Dundas-Carlaw history comes to life with heritage plaque district

Thestar.com
June 13, 2017
Gilbert Ngabo

Heritage Toronto is using plaques to help tell the history of one of Toronto’s east-end neighbourhoods.

Dundas and Carlaw will be known as Toronto’s first Heritage Plaque District. Ten plaques will be installed throughout the zone, and 5,000 self-guiding tour pamphlets with information about the neighbourhood’s history will be distributed to residents and visitors.

Heritage Toronto’s plaques co-ordinator, Chris Bateman, said details were partly collected from people who worked at the factories there, back when it was an industrial area, and it’s part of an effort to make the city’s history more accessible.

Most of the information centres around issues of gender in the industrial market, how factories adjusted to war demands, and city building throughout the years. The program, spearheaded by Councillor Paula Fletcher, will be launched on June 17. Here are five of the historical sites featured in the project:

Wrigley

Originally built in 1915, this was the first Wrigley factory outside the U.S. Known for its production of Doublemint, Spearmint and Juicy Fruit chewing gum for the Canadian market, the factory had its own fire hall on Boston Ave. – which is now a private home.

During the Second World War the company sent gum to soldiers in an attempt to build brand loyalty and popularity. In the 1960s the factory moved to the Don Mills area, looking for more land and better road access for shipping. The building is now lofts.

Reliable Toy

Founded by two brothers and originally operating in the west-end near Spadina, the factory moved to Carlaw in 1935. It made its name building plastic toys – the Barbara Ann Scott doll being a popular product.

During the Second World War the factory produced plastic bullets and bayonet covers, and multiplied their production of plastic soldier toys. The factory eventually went into decline and closed in the 1980s. The building is still there and houses a variety of businesses.

Colgate

Palmolive first built the factory in 1917, but the company merged with Colgate to make Colgate-Palmolive corporation in the 1920s.

The company employed hundreds of people in the making of soap, toothpaste and cleaning products.

Old pictures from the factory show a gender divide, with women working in packaging departments while men worked in heavy lifting roles and as supervisors and managers. The factory was destroyed in the 1990s, and there’s now a condo building at the same site.

Woods

Initially built for Smart Bag in 1907, the company later merged with Woods, which was then specializing in making sacks, rope and other fibre products. They eventually ventured into making outdoor items such as tents, sleeping bags and clothing. The company produced military uniforms during the Second World War.

When Dundas St. was being extended from Broadview to Kingston in the 1950s, the factory was literally split in half by construction. The building now houses businesses.

Hydro Substation No. 8

Opened in 1916, the station was supposed to be the engine of the area, distributing power from Niagara Falls to the factories and the sprawling neighbourhood. Prior to that, many factories generated power from burning coal.

The factory also had a storefront where people could buy electric appliances. The station, expanded in 1924 and 1929, remains active to date.