Canadian skylines of the past

[MolsonExport]

Wicked QC shots of auld.

[hipster duck]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Nicholas Spark's house (1829-1954). He bought most of what is now downtown Ottawa in 1823 (roughly Wellington, Slater, Bronson and Nicholas). Some land was sold to Government for the Rideau Canal and other projects, while other lots/buildings were donated, such as a former market building for Ottawa's (or ByTown)

Interesting building. I like simple Georgian architecture like that.

I don't use the words "Toronto" and "historic preservation" in the same sentence without usually adding something negative but, for some miraculous reason, Toronto has managed to save a lot of its Georgian-era architecture in an unadulterated form.

Too many buildings to post pics of, but this wiki list is pretty good. Keep in mind that by 1834 Toronto only had 9,000 people, and only 30,000 by 1850.

I'm not sure about some places in the States along the Ohio river, but Toronto's collection of Georgian, pre-railway era architecture is probably the best for a North American city this far inland. Cities that would have been much bigger and more important like St. Louis, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh do not have similar collections of early 19th century buildings.

By the time you get to architecture circa 1850-1950, of course, major American cities and places like Montreal have more impressive buildings and more of them.

[Franco401]

Nice one of Saint John from a recent blog post on CIA/FBI spies in the city.



After Urban Renewal but long before Market Square. The CP Grain Elevator and Lantic Sugar are still visible at centre.

[J.OT13]

Link was posted on the Skylines thread, but I think it belongs here in all its glory.

Toronto 1879


1886


1893


1929


1935



1940s


1967


1974


mid-80s


early-90s


2000s


2014


2020


Check out the original link for the history behind each image.

https://www.blogto.com/city/2014/09/...Lr456uT_1GiSsY

[Marshsparrow]

I sometimes really miss that 1970s/80s Toronto skyline!

[MolsonExport]

That set of photos portraying Toronto's evolution is fabulous.

[kool maudit]

That railyard was larger than downtown itself!

[niwell]

I love views showing the old state of Toronto's waterfront, particularly when the topic of lamenting the current state comes up. It really was an industrial wasteland.

[kool maudit]

My memory tells me that before the Rogers Centre, there was a planetarium next to the CN Tower and contemporary promotions emphasized it as part of a trip to the tower, a linked attraction.

I can't find any record of this being real though. Keep in my mind I was pretty small before the stadium was built, but... was that ever real?

[kool maudit]

I also remember a field trip in like 1986 where the space deck wasn't glassed in, and this is a very visceral memory due to what I recall as my fear of the heights and high winds. But again...


...was it real?

[MolsonExport]

there has always been an outdoor observation deck on the lookout (aka outdoor sky terrace), whereas the skypod (formerly known as the space deck, another 340+ feet up) has always been glassed in.

[SignalHillHiker]

Fascinating to see them all in a row.

[kool maudit]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

there has always been an outdoor observation deck on the lookout (aka outdoor sky terrace), whereas the skypod (formerly known as the space deck, another 340+ feet up) has always been glassed in.

That's gotta be it, thanks!

[niwell]

Originally Posted by kool maudit

My memory tells me that before the Rogers Centre, there was a planetarium next to the CN Tower and contemporary promotions emphasized it as part of a trip to the tower, a linked attraction.

I can't find any record of this being real though. Keep in my mind I was pretty small before the stadium was built, but... was that ever real?

There used to be some form of entertainment complex at the base of the tower from my memory, with interactive "rides" and the like. It seemed different every time I visited as a kid - maybe this was where the planetarium was?

My thing that I can't verify is that there was an artificial pond wrapping around part of the base, and you could rent paddle boats. I have a distinct memory of being in a paddle boat with my mom and taking a picture into reflective glass, but also can't verify this actually happened. It could have been elsewhere but I feel like we were looking up at the tower.

[WhipperSnapper]

Rogers Centre was occupied by the John Street Pumping station and a second roundhouse as seen in the photos. I don't know if there were delays in opening the current, PoMo pumping station at John and Lake Shore. The old one stood inside the stadium well into its construction.

I have a vivid memory of seeing water around the base of the CN while waiting on the bridge to the tower. I don't recall seeing canoes. The entertainment complex was a big deal at my school. My parents couldn't afford it for us.

[MolsonExport]

when I visited the CNTower in the 70s (numerous times), I distinctly recall paddle boats in the moat around the base of the tower. I even have some old photos (taken looking down the glass spanning the supporting arms of the skypod) that strongly suggest this was the case.

[MolsonExport]

great find on the history of the CN tower: http://www.pastandfuturehistory.com/default.php

and another: https://urbantoronto.ca/news/2016/06...ontos-cn-tower

[MolsonExport]

blogto

[wave46]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

blogto

I love this picture. It's nearly the perfect crossover between old and new Toronto.

The old-school streetcar, the new CN Tower taking shape. The old Bank of Nova Scotia sign juxtaposed against the new skyscrapers in the background.

This, along with the fascinating set of pictures of Toronto's evolution posted previously give one a sense of how new the city is. A city that didn't even resemble itself from 25 years prior.

[MolsonExport]

yeah, I agree that the above shot really captures the moment when Toronto went from being a middling North American city to becoming a giant.