Growing Up In Toronto's East End, What & who do you remember from the neighbourhood? Options

[snowbird2002]

I grew up in the east end of Toronto. While we moved around a lot the one area that I remember best was Jones Avenue and Queen Street. I have some fond memories of that neighbourhood ... anyone else out there from my old stomping grounds? Some things & places I remember are:

• Mosquito Park (corner of Jones & Queen). It had a wading pool that they filled every day. At night after the pool was drained we would rollerskate around that big concrete thing in the middle of it.
• Cody Sweets on the corner of Cody Avenue & Queen Street. For 25 cents I could buy a coke and listen to one song on the juke box. I 'always' played Rave On by Buddy Holly.
• B&B Fish & Chips on Queen Street, perhaps it was near Caroline Avenue & Queen on the north side of Queen. Every Halloween the owner would give us a small cone shaped container (just slightly bigger than a drinking cup) full of chips. And often when we came in he would give us the extra batter drippings free. Yum!
• Leslie Street School. Duke of Connaught Senior School, Danforth Technical School, the YMCA on Kingston Rd. Miss Diana restaurant in the beaches.

What do you remember from the neighbourhood. Who do you remember from the neighbourhood. What say we throw out some names here too? Here are some names I remember from way back then:

Alta Phillip, Raymond Mallais (Mary Hewlett who married Raymond Mallais), June Woodstock, Bob Beauchamp, Jimmy Alloway, Cookie Peroni, Pat Wice, Bill & Jimmy Tilley, Terry Norbury, Wayne Morash .... anyone remember any of these kids?

[Guest_mamacarol_*]

Hi there snowbird:

I lived in Scarborough and attended WCCI.........however, I knew many guys, that went to Danforth Tech, and, gals going to Notre Dame.........

Those gals........came home on the streetcars and buses with our guys. Hmm, little tarts.... ...with their plaid skirts rolled up to their a**es.

....MC

[snowbird2002]

MC, my girlfriends and I would hang out at a restaurant near a catholic school that the guys went to. (was that Notre Dame? Cant remember). We would sit at the restaurant and wait until the boys came in. We would pretend we were in high school but we were really only in grade 8. LOL

A few other names I remember:

Bruce Roberts, Willow Marriott, Leslie Thistle, Jean & John Butcher, Eddie Ewaskie, Roy & Gayle Gaynor, Bob Coulter, Bruce Roberts, Jimmy Ellison, Brenda Plunkett, Carol Kirk, Tessa Jarvis, Gloria Craig, Linda Harbour ....

[Guest_mamacarol_*]

Hi snowbird.........Notre Dame was strictly girls. I no not know what the boy's Catholic School was called. When I went to Ionview Public School.........I knew a Ken Coulter. They may be related I suppose.

The guys that I knew from Danfort Tech were.........Dave and George collins, Terry Luno, Art and Ray Cockell, hmm, my mind's gone blank.

Some of the girls from Notre Dame..........Carry and Ginny Jerrod(their dad worked for Link-Belt too) Gail Gunn and I am blank again..........

Fun topic snowbird.

[snowbird2002]

MC, It bothered me that I couldn't remember the name of the boys' catholic high school was so I hunted for it on the internet. It was Neil McNeil on Victoria Park, south of Kingston Rd, There was a restaurant on the corner of VP & Kingston Rd (on the north side of Kingston Rd where my girlfriends and I would hang out, borowing my girlfriend's sister's high school books. We would pretend to be in high school and try to meet the cute boys from Neil McNeil. Idiots huh? LOL

[cokeey]

My goodness Snowbird I find it so hard to believe that Tessa Jarvis was out looking for boys at such an early age....
Me thinks it runs in the family...

[Guest_canadian eh_*]

I was born on Leslie St. almost across the road from the Catholic School. That was the longest I ever lived in one house as a kid. Went to kindergarten at Leslie St School. Went to Pape School,Withrow,Norway,Duke of Connaught and then Wexford where I quit and went to work for a living. When I was going to school,I worked for Tommy Morgan`s Esso station on Gerrard near Marjorie. Delivered for Kent`s Pharmacy on my bike across from the Golden Mile. Quit school ,I worked for Mr Goddard at the Regent Station on Kingston Rd and Birchmount. Delivered telegrams for CP on my bike way downtown until the darn thing got stolen. Then I went to work for Langridges delivering blue prints(they had their own bike) they were located above the Liquor store on Richmond. Right next store to the Hickory Dell. I have never tasted corn beef on rye like they made since. Landed a job at General Steel Wares at River and Gerrard where I got beat up by the Union thugs for working too hard. I left and they all lost their jobs when GSW closed the place. Gilbert May lived on Jones Ave. He was killed on D Day. Nice fella! Remember the tunnel between Eatons and Simpsons where you got that great ice cream? The Bank of Commerce on King and the Royal York on Front were the biggest buildings in the British Empire. The movie theatres. Bonita,Pape,Crown,Prince of Wales forgot the name of the theatre at Woodbine and gerrard. Saw my first 3d movie there though. Kiwanis swimming pool I used to sneak into.

[bluefox]

That is quite a history you have there

I do remember Golden Mile Mall

and think I recall the tunnel

How about Eaton's College? That was a nice store as well.








bluefox

[bluefox]

That is quite a history you have there

I do remember Golden Mile Mall

and think I recall the tunnel

Definitely remember Kiwanis
and sitting out in sun .. swimming
lots of fun


How about Eaton's College? That was a nice store as well.
bluefox

[boomer50]

I remember driving through east TO once when trying to get to Montreal before the 401. Looked like a treeless wasteland at the time and the term SCARBERIA always stuck with me.

[haili]

The east end discussed on this thread is different from Scarberia. The Beach area and Danforth were nice places to live and had lots of trees and neighbourhood stores. Great shopping on the Danforth with dress and shoe stores besides car lots and furniture stores, lots of movies and restaurants too. Lots of window shopping and strolling along by the beach further south - good places for walking. I also remember Eatons and the tunnel to Eaton's Annex where they had the ice cream waffles. What ever happened to all the shoe stores we used to have?

[bluefox]

[Right.. I remember the shoe stores
on Yonge Street as well

Once I got a pair of high heels
(was very young then)
and the man actually let me
leave the store with them
and send him a cheque

Could not believe it

Lots of shoes on the Danforth too







bluefox

[haili]

The first time I bought a winter coat in Toronto was in the Beaches area - I think on Queen St someplace and it cost more than 1 week's wages. They put it away for me and let me pay so much a week until it was paid for - not like today when it would just be put on a credit card!

[snowbird2002]

Cokeey, Tessa wasn't the girlfriend who was stalking boys with me LOL ... Tessa hung around Mosquito Park (Jones & Queen) with the older girls. I believe it was there she learned to drink wine. LOL Does "THAT" run in the family? LOL The boys really loved Tessa but then she sure was one good looking girl, wasn't she? I still miss her still.

My goodness Snowbird I find it so hard to believe that Tessa Jarvis was out looking for boys at such an early age....
Me thinks it runs in the family...

[snowbird2002]

canadian eh, I also went to Duke of Connaught, I graduated grade 8 from the (then new) senior school. I was in the first graduating class of the Duke of Connaught junior high. Boy they really did up that graduating ceremony with a nice dinner with a rose by each girl's plate, etc.

I also lived on Curzon Street, right across from St. Joseph's church. I remember putting clothes on lay-away at Jordan's Clothing on Queen Street betweein Leslie & Jones. I hung around Cody Sweets (Cody & Queen Street). I went to a movie theatre on Queen just west of Jones, forget what street it was near (Carolyn Ave. or Brooklyn?). Also remember the Bonita Theatre on Gerrard and the Jade Doll Chinese restaurant on Gerrard just west of Jones. Quality Fish & Chips (Jones & Gerrard), Leslie Street Public School,

[maxicat]

MC, my girlfriends and I would hang out at a restaurant near a catholic school that the guys went to. (was that Notre Dame? Cant remember). We would sit at the restaurant and wait until the boys came in. We would pretend we were in high school but we were really only in grade 8. LOL

A few other names I remember:

Bruce Roberts, Willow Marriott, Leslie Thistle, Jean & John Butcher, Eddie Ewaskie, Roy & Gayle Gaynor, Bob Coulter, Bruce Roberts, Jimmy Ellison, Brenda Plunkett, Carol Kirk, Tessa Jarvis, Gloria Craig, Linda Harbour ....

That may have been the Three Star Restaurant, or maybe Ciro's or maybe the Queensboro. Ah the good old days on KR were a lot of fun.

[cokeey]

Cokeey, Tessa wasn't the girlfriend who was stalking boys with me LOL ... Tessa hung around Mosquito Park (Jones & Queen) with the older girls. I believe it was there she learned to drink wine. LOL Does "THAT" run in the family? LOL The boys really loved Tessa but then she sure was one good looking girl, wasn't she? I still miss her still.

Yes Snowbird ..she was a very pretty girl,and had the voice of an angel.

[onceabeacher]

This is my first posting (please be gentle!)

Re: Neil McNeil .... was previously St. John's Training School for boys. I remember it well... ice skating on their outdoor rink....passing notes to the "boys" ... sitting on the rails at the top end of Neville Park ravine. (was where Victoria Park (south of Kingston Rd.) took a left bend...(to the right was Bracken Avenue). My early formative years I went to Balmy Beach Public School ( Williamson Rd. for home ec) and Malvern Collegiate. I lived on Sprucehill Rd. to age 12, then Kingswood Rd. until I left home (when I was 16!)

I remember well... The Honeymoon (best milkshakes of all different flavors)... The Three Star Restaurant... Kingswood Lunch... and the Alpine Restaurant..and the Bo-Peep.

There was a bridge... (Williamson Rd/ Glen Manor Drive) where we'd go toboganning and skating for hours... The boardwalk... The Fox and Beach Theatres... the Goo f Restaurant etc...

Ahhh... the memories of our youth!

[Guest_mamacarol_*]

Good morning onceabeacher.........wow, The Bo Peep, now you're talkin'.........MC

This is my first posting (please be gentle!)

Re: Neil McNeil .... was previously St. John's Training School for boys. I remember it well... ice skating on their outdoor rink....passing notes to the "boys" ... sitting on the rails at the top end of Neville Park ravine. (was where Victoria Park (south of Kingston Rd.) took a left bend...(to the right was Bracken Avenue). My early formative years I went to Balmy Beach Public School ( Williamson Rd. for home ec) and Malvern Collegiate. I lived on Sprucehill Rd. to age 12, then Kingswood Rd. until I left home (when I was 16!)

I remember well... The Honeymoon (best milkshakes of all different flavors)... The Three Star Restaurant... Kingswood Lunch... and the Alpine Restaurant..and the Bo-Peep.

There was a bridge... (Williamson Rd/ Glen Manor Drive) where we'd go toboganning and skating for hours... The boardwalk... The Fox and Beach Theatres... the Goo f Restaurant etc...

Ahhh... the memories of our youth!

[snowbird2002]

I understand the Bo Peep restaurant is still in operation.

Does anyone come from the Jones & Queen area? Remember Mary's Open Kitchen, Jordan Clothing, The Rendezvous Restaurant (Pape & Queen?), Mosquito Park, Ted's Restaurant (Carolyn & Queen?), and Queen City Bowling Ally?