On This Spot: Yonge and Bloor

Yonge & Bloor reminds me that Toronto really is like a quilt; a patchwork of totally independent restaurants to chains, to upscale shops, to rundown convenience stores.

I'm always amazed that the little guys can afford rent in such a prime location. Maybe that's why those stores along Yonge can't afford to paint the outside of their shops?

I really miss those awnings that every store had. They were great shelter in a rainstorm. They--and the real signs that weren't fluorescent-lighted--helped to make each store individual.

College Park building still has the awnings mechanisms in place. It'd be good to know the fabric awnings were still there and able to be unwound from their shelter and brought out during a rainstorm or snowy day.

Please, let's bring back awnings and signs that aren't fluorescent-lighted.

I really enjoy these, but it makes me sad that Toronto demolished so many perfectly lovely buildings.

Gotta love those ciggy ads though. Taste tells! Indeed.

To be picky, the building with the round arch to the right of the third picture is still there - sort of. It's not as pretty any more, and probably won't last when they build the new huge tower, but it's at least *one* leftover.

The square is world class at butt ugly. A billboard infested nightmare.

Not quite all of the buildings at the intersection have been torn down. In the third picture the large, structure with the off-centre, arched window over its main doorway is still in place, though not for much longer. It was then the business and manufacturing premises of Walter Coles, the Caterer, whose surname is painted on the awnings.

A lot of people have commented on Dundas Square being ugly. I, for one, like Dundas Square. I like it because it's exactly what it's supposed to be: a commercial/tourist area and it's being developed full-out. The city does so many things half-way that I'm just happy Dundas Square has some follow-through (this is the only reason I like the new ROM, by the way) But a couple of blocks of it is enough.
I wish Toronto would follow-through on more districts and make them great. For example, Bloor/Yonge should be a lot more glitzy than it is.

Yonge and Bloor was the Yonge and Steeles of its day, and still shows it. Redevelopment cannot come fast enough for this site. Bring on the 70-storey towers!

ONe thing that I will never forget about that intersection in Ben Kerr singing almost everyday infront of the RBC steps and having his routine sardines for lunch!

These pictures make me so sad. Why does everyone have such horrendous taste now? Things used to actually look nice, now it all looks like cheap tacky crap!