Sunnyside

Sunnyside has long been known for many things besides its railway station. In fact, the TTC was, and still is, far more significant with its Roncesvalles Divison car barn handling a number of streetcar routes including; King and Queen operating past Sunnyside along with Carlton, Dundas and Long Branch.. The street intersection was a very complicated arrangement with streetcars tracks connecting at all five points. The Five Points (four remain) intersection of Roncesvalles Avenue, King Street West, Queen Street West, The Queensway and Lake Shore Blvd. (This latter intersection was eliminated with the construction of the Gardiner Expressway which opened between the Humber River and Jameson Avenue in Parkdale on August 8, 1958). On the opposite corner (north west) to the railway station was a Gray Coach Lines bus terminal. Competition for the railways! An amusement park existed nearby for many years along with the largest swimming pool in Canada known as "The Tank".

Sunnyside Amusement Park (1922-1955)

TTC Long Branch route car just arrived at left. Below car has looped around behind the hotel
and is now loading for Swansea, Mimico, New Toronto and Long Branch. It will turn right to head west.

Edgewater Hotel 14 Roncesvalles Avenue.

The Edgewater Hotel, (a.k.a. the "Bilgewater") long a favourite watering hole for the area, stands near the north west side.
On the corner is the Gray Coach Lines bus terminal built to an Art Deco style, it opened December 21,1936. (The main terminal at Bay Street had opened in December 1931. Just like the railway station on the opposite corner, nothing originated or terminated here but, it was an important stopping point for Hamilton and Buffalo bound passengers. It declined in usage
with the coming of GO Transit and sale of GCL in 1990, some time after which it closed. A fast food restaurant is located
here and the building remains property of the TTC. Hidden behind is the TTC Roncesvalles Division car barn still in use today.
June 11, 1941 Toronto Transportation Commission.

Sunnyside Bus Terminal circa 1940's

TTC 4740 Queen car eastbound. Check out that Buick!
6/05/1965 Paul Mc.Grane Collection

TTC 4314 a King car is at south end of Roncesvalles Avenue about to cross Queen Street West and turn east
on King Street West. Edgewater Hotel still around! Note Yellow Cab turning north off Queen. 9/13/1969

Eventually, in later years under new ownership the building got an update and operated as a Days Inn for a few years.
A further upgrade saw it become part of the Howard-Johnson's chain and remains so currently.

Looking north at the Five Points of Sunnyside. Massive rebuild of all tracks.

Looking west from roof of building on east side. Note large waiting room for streetcar passengers.
Street to upper left was removed decades later with construction of the Gardiner Expressway.

Streetcar in distance is eastbound on Queen Street. Welding machine in left foreground.
Large building (upper left) on northeast corner is Imperial Bank of Canada.
Building at right includes United Cigar Store (chain of variety stores now called "convenience" stores).
Next, Laura Secord candy chain store and Tamblyn Drug chain store.

 

 

 

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