Toronto's waterfront might still need work to live up to the potential that most of us believe it has, but a look back in time reveals just what a mess the area was back in the 1970s when its period as an industrial hub came to a close.
What's so remarkable is that the general shape of the harbour has remained intact all these years, but steady efforts over the four decades have reclaimed the land for residential and recreational use.
While opinions are mixed about the presence of condos along the lakeside, these images serve as a reminder that development along the water served as a catalyst for much of the improvement we've witnessed since it was one giant brown field.
Let's not overstate the importance of the condo, though. The federally funded Harbourfront project was also a key element in our waterfront's revitalization. Throughout the decade, industrial sites were expropriated to give way to art galleries, recreational space, and performance venues.
Behold, the post-industrial Toronto waterfront of the 1970s.
View of the central harbour and burgeoning skyline in 1970. Photo via the Toronto Archives.
The Queens Quay Terminal and harbourfront pre-revitalization in 1974. Photo via Harbourfront Centre.
The Toronto Star Building and a rising Harbour Castle Hotel in 1976. Photo by Robert Taylor.
Looking west across Queens Quay towards the Maple Leaf Mills at Spadina Quay. Photo via the Toronto Archives.
Ship delivery at Maple Leaf Mills in the mid 1970s. Photo by Dan.
Looking east across the Ontario Place grounds in the mid 1970s. This is roughly where the new Trillium Park is now located. Photo via the Toronto Archives.
HMS Haida docked near Ontario Place in the 1970s. Photo via the Toronto Archives.
Harbour area south of Tip Top Tailors Building near Bathurst and Queens Quay. Photo via the Toronto Archives.
The CN Tower rises over the sprawling Railway Lands in 1974. Photo via the Toronto Archives.
For a bit more perspective, this is how disconnected Toronto was from its waterfront in the 1970s. Photo via the Toronto Archives.
The roadway to the right in this photo from 1976 leads to what is now Trillium Park. This exact view doesn't actually look wildly different today, save for the development of the skyline. Photo via the Toronto Archives.
The eastern end of Queens Quay approaching Parliament St. Photo via the Toronto Archives.
Back in the 1970s, there was no fancy Humber Bay Arch Bridge. These were the options for cyclists crossing the river. Photo via the Toronto Archives.
A young biker rider checks out the massive haul of the Meaford cargo ship. Photo via the Toronto Archives.
Looking southeast across the Port Lands in the late 1970s. Photo via the Toronto Archives.
by Derek Flack via blogTO
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