This building is a local landmark.
You are now outside the Woods Manufacturing Company building, one of the first to be built in the neighbourhood.
8
Location:
401 Logan Avenue
Woods Manufacturing Company
Year:
1907
Architect:
James Layrock Havill
Made:
Fibre products, tents, clothing, wartime products
Toronto Public Library
Image by Susan Roden
Known for its tents, sleeping bags, and outdoor clothing, Woods was also one of the largest producers of fibre and canvas products in the country.
The company had factories in Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Welland, and its shipping sacks transported grain and other products across Canada.
Rod and Gun in Canada
The War Effort
During the world wars, Woods made products vital to the war effort, including hammocks, tents, summer uniforms, and gas mask covers.
Check it out…
Abandoned rails and crossing signs
The freight tracks that supported the factories in this neighbourhood have mostly disappeared, but near the intersection of Dickens and Thackeray you can still find tracks poking through the ground and an old crossing sign.
Dickens and Thackeray street signs
These streets are named for two prominent Victorian novelists; Charles Dickens and William Makepeace Thackeray, the author of Vanity Fair. It’s not clear why, through Dickens’ work did focus heavily on the working class.
In 1982, Woods outfitted the first Canadians to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
Woods outfitted the first Canadians to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
Wearing Woods insulated jackets, Laurie Skreslet of Calgary and sherpas Sungdare and Lhakpa Dorje were the first to reach the top.
Tragically, four members of the expedition died in an avalanche and an icefall before reaching the peak.
20 Canadians and 39 Nepalese sherpas took part in the Everest ’82 climb, which was sponsored by Air Canada, Woods, and 98 other companies. It took 5 years to plan.
Image Credit: A Canadian climber in the Everest ’82 expedition
Woods Canada
Woods provided tents, sleeping bags, and parkas for the expedition. The tents were made of “bulletproof” nylon to withstand the harsh Mount Everest climate.
Image Credit: A Woods tent used during the Everest ’82 expedition
Woods Canada
Woods has moved on, but the factory remains a neighbourhood landmark.
The water tower at the corner of the building still has painted signs advertising the company.
Remodelled and expanded, the building now houses multiple commercial enterprises, such as a clothing company, sculpture school, dance studio, and 3D printing workshop.
Still, this part of Dundas and Carlaw remains industrial.
Fast Fact
As the ghost sign says…
This was Woods’ “Plant No. 2.” Plant No. 1 was on rue Mullins in Montreal, close to the Grand Trunk Railway and the Lachine Canal.
Is the name Woods familiar? Canadian Tire now owns the brand and uses it for a line of outdoor products.
and Logan Avenue, June 2018.
Image by Susan Roden
Check it out…
Creative Spirit
When the Woods complex was split in half by the construction of Dundas Street East in 1954, part of the building was orphaned on the south side of Dundas. A 2012 mural by the German street art duo Herakut, one in an international series, animates this former interior wall. The mural is located on the south side of Dundas Street. You likely passed it on your way to this stop.
Read the plaque
This plaque is located at the northeast corner of Dundas Street and Logan Avenue. You likely passed it on your way to this stop.
View the text transcription
Woods Manufacturing Company Factory
This landmark factory was designed in 1907 by James Layrock Havill for the Smart Bag Company of Montreal, which made cotton and jute ropes, twines, bags, and sacks for the transport of flour, cereals, and cement.
Renamed Smart-Woods after a merger, then Woods Manufacturing in 1918, it became one of the largest producers of fibre products in Canada with factories in Ontario, Quebec, and Manitoba. The company also became known for its tents, sleeping bags, and outdoor clothing.
At the time, this area was quickly industrializing. Many manufacturing plants opened on Carlaw and Logan Ave. in part due to easy access to the nearby Grand Trunk Railway line.
During the world wars, Woods made products vital to the war effort, including tents, hammocks, summer uniforms, and gas mask covers. Its civilian products continued to be popular with outdoor enthusiasts.
The Woods complex was split by the extension of Dundas St. E. through this area in 1954. The company continued to operate here until the 1980s, and the building now houses multiple commercial enterprises.
Next stop:
Jefferson Glass
Ready to hit the next stop?
Head east on Dickens Street towards Carlaw Avenue.
Careful! This is still an active industrial area. Be mindful of traffic.
Once you reach Carlaw Avenue, head north on the west side of the street until you find the plaque for Jefferson Glass Company Factory. This is your next stop.