You are now at the heart of the industrial district.
At its peak in the late 1940s, Dundas and Carlaw would have hummed with railway activity, vehicular traffic, and workers arriving and leaving after their shifts on the Queen and Carlton streetcars.
7
Dundas and Carlaw Intersection
Year:
1954
City of Toronto Department of Public Works
You might have smelled sweets, rubber, or harsh fumes from soap making. Smoke from factory chimneys filled the air.
Many workers also lived nearby, thanks to a boom in new homes built in the 1920s. When money was tight during the Great Depression, commuters would walk or only take the streetcar one way.
the intersection with Carlaw Avenue, September 1954.
City of Toronto Archives
Before the 1950s, this intersection did not exist because this part of Dundas Street hadn’t been built.
The street was extended through here to ease rush-hour traffic in and out of downtown. In the process, the Woods factory, our next stop, was split in half.
The rail network that dominated the Dundas and Carlaw area supported the factories.
Juicy Fruit, and the new P.K. gum, 1921.
Wrigley
It made industry here attractive, but it was also one of the many reasons why the neighbourhood began to decline.
In the 1960s, trucking became cheaper and more convenient compared to rail.
Many businesses moved to factories in the suburbs to be closer to highways.
Wrigley
Not all the trains are gone.
The former GTR railway now used by passenger trains on the GO Transit Lakeshore East line and Via Rail trains on the busy Quebec City–Windsor route. The Ontario line subway is also being built along the same route.
This triangle of land reflects local history.
The artwork in this public plaza is inspired by the neighbourhood’s industrial heritage and railway legacy. The 9.2-metre steel obelisk by internationally acclaimed artist Pierre Poussin is etched with maps of the area and lights up at night.
The pavement design illustrates the railway network that made the neighbourhood thrive.
Image by Chris Bateman
Image by Chris Bateman
Check it out…
Curvy condos
Check out the condo buildings at the southeast corner of the intersection. A freight track used to come right through this intersection en route to the backs of the factories on the east side of Carlaw. Although the track is gone, the shapes of these recent condo buildings reflect its path.
Image by Susan Roden
Next stop:
Woods Manufacturing
Ready to hit the next stop?
Staying on the south side of the street, head west on Dundas towards Logan Avenue.
On the way, you will pass a mural (more on this at our next stop).
Once you reach Logan Avenue, head north at the lights.
A plaque about our next stop, the Woods building, is located on the corner. Check it out on your way!
Continue north on Logan Avenue until you see a small set of stairs* on your right. Head up the stairs. At the top, look up at the Woods building and tower. This is your next stop.
Careful! This is still an industrial area and there are no sidewalks. Be mindful of traffic.
* If you do not wish to use the stairs, turn back to Dundas Street and head east towards Carlaw Avenue. Once you reach Carlaw Avenue, proceed north to Dickens Street. Head west on Dickens Street until you see the Woods building and tower.