Bayview Bridge

In 1920, financier E.R. Wood and his wife Agnes purchased lands located where York University’s Glendon College is currently situated. They also purchased 52 undeveloped plots of land in the east section of Lawrence Park. The Woods set about creating a grand estate on the former farmlands of their new property, and by 1924 had moved into Glendon Hall.

Seeking to preserve the Lawrence Bush woodlot on the west side of Bayview Avenue, Wood negotiated with North York Township to realign Bayview Avenue so that it would curve around the west side of the woodlot. Wood and the Township swapped properties so that the original Bayview would become part of the Woods’ property, while the Lawrence Park properties were transferred to the Township.

To further sweeten the deal, Wood and his younger brother Frank helped to finance a new high-level Bayview Bridge over the West Don River, which opened in 1929. The following photographs show the 1929 bridge, and the stages of construction for a new replacement bridge, built by the Metropolitan Toronto level of government in 1960-61.

View of old Bayview Bridge, looking north — Bayview Bridge in 1929, looking north
ca.1958
City of Toronto Archives
Series 249, File 11, Item 4

View of the Bayview Bridge built by North York Township in 1929, looking north. By the late 1950s, weight and speed restrictions were imposed, indicating the need for a new bridge.

Aerial view of Bayview Bridge — Aerial view of the Bayview Bridge, looking north
Photographer: Les Baxter
ca. 1958
City of Toronto Archives
Series 3, File 53, Item 1

Lawrence Ave. meets Bayview Ave. at the T. Note the Clifford Sifton estate north of the intersection of the two roads, which is now the site of the Toronto French School. The large structure in the centre of the image is the barn for the Sifton family horses. The house surrounded by trees at the lower right is Chedington, built by E.R. Wood for his daughter Mildred in 1927-28. This house was gutted by fire on October 30, 2009, and demolished in 2013.

Construction of piers for new Bayview Bridge — Bayview Bridge construction
Photographer: Alexandra Studio
May 11, 1960
City of Toronto Archives
Series 3, File 27, Item 1

Construction of the piers for the new part of the Bayview Bridge on the east side is well underway. Meanwhile the old bridge remained opened for two-way traffic.

Construction of new Bayview Bridge, next to old bridge — Bayview Bridge construction
Photographer: Panda Photography
June 23, 1960
City of Toronto Archives
Fonds 220, Series 3, File 28, Item 1

The design of the concrete piers mimics that of the 1929 bridge.

Workmen placing steel trusses — Bayview Bridge construction
Photographer: Panda Photography
June 23, 1960
City of Toronto Archives
Series 3, File 28, Item 2

In this view looking north, workmen are shown placing structural steel trusses.

Construction progress on roadbed and sidewalk — Bayview Bridge construction
Photographer: Alexandra Studio
ca. August 1960
City of Toronto Archives
Series 3, File 27, Item 2

Work progresses on the roadbed and pedestrian sidewalk for the new bridge.

Construction workers on Bayview Bridge — Bayview Bridge construction
Photographer: Panda Photography
October 31, 1960
City of Toronto Archives
Series 3, File 29, Item 1

Construction workers’ cars are shown on the south end of the new bridge, which is substantially completed. Note the gap between the old and new bridges.

In this aerial view looking north-east, cars can be seen travelling on the new east side bridge.

East side of Bayview Bridge, over the West Don River
Photographer: Alexandra Studio
December 2, 1960
City of Toronto Archives
Series 65, File 171, Item 15

This view looking down into the ravine shows a small, arched bridge over the West Don River at the right of the photograph. Known as Watson’s Bridge, it was built in 1895. This bridge can still be seen if you travel to the end of Lawrence Ave. E. near the Crestwood School, on the east side of Bayview Ave.

Construction of Bayview Bridge — Aerial view of Bayview Bridge
Photographer: Panda Photography
June 1961
City of Toronto Archives
Series 3, File 30, Item 1

Demolition and removal of the reinforced concrete abutment piers, bridge deck and structural steel trusses has begun on the old bridge on the west side.

Demolition work on old Bayview Bridge
Photographer: Panda Photography
June 1961
City of Toronto Archives
Series 3, File 30, Item 2

More demolition. This image provides a good view of the horse barns on the Sifton estate, near the south end of the bridge.

New Bayview Bridge, with demolition of old bridge — Completed new Bayview Bridge adjacent to demolition work of old bridge
Photographer: Panda Photography
June 1961
City of Toronto Archives
Series 3, File 30, Item 3

In this view, the phases of the demolition are shown, moving from the south end to the north.

Demolition of old bridge completed — Demolition work on old bridge completed
Photographer: Alexandra Studio
December 1961
City of Toronto Archives
Series 3, File 30, Item 4

Demolition on the old bridge is now complete, and work has begun at the south end to install the new structural steel.

Construction of underpass below Bayview Bridge — Construction of underpass below bridge
1962
City of Toronto Archives
Series 249, File 12, Item 7

With a bigger bridge, traffic chaos ensued at the south end where Lawrence and Bayview meet. To deal with this, an underpass was built to allow Bayview traffic to sail through under Lawrence, while cars travelling between Lawrence and Bayview used new approaches. The attractive decorative touches on the underpass are still visible, though sadly faded.

Aerial view of completed Bayview Bridge
Photographer: Hunting Survey Corp. Ltd.
October 1963
City of Toronto Archives
Series 3, File 54, Item 2

The work is complete at the intersection of Lawrence and Bayview, and traffic is flowing. This aerial view clearly shows the westerly curve in Bayview Ave. around the former estate of E.R. Wood. The earlier alignment of Bayview can be seen in the straight road at the lower left. York University’s Glendon College campus is at the far left.

This view looking north-west shows the two bridges joined seamlessly over the West Don River. The Glendon campus is at the lower right; Chedington is near the middle, east of Bayview; and the Crestwood School is at the centre right in the valley.