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. (Four remain). The Five Points (four remain) intersection of
Roncesvalles Avenue, King Street, Queen Street, 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".
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.
Looking north at the five points. April 19, 1923 Toronto
Transportation Commission.
