On This Spot: Bay and College
The intersection of Bay Street and College Street has changed significantly throughout Toronto's history. Currently there are several condo developments in the immediate area that will drastically alter the area once again.
On the northeast corner stands Toronto Police Headquarters. The building was completed in 1988 and also houses the Toronto Police Museum. The building occupies what was once the central YMCA. The YMCA has since moved not far north, standing on Grosvenor Street.
At southeast the corner of College and Bay was the furniture and home furnishing department of the now defunct Eaton's department store. Eaton's began building along College from Bay to Yonge in the late 1920s. When Eaton's moved its stores into the newly-created Eaton Centre in 1977, the College Street building was sold. It became College Park, as it is known today.
The new College Park Residences are now being completed on the southeast corner.
Outside of the restored and renovated College Park, very little from the past still stands at this intersection. The streetcar tracks and overhead wires still remain, though the 6 Bay bus replaced streetcars with the opening of the Yonge Street subway.
Historical images from The Toronto Archives.
Comments (5)
David E 
on January 9, 2008 1:06 AM
The last photo shows the YMCA. Its front door still stands at the Police HQ. It is at the end of a ramp that leads from College St. to the HQ main entrance.
In the distance, you can see that the Toronto Hydro building is readily visible because the Ontario Motor Leage Building hasn't been yet built.
Eaton's College Street was more of a carriage trade store.
The pricier furniture and art works were sold here--not at Queen St. The grand pianos were at College St. not Queen St.
These posts are always a pleasure to read .. keep em comming. BTW, Moldovanyi sounds Hungarian, maybe that also adds to why the article appeals to me.
if you are able to sneak inside the lobby of the residences of college park at 763 Bay, they have tons of black of white pics like these framed and posted by the elevators, really pretty.. ;-)
David E on January 9, 2008 2:32 PM
Further to Jack's posting.
The lobby of the office tower at 27(?)College St. also has photgraphs from the time of constructing the building. They too, can be worth a look.
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