Historic Photos

Closeup of the Heritage Toronto historic plaque commemorating the heritage site

Eastern Avenue, early 1900s, looking east across railway tracks to bridge over Don River. The photographer is standing near what is now the northeast corner of the site. You can see the bridge across the Don, still standing but no longer in use today. 

Eastern Avenue looking west across railway tracks at Cypress Street (which no longer exists). Photographer is standing near the intersection of Old Eastern Avenue and Lawren Harris Square.

Horse and cart outside the Foundry, date unknown. Submitted by a descendant of the man pictured. 

James Chadwick was the great great great uncle of one of the Foundry Friends. He is second from the left in the first row. He also worked for Tomlinson Foundry, nearby. Thanks to Lisa Boos for permission to use this photo.

Men at work in the Foundry, date unknown

Conveyor wheels cast and machined in the Machine Shop. From a catalogue collected in 1949. Dominion Wheel & Foundries Limited, Trade Literature Collection, National Museum of American History Library, Smithsonian Libraries, Washington DC, USA, retrieved October 2021.

Section of a still made in the Machine Shop. From a catalogue collected in 1949. Dominion Wheel & Foundries Limited, Trade Literature Collection, National Museum of American History Library, Smithsonian Libraries, Washington DC, USA, retrieved October 2021.

Aerial view of the area in 1947

Detail from a 1959 surveyor's map of Toronto

Birds-eye view taken from the southeast; not sure of the date but probably the 1960s. Note the long row building to the east of the site.

An aerial image taken from the south. probably 1960s. Note Regent Park high rises (now gone) to the north. Note also the many other buildings on the site.

Manhole cover, date unknown

A railway backstop made here at Dominion Wheel & Foundries

Detail from a railway backstop made at the Foundry Site

Looking south at the office building from St. Lawrence St., 1972

The cover for Colin Linden's 1987 album When the Spirit Comes was shot in the machine shop of the Dominion Wheel & Foundries Co.

The office building at 171 Eastern, seen from St. Lawrence Street looking south, 1988 or 1989

View of the Canary District from a building on Mill Street to the southwest. Arrow indicates the machine shop of the Dominion Wheel & Foundries Co. The Foundry building is to the left of it. Canary Restaurant is in front.

HRH Prince Charles in the machine shop in May 2012 being introduced to plans for the Pan-Am Games

People entering a 2013 exhibition of plans for the Pan Am games; this is the north entrance door of the machine shop

Looking northeast from the inside of the machine shop in 2013

People strolling through the warehouse building during the 2013 exhibition showing plans for the area in anticipation of the Pan Am games.

Announcement during the 2013 exhibition showing plans for the area in anticipation of the Pan Am games.

Eastern courtyard, taken by Michel Caron in 2015

Entrance to the Machine Shop, taken by Michel Caron, 2015

Machine Shop, taken by Michel Caron, 2015

Flags flying in the Machine Shop during the 2015 Pan Am Games

Machine Shop from the south, probably 2015

The neighbourhood around the Foundry Site under construction, circa 2013.