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Canada's First Subway |
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Underground Downtown
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Excavation by hand, Yonge Street north of Queen Street
September 28, 1949
Photographer: Canada Pictures Limited
City of Toronto Archives
Series 381, File 4, Item 5985-6
Excavation involved backhoes, dynamite charges to break up solid rock found south of Queen Street, and in some cases hand work with picks and shovels so that gas and electricity lines and water and sewage pipes were not damaged.
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Public utility wires and pipes, Yonge Street looking north from Queen Street
October 14, 1949
Photographer: Canada Pictures Limited
City of Toronto Archives
Series 381, File 6, Item 6045-3
Public utility conduits and pipes had to be located and then supported and protected during construction.
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Excavating by hand around public utility wires and pipes
October 14, 1949
Photographer: Canada Pictures Limited
City of Toronto Archives
Series 381, File 6, Item 6045-1
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Yonge Street looking south to Front Street from Melinda Street
March 16, 1950
Photographer: Canada Pictures Limited
City of Toronto Archives
Series 381, File 31, Item 6650-6
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Excavation, looking north on Yonge Street from just north of Front Street
September 28, 1949
Photographer: Canada Pictures Limited
City of Toronto Archives
Series 381, File 4, Item 5985-3
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Rebuilding streetcar track on planking above subway excavation, Yonge Street looking north from near College Street
May 10, 1951
Photographer: Canada Pictures Limited
City of Toronto Archives
Series 381, File 124, Item 8234-5
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Pile driver, Front Street west of Yonge, looking east
October 28, 1949
Photographer: Canada Pictures Limited
City of Toronto Archives
Series 381, File 11, Item 6147-4 |
Looking south-west towards Yonge Street north of College
May 31, 1951
Photographer: Canada Pictures Limited
City of Toronto Archives
Series 381, File 130, Item 8307-14
North of College Street, the subway veered so that it was no longer directly underneath Yonge Street, but rather east of and parallel to it. Existing buildings were demolished to allow for cut and cover construction, and were later replaced with more modern ones. The tower visible is a former fire hall, converted into St. Charles Restaurant, at 484-88 Yonge Street.
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Excavation for entrance from streetcars to Bloor station, Bloor Street east of Yonge, looking east
June 25, 1951
Photographer: Canada Pictures Limited
City of Toronto Archives
Series 381, File 135, Item 8387-2
Two platforms, one for eastbound and one for westbound streetcars, were built in the centre of Bloor Street to allow passengers to walk from the streetcars directly down to the subway cars.
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Excavation for subway tunnel and Bloor station, Bloor Street east of Yonge Street, looking south-east
June 25, 1951
Photographer: Canada Pictures Limited
City of Toronto Archives
Series 381, File 135, Item 8387-1
This image shows another example of the cut and cover method in progress. The previously existing small buildings were replaced with a highrise office building at 33 Bloor Street East.
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Excavation for portal where surface tracks will enter underground station
June 26, 1951
Photographer: Canada Pictures Limited
City of Toronto Archives
Series 381, File 137, Item 8401-5
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Excavation under Shuter Street
March 17, 1950
Photographer: Canada Pictures Limited
City of Toronto Archives
Series 381, File 33, Item 6658-2
Backhoes used in the excavation were customized so they could be used in the restricted space. Dump trucks hauled out the soil and rock by way of several access ramps.
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