/January 4, 2026 – Looking northeast towards the corner of Yonge St and The Esplanade, in the St Lawrence neighbourhood of Toronto.

✨The archive photo shows when the structure was home to the Toronto Wholesale Fruit Market. This building was originally the train shed of the Great Western Railway Station, which was built in 1866 and designed by architect William Storm. It was positioned at an angle to allow trains to enter and exit the mainline and the depot. The structure featured a lunette shape with multiple windows, and the barrel-vaulted roof was covered in tin. The one-storey section of the old train station along The Esplanade initially served as the freight and office area. The building was destroyed by fire in 1952.

✨The present-day photo shows the street today with the L Tower condo at the corner, a portion of Meridian Hall in the background, and in the distance on the right, St Lawrence Market.

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Archive Photo Credit: City of Toronto Archives, Globe and Mail fonds, Fonds 1266, Item 22546

✨March 28, 1949/March 14, 2026 – Looking north up Christie St, from south of Dupont St, in the Christie Pits and Seaton Village neighbourhoods of Toronto.

✨The left side of the archive photo shows the Bank of Montreal in the foreground, with Planters Nut & Chocolate Co. Ltd. behind it. On the right side of the vintage photo, Merrilee’s Home Bakery is visible in the foreground, followed by Top Notch Snack Bar and the Dominion Bank. The building in the background was an Eaton Co. warehouse. Notice the “Military Hospital Zone Slow” sign in the right foreground; it referred to the former Christie Street Hospital, which was located just past the railway bridge, on the west side at 352-390 Christie St.

✨Today, the former bank buildings have been converted into restaurants, while the Planters Peanut factory has been repurposed for office and commercial use.

Archive Photo Credit: City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 200, Series 372, Sub Series 58, Item 1900 - Dept. of Public Works photographs

✨Between 1980-90s/May 3, 2026 – Looking towards the southwest corner of Bellair St and Critchley Ln, just north of Bloor St W in the Yorkville neighbourhood of Toronto.

✨Once home to 4D’s Diner and later Flo’s Diner, the restaurant was demolished in the early 2000s to make way for the present-day mixed-use building. On Flo’s last day at that location in April 2000, the staff celebrated by dressing in 1950s clothing to thank their customers. They relocated to the 2nd floor of 70 Yorkville Ave. Flo’s closed in March 2024.

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Archive Photo Credit: City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 200, Series 1465, File 43, Item 49

✨Between 1885-95/February 15, 2026 – Looking south down Jarvis St, from north of Carlton St, in the Garden District and Church-Wellesley neighbourhood of Toronto.

✨The archive photo shows Jarvis St when it was still a dirt road with horse-drawn wagons. In the distance, a horsecar can be seen heading west on Carlton St.

✨Although over 125 years separate the two photos, a few structures still stand today and appear in both images. That includes Grace Toronto Church, whose steeple is visible on the left, and Jarvis Street Baptist Church, whose steeple appears in the distance. Also, the homes in the right foreground, which were built in the 1860s and 1870s, remain.

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Archive Photo Credit: City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1478, Item 12 - F.W. Micklethwaite photographs