Sunnyside...back in the day

[Miningman]

Sunnyside

Sunnyside has long been known for many things besides its railway station. In fact, the TTC was, and still is, far more significant with its Roncesvalles Divison car barn handling a number of streetcar routes including; King and Queen operating past Sunnyside along with Carlton, Dundas and Long Branch.. The street intersection was a very complicated arrangement with streetcars tracks connecting at all five points. (Four remain). The Five Points (four remain) intersection of Roncesvalles Avenue, King Street, Queen Street, The Queensway and Lake Shore Blvd. (This latter intersection was eliminated with the construction of the Gardiner Expressway which opened between the Humber River and Jameson Avenue in Parkdale on August 8, 1958). On the opposite corner (north west) to the railway station was a Gray Coach Lines bus terminal. Competition for the railways! An amusement park existed nearby for many years along with the largest swimming pool in Canada known as "The Tank".

TTC Long Branch route car just arrived at left. Below car has looped around behind the hotel 
and is now loading for Swansea, Mimico, New Toronto and Long Branch. It will turn right to head west. 

The Edgewater Hotel, (a.k.a. the "Bilgewater") long a favourite watering hole for the area, stands near the north west side. 
On the corner is the Gray Coach Lines bus terminal built to an Art Deco style, it opened December 21,1936. (The main terminal at Bay Street had opened in December 1931. Just like the railway station on the opposite corner, nothing originated or terminated here but, it was an important stopping point for Hamilton and Buffalo bound passengers. It declined in usage 
with the coming of GO Transit and sale of GCL in 1990, some time after which it closed. A fast food restaurant is located 
here and the building remains property of the TTC. Hidden behind is the TTC Roncesvalles Division car barn still in use today.
June 11, 1941 Toronto Transportation Commission.

Sunnyside Bus Terminal circa 1940's

Looking north at the five points of Sunnyside. Massive rebuild of all tracks. 

[Firelock76]

My God, that photo of the Sunnyside track rebuild, looks like an O gauge layout on steroids with a massive case of "spagetti-bowl-itis!"

When I saw the "Sunnyside" in the heading I thought "O, the Pennsy's Sunnyside Yard in Long Island, what did Miningman find out about it?"  Was I pleasently surprised, "WOW!  Another 'Sunnyside!'"

It's a wasted day if you don't learn something new.

[Miningman]

Firelock-- Yeah, If I was a Streetcar motorman back then I think I would stop dead before entering 5 points, cross my fingers and hope it goes the right way. 

I lived about a block and a half away from the Edgewater Hotel when I was a student at the U of T and spent many Friday and Sat. nights there whooping it up. Really good hot beef sandwiches with peas and fries. 

Was all PCC's back then on the tracks. Took them daily everywhere. 

[daveklepper]

And I wrote Mayor Landsman that Toronto was my favorite North American city and explained why.

[Miningman]

Mayor Lastman not Landsman. 

Famous for his "Bad Boy" stores, furniture and appliances .."who beats our prices?....noooobboodddeeee!

He was an outstanding mayor. 

So what did you say in the letter...just the gist of it.

[daveklepper]

I will try and find both my letter and Mayor Lastman's reply.  If not I'll do my best to remember what I wrote.  But basically, during the worst years for public transit in most USA cities, Toronto public transit remained excellent and with streetcars retained on those lines where they made the most sense.  His reply noted that public transit was an important factor in making a city great.

That is what I remember.  Now I'll search for the letters.

[Miningman]

That's good enough Dave...I'm sure the effort of writing a letter of support for a rationale streetcar line was well received. Evident by the fact you got a reply. Those streetcar lines are still all intact from those times. Folks still say removing the rails from Spadina Ave was a mistake but much still runs in a very widespread system. 

[daveklepper]

Was not streetcar service on Spadina restored?  And even when there was no service, was not most of the line kept intact (track and wire) for emergency and carhouse direct access purposes?  I thought it was restored, with the lanes for the tracks made transit-only.  Is this just my imagination or confousing it with another restoration.

Also, there is the current Harborfront line, which did not exist in the days when I rode the system.   I understand it has a subway terminal at Union Station.  New.

 

[Miningman]

I was hoping one of our Toronto Forum members would update the Spadina situation but so far no one has weighed in.

Yes the Harbourfront Line is new, so that is a win!

[daveklepper]

Just checked the TTC website.  The Spadina line is shown as a streetcar line, Route 510.  It appears to run from the Spadina Station on the Bloor-Danforth subway line south and then east to Union Station, presumably using part of the Harborfront Line, but of that I am uncertain.

But Spadina north of the subway station is apparently served by a bus line.