[adma]

...we've been seeing a lot of pre-1966 images lately; that is, of Bloor Station back when its primary street entrance was from the south and its "north" entrance was to the streetcar island. With the Bloor line, the present north transfer and entrance concourses were built in lieu of the former streetcar approach.

What I'm wondering about is: what did the outside of the newly-configured north entrance to the station look like in the late 60s and early 70s, before the Hudson's Bay Centre was piled on top of it...

 

[smuncky]

not too sure which sides are north or south but here are some pics from the archive.

i think this one is the south entrance.

a couple of bonus pics inside.

 

[adma]

The second one strikes me as the N entrance--more 1966 than 1954-looking, and I believe that's the Bell building on Asquith in the background. Sure incongruously modest, though--as if they knew it was temporary pending redevelopment...

 

[Observer Walt]

The first picture is clearly on the south side of the street based on the street number which is visible (odd number = south side). The other picture is the north side as Adma says, with the Bell building being visible.

Interesting pictures, thanks for finding them.

 

[smuncky]

notice the original subway font being used on the south side with vitrolite tiles. however, on the north side, a new font is being used.

 

[joeclark]

Same font as other such entrances

That second font is the same one used in transoms at other entrances, including some of the west-end stations, Main Street, and inbound from the bus bay at Castle Frank (where you’ll see a particularly nice ampersand).

 

[adma]

The first picture is clearly on the south side of the street based on the street number which is visible (odd number = south side).

Well, it's the building which Xerox replaced in the late 80s--and a fascinating one, at that; the billiard parlour in its arcade was once frequented by Leon Redbone IIRC.

Funny how that was the original primary street entrance to the station--and really, judging by the bottleneck modesty of the 1966-era north entrance, pretty much remained so until the Hudson's Bay Centre was built...

 

[khris]

Those pics are so scary looking!! It looks like a mental ward or something.

 

[CapitalSeven]

While I wouldn't have put it in quite those terms, those pictures really do speak against the notion that all design aspects of the original stations were worth preserving.

 

[junctionist]

While I wouldn't have put it in quite those terms, those pictures really do speak against the notion that all design aspects of the original stations were worth preserving.

There were few people who actually held that position. That debate mostly consisted of arguments that certain things should be saved like the tiles and type for instance, while other things could be removed. In the end, the TTC chose to completely preserve an extremely limited number of stations.