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Canadian Urbanism Uncovered

TAKE A GUESS: name this intersection, March 7th

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Since our current issue is all about intersections we thought it would be fun to play a game. Everyone did quite well yesterday, so I hope this a little more challenging.

We want you to identify this intersection. Leave your guess in the comments section: we’ll hold on to your opinions until 3pm when we’ll unveil the answer. If you want to see a larger version of the photo check it out on Spacing Photos.
UPDATE at 3pm: The guessing game is now closed. The intersection is Bathurst and College. The bank is the Scotiabank on the northeast corner. I thought the roof might throw some of you off. I love the striped awnings — retail stores today have largely abandoned these small places of shade.
Come back tomorrow and Friday to take part in another guessing game.

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46 comments

  1. This one is tricky. Bay and Richmond? Bay and Adelaide? Looking North Eastish?

  2. College & Bathurst – NE corner – still looks the same except they changed the roofline when they rebuilt it in the 80s I think.

  3. Queen and McCaul. There’s still a Scotiabank on the corner, though not the beauty that’s in the photo above.

  4. Roncesvalles and Queen Street West.

  5. Are you sure your current issue isn’t about Toronto’s banks? Looks familiar but can’t place it.

  6. Bathurst and College. Someone obviously likes old pictures of Bathurst!

  7. NE College and Bathurst.
    Interesting to see the roof.

  8. I’ll go with the north-east corner of Queen & Roncessvalles.

  9. Northeast corner of College and Bathurst, the terra cotta Scotia Bank.

  10. I’m going to guess Danforth Ave, somewhere in present-day Greektown.

  11. I say the north-east corner of College and Bathurst.

  12. College & Bathurst…. either that or it’s a new look for the Scotiabank Theatre (formerly Paramount)…

  13. Aside from the roof (and the tacky awnings), looks like the bank at College & Bathurst (northwest).

  14. (oops, northeast. let’s see, never eat soggy wieners… yeah east. :P)

  15. My guess:

    King and Bathurst, where Blowfish is now.

  16. I dare say it is the Scotiabank on the NE corner of College and Bathurst. But the spanish tile roof… maybe i haven’t noticed it before? it’s throwing me off a bit.

  17. Once upon a time in the sprawling metropolis of Hogtown,

    There live an urbane photojournalist who lived in the village of Parkdale. He struggled to make ends meet toiling away snapping snapshots for the Toronto Telegram dreaming of a distant future in the 21st century where a $10.00 minimum wage would make everyone of his great-grand-children millionaires overnight!

    Wow Loot!

    Alas, on most days, our budding 19th century Jimmy Olsen happened upon the Wheat Sheaf Tavern where pints were a-plenty and the old timers still called Buffalo Wings, Freedom Wings.

    It is here where the story ends and our story of this photograph begins; from the patio of the Wheat Sheaf Tavern; a photo was snapped of the “King and Bathurst Intersection”; and made its way onto the spacing photoblog, to be guessed at this morning.

    The End.

  18. i’m guessing college and bathurst facing north east.

  19. Northeast corner of Bathurst and College. The lid of this building was subsequently removed and replaced by a hidden modern thing.

  20. King and Bathurst,looking North East.

  21. It looks like College and Spadina, looking NE from the SW corner of the intersection, where you now catch the streetcar.

  22. I was going to say Queen and Church b/c of the Scotiabank facade, but I’m not sure the frontage is correct.

    And I thought as well it might be Gerrard & Broadview, but the building doesn’t match up I think architechturally.

  23. Looking forward to tomorrow’s “guess which Bathurst intersection is in the picture”

  24. Somebody rustle up an “honourable mention” trophy for HiMY SYeD’s creative yet incorrect solution! 🙂
    (and you, wordpress, stop turning my lame ascii smileys into lamer graphical smileys! :-/)

  25. I always loved awnings. They provided cover for the grocers’ produce and they helped keep the insides of stores cooler. It reduced the amount of air conditioning necessary for a comforable workplace.

    The old signs and sign boards that protruded out over the sidewalk with the business’ name was also something else to behold. Sadly, they’ve gone the way of the carpet beater only to be replaced by back-lit fluorescent signs.

    Awnings, with their distinctive colours and patterns and signs with their distinctive artwork brought character to the streetscape and helped to strengthen the neighbourhood identity.

    These backlit fluorescent signs with uninspiring artwork do nothing to enliven the streetscape.