Why I Love Toronto Because of Doors Open Toronto Reason #268

Montgomery’s Inn

Now I am an Etobicoke boy born and raised, gosh I was growing up when Etobicoke was still a city and Doug Holyday was the mayor and I was 8 when it became apart of Toronto. Anyways, when we think of Doors Open Toronto we think downtown core not Etobicoke, but the west end has some cool Doors Open events as well and Montgomery’s inn is one of them.  Built in 1830 it is said to be one of the best examples of either Loyalist or late Georgian architecture because of its symmetrical balance.

The home was that of Thomas Montgomery an Irish Man who came to Canada at the age of 25 and his wife Margaret.  The two ran an inn which was so successful a bar, ballroom and second kitchen needed to be added. The inn had its best success during the wave of Irish immigrants that came to the city during the potato famine. The Montgomery’s had a huge chunk of property in Etobicoke from Bloor to Dundas Street and from Kipling to Royal York. Only operating as an inn for around 25 years it closed after Margaret passed in 1855. After her death the inn was used as a tenant for farmers, Presbyterian Church and community centre. In 1975 it became a museum and was restored. The restoration was a big task because when the inn served as the church the interior was greatly altered and the restorers had to model it back to the way it was when the Montgomery’s were there. This included rebuilding the main staircase. Last year new documents and records were found and the building was supposed to go through a re-restoration – but I’m not sure if that occurred because of the city’s budget.  Like most buildings in this city there was once a plan to demolish the inn and last year the Inn was under threat when the city of Toronto proposed closing it to balance the books.

Now inside the artifacts are not those of the Montgomery’s but they reflect the time era.  The sign of the building is actually the original sign and was found at a local woman’s house after she took the sign home after finding it in the garbage.

So I know we all love Toronto and the downtown core, but we should show some love to the burbs. So if you get a chance, I suggest coming down to Etobicoke and checking out the inn. I’ve been there not only for doors open, but on field trips as well as it is one of the hottest field trip spots for us Etobicoke school children.

That Is Why I Love Toronto

Why I Love Toronto Reason #227

295 - 305 George Street

I don’t know what it is about my love for abandoned buildings. There is something that draws me to their loneliness and their neglect. Many see them as an eye sore on the community, but I see them as architectural masterpieces. These buildings make me feel as though I need to do something. I feel that I need to bring them back to life because they have so much more life left in them. My heart breaks when old buildings are left for neglect. I mean take The Empress Hotel, when that wall collapsed it sat there for months abandoned and then it burned to the ground. But that building had so much more life left in it and so much history to it.

Anyways there are a few boarded up/ gated up houses on George Street that are abandoned and one of them (295 George Street) – honestly if it is restored could be the most beautiful building in the city. The homes at 295 and 297 are Georgian townhouses that were built in 1858 and 305 was built in 1859.

However it is 295 that has the most history out of the three buildings (297 and 305). In 1884 William Gooderham Jr. (we all know his family’s history with the Distillery District and Flatiron Building), bought 295 George Street for J.W.C. Fegan so he could establish the Fegan Boys Distribution Home. What this meant was that English and Irish boys where brought from the UK , lived here and were eventually sent out to farms across the province. It was used as a distribution home until 1939 in which is became a home for the disabled. It later served as a warehouse for Interalia Co. ltd. The Torontoist even said the building was a slaughterhouse. 295 is an absolutely stunning building and what I love is the second floor from the outside with the XXXXXXXX that go along the bottom of the second floor windows and above them as well. To me it gives a very medieval feel to the building. However, 295 considering its vast history is not a heritage property.

305 also has some history to it. It was known as the place where Thomas Meredith would relax. Now 305, unlike 295, is a designated heritage property.

Now the major problem with these buildings is that even though they have a vast history and have the potential for great beauty they are not in a very desirable neighbourhood. You have a 500 bed homeless shelter, prostitution, drug dealers, drug users as well as strip club really close by – a far cry from an area that used to house some of Toronto’s wealthiest citizens. However, these properties are still very expensive with the Star reporting that 295 has an asking price of $8.9 Million.

I hate to be the one to say this, but I have this gut feeling these building will not be around for much longer. I feel as though they will either catch fire (or in the case of 295 catch fire again), collapse from the deterioration or be demolished. Now I hate saying that because look at the history I have provided you. These buildings were integral to Toronto’s past, something no new building complex will ever get the chance to have. When my children grow up I am afraid they are going to be left with history-less buildings. Regardless, the houses on George Street are

Why I Love Toronto.  

http://torontoist.com/2011/10/scene-fire-at-295-george-street/20111020fire1/

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/globe-to/torontos-most-vulnerable-vacancies/article1862354/

http://www.thegridto.com/city/places/derelict-delights-295-305-george-street/

http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1073548—history-deserted-and-left-to-rot

Why I Love Toronto Reason #191

The Bridle Path

Well let’s start by saying I think everyone one of us kind wants to live in this area of Toronto. No matter how many of us say we wouldn’t. I mean come on this is one of the most expensive areas in the city! Better yet I think that I should say it is the most exclusive neighbourhood in Toronto where the residents here have more money than any of us will ever see in a lifetime live. The Bridle Path is one of the areas where Toronto’s wealthiest citizens live. Just to give you an estimate of how expensive this area is, Toronto Real Estate said that the average sale price of a home was $4,667,500. The Average! That is the price of the AVERAGE home. Some homes extend past that and cost 10 Million. However, it does have high property crime, which I don’t get since most of the homes are gated and guarded. I should also mention I did this post today because I watching a show last night called Revenge for Real, which dealt with murders and crimes of revenge in the Hamptons. Anyways, The Bridle Path homes are located on one to six acre lots that have the most ridiculously sized houses, as well as tennis courts, pools or even both! They even have coach houses, in-home health clubs, basketball courts, private gyms, billiard halls, soccer fields, skating rinks, theatres and indoor pools. Remember my post Movies Shot in Toronto? Well I should also mention that Regina George had a mansion here in Mean Girls, but we all know our beloved Mean Girl in real life lives in a more quiet historical area of the city. Rumour even has it that the Bachelor Canada Mansion will be located in the Bridle Path!

Anyways the area used to be home to Conrad Black (which isn’t really a good thing), Celine Dion (even though she never comes to Canada anymore) and of course Prince (but we all knew that from reason #84). But there are other rich people who we don’t know who also live in the area! In an article by Toronto Life called lives of the Rich and Not So Famous, Toronto life mentions some of these people! 1) The Dilawri’s (yeah I know who?) well apparently he is the CEO of an Auto Group Dealership and has a Zen Garden. 2) The Kesarwani’s, I just wanted to mention him because his job is to liposuck the fat out of the rich…plus he is head of plastic surgery at Toronto East General (which depending on why you are getting plastic surgery is respectable) 3) Gladstone Raymond Chang – he is probably the most famous one living on the path, and by famous I mean famous to Ryerson students. Chang is the Chancellor of Ryerson and the school of continuing education is named after him 4) Gupta – this is my favorite! This family is from India and has lived in the Path since 1997, they’re rich because they are franchisers of Comfort INN, Marriott and Hilton. But there home was modelled after a Maharaja’s Palace and has an indoor waterfall as well as baroque furniture! A WATERFALL AND MAHARAJA PALACE! This is deficiently a Back The Fuck Up moment.

But what is the history of the area? Well the street was named after a horse riding trail, because after all bridle path means a path to lead horses. Hubert Page was the first developer on the land buying 50 acres of land with the intent on dividing and selling parts of them - up until that point the Bridle Path was just a farm area. However, his plans where crippled by that darn depression, which seemed to hit the rich really hard. Anyways, Page still built his home at 2 Bridle Path (maybe because 1^st is the worst 2^nd is the best) followed by E.P Taylor in 1936. In 1947 there were at least half a dozen houses on the Path. Now the name Bridle Path was not official until 1962 and there are only two ways to enter the exclusive neighbourhood. The first is via Post Rd and the second Lawrence Ave. Torontonians have even given it the nickname Millionaires Row. I should also note that a study conducted showed that non-millionaires spell bridle, BRIDAL as well as people who don’t know the history of the area….well good thing I spelt it wrong in google first!  

Now after reading a page from a real estate website I found out that some of the rich in Toronto see the neighbourhood as (and I quote) “an enclave of the nouveau riche to enjoy ostentatious and tasteless displays of their affluence…” ouch. But I mean come on some of these people have so much money to spend that they need to blow it on tasteless things. It’s just how rich people work, I mean my friend watches 90210, and when Annie inherited all that money from Marla and wanted to use it for goodwill, she was like “if I had that money I’d spend it on tasteless things that I wouldn’t need…she’s such a bad rich person that Annie.”

Anyways, as much as some of Toronto’s rich hate the area, you have to appreciate the architecture of some of the homes. Now they are mostly gated off, but if you can get a peak without looking sketchy, you will see some of the most beautiful homes built in the 30’s and 60’s with styles ranging from Georgian, Colonial, Greek, Tudor Revival, Italianate, neo-gothic, California Bungalows as well as futuristic like homes.

So…yeah, I think I love this area because it is a dream to me. Something that I may never achieve unless this blog starts making millions, but regardless, for its architecture, its crazy and unnecessary uses for space, the Bridle Path is one of the most dream worthy areas to live for most of us in this city.

That Is Why I Love Toronto.   

http://www.torontolife.com/guide/real-estate/central/bridle-path-sunnybrook-york-mills/

http://www.torontolife.com/features/lives-rich-and-not-so-famous/

http://www.torontolife.com/features/lives-rich-and-not-so-famous/

http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/07/bridle_path_home_drops_its_price_by_5_million/

http://www.theredpin.com/blog/canada/canadas-most-expensive-houses-pics

Why I Love Toronto Reason #186

The Campbell House

Now the house is cool by all means, it has history and detailing that I love. But my favorite part of the house is that it was moved! Yes the location it’s at now on Queen and University was not where it was built originally! It was moved! Now yes that takes away some of the historical significance, but how cool is that! I’ve never been in a building that was moved before!

So let’s get into some history. It is one of the oldest remaining houses from the Town of York built in 1822 by Judge William Campbell and his wife whose main purpose for the home was for entertainment and comfort. It represents Georgian architecture from the latter part of the Georgian era. It is beautiful inside and out, with the red brick, windows with black shutters to the side and a gates that surround the home.

Now the building was originally built was where the George Brown School of hospitality is now located at Adelaide and Frederick street. However after the death of the judge and his wife the property and the contents of the home were auctioned off and it continued to be a private residence for a majority of the 19^th century. The 20^th century saw the building occupy some businesses such as a horseshoe nail company and an elevator company. The house was deteriorating by that point. When Coutts-Hallmark owned the property they wanted to tear the house down so they could have a larger parking lot. Wow a once beautiful and historic house had the possibility of becoming a parking lot – sad. Eventually the demolition of the house was avoided after the Advocates society decided to save it, which included moving it and restoring it. The move happened in 1972 and it took 6 hours to move the 300 tonne home. Now the move was amazing and so much had to happen for it to be relocated with traffic lights, signs, telephone poles being removed and roads being closed. However the move was a spectacle attracting people from all over the city. In 1974 the house had finished its restoration and was opened to the public by the Queen`s Mother.

So I encourage you to check out the house. The inside has old furniture and a kitchen which takes you back to the time that Will Campbell and his wife lived in the house. Plus its cheap with admission under 5 dollars! I say that’s reasonable!  So for the fact that it moved and not turned into a parking lot this historical museum is

Why I Love Toronto.

 http://www.fineart.utoronto.ca/canarch/ontario/toronto/campbell.html

http://www.campbellhousemuseum.ca/themove.htm

http://www.lostrivers.ca/points/campbellhs.htm

Why I love Toronto Reason #120

Toronto’s First Post Office

I celebrate Christmas again in January and my cousin asked me if he could send a letter to the same Santa with his second Christmas list or if there was another Santa he had to send his letter to. Regardless, this made me think of a field trip I took as a child to Toronto’s First Post Office sometime in December and how I had brought my letter to Santa with me.

Toronto’s First Post Office was opened in 1833 (which at that time was the City of York meaning it is also referred to as Fourth York Post Office for York had three offices prior to this one). It was designed for James Scott Howard who was the postmaster at the time. However, Howard only stayed at the residence until 1837 before the lieutenant governor of Upper Canada, Francis Bond Head, questioned his loyalty and removed him. The new postmaster did not stay in the building and relocated elsewhere.

The building is a representation on Georgian architecture located on 260 Adelaide Street East. It is the only surviving post office that was part of the British Royal Mail system. It was also not only a post office but also a residence as well. It was a residence to the postmaster, for during that time postmasters needed to provide their own office, and therefore many attached their homes to it, making it a work a family place.

Once it became a defunct Post Office it became a school (DE La Salle Institute) in 1870’s where the owners added Victorian styled windows and made some modifications to the exterior taking away from its Georgian style. Furthermore, when the United Farmers Cooperative took ownership in1926 they added a mansard roof and converted it to a cold storage facility. After the famers the building was abandoned in the early 70’s. A few years later in 78’ the building caught fire (which I find ironic considering it boasted itself as being one of the few buildings that survived the great fire of 1849)  and the Town of York Historical Society (which was the city the Post Office originated in) restored the building.

Today it is known as Toronto’s oldest functioning Post Office, where you can still buy stamps and it still does post office like duties. It is also a museum that discusses how mail was delivered, how people got mail ready and about the first postmaster. Remember it is also significant because it does not tell the history of Canada Post, for that was not established until 1851 long after the Postmaster left. Rather it was part of the British Colonial Post at the time and therefore contains that history. Also part of the history that I learned and has stayed in my mind forever is that mail was not delivered to your home and it was the postmasters duty to post the names of people who had received mail in the local paper so that they could retrieve it.

What I remember from this field trip was that I got to put an official stamp with wax on the back to seal my letter to Santa. Which I thought was so cool that I didn’t want to send it away afterwards.

For having a history that extends beyond Canadian Institutions and the City of Toronto is

Why I Love Toronto.

http://www.pc.gc.ca/culture/proj/urbain/cartes-maps/index_e.asp?mapid=3&buildingid=12&imageid=6