From our contemporary vantage point, the Toronto of the 1990s looks like a weird place. An alternative title for this post could have been "I can't believe it's Toronto" such is the level of disorientation several of these images create.

Take the picture above, for example. It looks southeast during construction at Roundhouse Park on Bremner Blvd., but it could easily pass as New York, Las Vegas, or anywhere, really.

For many of us, the 90s feel like they were just yesterday, but as we push toward a thirty year span from the start of the decade, it's remarkable just how much the city has changed. 

Behold, the Toronto of the 1990s.

Looking over the future site of Metro Hall to King from Wellington.

The CBC Broadcast Centre, looking east towards downtown on Front.

Restaurant row on King West.

"Crazy for You" playing at the Royal Alexandra.

The Metro Toronto Convention Centre when it was new.

Speaker's Corner at Queen and John.

Mural on the side of Wayne Gretzky's sports bar.

The Hyatt Regency hotel on King West.

The Big Bop in psychedelic colours.

Now lost public art on Dundas at Yonge before the creation of Yonge-Dundas Square.

The view up Yonge from Dundas.

East on Dundas from what would become Yonge-Dundas Square before the arrival of Citytv.

Down Bay to City Hall and the Financial District.

The main gates to the Distillery at Mill and Trinity streets.

Looking east across the Distillery from Parliament.

New housing on the Esplanade.

Silos on the waterfront from Parliament.

Captain John's at the foot of Yonge St.

Southeast to the Port Lands over the Yonge and College area. That's the CBC's old Jarvis St. antenna on the extreme left.

Aerial view near Queen and Church.

An almost absurdly verdant view of Queen's Park.

Looking north up Bay towards the Sutton Place Hotel and Manulife Centre.

Dreamlike University and College.

The University of Toronto campus at College.

The roof of Scotia Plaza from the top of Commerce Court.

Yonge and Hillsdale (now condos).

Yonge and Marlborough, looking southwest.

Canadian Tire at Yonge and Davenport, pre-condos.