Wallace Bridge

Wallace Ave. pedestrian bridge over the railway tracks.

Volunteer for JT Nuit Blanche event!

The Junction Triangle neighbourhood is taking part in the 2010 Scotiabank Nuit Blanche exhibit and needs volunteers! On October 2, our installation Rail of Light will see the Wallace Avenue Footbridge transformed into a huge, sparkling chandelier, literally shedding light on the massive diesel rail expansion planned by the Ontario government.

If you can help with set-up, take-down, or manning the exhibit, please get in touch with us at rail@junctiontriangle.ca We need help to install the exhibit during the day on Saturday (Oct.2) beginning at 9 a.m. and people to staff the showing (in four hour shifts) during the evening/night.

Be a part of a great, city wide arts event happening right here in the Junction Triangle and help send an important message about electric trains.

Wallace Avenue Footbridge Deck, January 23 2010

Wallace Avenue Footbridge Deck, January 23 2010

The Wallace Ave. pedestrian bridge deck. Photo taken on January 23 2010. This is an updated version of a photo taken on May 11 1916.

Photo by Vic Gedris, 2010-01-23.

Then and Now: West Toronto Railpath

Here is the latest in the series of "Then and Now" photos. Do you have any old photos of this neighbourhood? Please feel free to get in touch if you're willing to share them!

These photos compare the view south from the Wallace Ave. footbridge. The first photo was taken in July 1985, when the Old Bruce Service Track (formerly Toronto, Grey & Bruce railway) was still being used by local industries. The building on the left was the old Nacan Products (National Adhesives) factory, and on the top-right you can see GO Transit's Bloor Station platform. The tracks also serviced Solways scrap metals.

In the current view, taken on May 9 2010, the GO train station is still there, but the Old Bruce Service Track has been ripped up and replaced by the West Toronto Railpath. The Nacan factory has been converted into residential loft condos (Wallace Station Lofts), and there are no longer any railway tracks leading into Solways. However, if you walk down the Railpath past Solways, take a close look at the fence betwen Solways and the Brownstones on Bloor: You'll see remnants of that old track poking through the trees. Update: As of 2013, Solways and the track remnant are gone.

Speaking of trees: The massive tree of heaven next to the Wallace Ave. footbridge partially obscures this view now. I'm glad I took the "now" photo early enough in the spring before the leaves completely obscured it.

Much has changed in the last 15 years. For more history about the Toronto Grey & Bruce railway, please visit Old Time Trains (trainweb.org). Many thanks to Gord Billinghurst and Old Time Trains for the historical writeup, and allowing me to use this photo here.

THEN:
Old Bruce Service Track, from Wallace Bridge: Photo by Gord Billinghurst, July 1985Old Bruce Service Track, from Wallace Bridge: Photo by Gord Billinghurst, July 1985

Old Bruce Service Track, from Wallace Bridge, 1985

Old Bruce Service Track, from Wallace Bridge, 1985

Photo of the Old Bruce Service track, looking south from the Wallace Ave. pedestrian bridge, July 1985.

Photo by Gord Billinghurst, courtesy Old Time Trains (trainweb.org).

This track is now the home of the West Toronto Railpath, and the former Nacan (National Adhesives) factory on the left side is now a residential loft condo called Wallace Station Lofts. You can see an updated version of this photo from May 2010 here.

Jane's Walk - Wallace Ave., from the bridge

Jane's Walk - Wallace Ave., from the bridge

Photo by Vic Gedris, 2010-05-02

Wallace Bridge: Looking into the Junction Triangle

Wallace Ave. Bridge: Photo by Vic Gedris, 2010-04-16Wallace Ave. Bridge: Photo by Vic Gedris, 2010-04-16

They say "a picture is worth a thousand words".

I was walking home from the Dundas West subway station on Friday evening and decided to take this photo from the Dundas St. side of the Wallace Ave. pedestrian bridge. I always enjoy the view from here, especially since it contains two of our neighbourhood's most iconic sights: The bridge itself, and the old G.E. Water Tower near Lansdowne Ave.

When I came home and took a closer look at the photo, it struck me that there are many things going on within the frame of this picture. Little bits of history, neighbourhood icons, and changes that are happening rapidly. Here's what I spotted. Maybe there are some things I missed?

"Rail of Light" at Scotiabank Nuit Blanche

The Junction Triangle will be hosting an art exhibit titled "Rail of Light" during the annual all-night Scotiabank Nuit Blanche art festival, on the night of October 2 2010. Here's a brief description from the Rail of Light website:

West is best, as Wallace Ave. shows

Christopher Hume, the Toronto Star's "Condo Critic" had some nice words to say about our neighbourhood, specifically Wallace Ave., the Railpath, and the Wallace Station Lofts:

Wallace Ave., which no one would rank among the memorable thoroughfares in Toronto, is better than it looks. This mixed landscape of old industrial heaps and lowrise residential and apartment buildings can appear bleak, but the visitor soon realizes that this is a healthy and vibrant neighbourhood. The advent of the West Toronto Railpath, which passes beneath the Wallace Ave footbridge, will only enhance the area by making it more accessible and pedestrian-friendly.

Read the complete article online here.

For an interesting look back at the past, have a look at the picture on the bottom of this page at trainweb.org. It shows what is now the West Toronto Railpath and Wallace Station Lofts back in July 1985.

Monday Night Run: Wallace Bridge and Railpath

Beverley Coburn, a personal trainer who runs Active Age Fitness, has been leading "Monday Night Runs" (and walks) in our area since earlier this year. Every week, these runs always lead to new places within a few kilometres of the Dupont and Lansdowne starting point.

These free events are a great way to get some exercise, explore our local neighbourhoods, and meet new people. Give it a try sometime.

The upcoming run will actually focus on our neighbourhood. Here's is the announcement email sent by Beverley:

Hi Runners and Walkers,

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