Namings – Cabbagetown Phase 1 4
Lane Namings – Cabbagetown Phase 1 5
Attachment No. 2
PROPOSED LANE NAMES AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION
LANE A - “DOCTOR O LANE†after Oronhyatekha (“Burning Skyâ€) M.D., who was
born into the Mohawk tribe and baptized as Peter Martin. Oronhyatekha graduated from
the University of Toronto’s medical school in 1866 and is thought to be the first native
doctor in Canada to train and practice in western medicine. In 1878, Dr. O (as he was
known), joined the fraternal organization known as the Independent Order of Foresters
(IOF) where he held the position of CEO for over 25 years. By 1887, Dr. O had
established a medical practice in Napanee. During his career, Dr. Oronhyatekha
represented the Six Nations and delivered the welcoming address to HRH The Prince of
Wales. By Royal invitation, he studied at Oxford University. Dr. O is remembered for his
residency at 211 Carlton Street. He died in 1907 and a memorial service was held at
Massey Hall to capacity crowds.
LANE B - “SILKWEED LANE†after the wildflower also known as Common
Milkweed that is found in disturbed natural areas such as roadsides like the laneways of
Cabbagetown as well as old fields and waste areas. It is a Eudicot of the Dogbane family.
LANE C - “NUTHATCH LANE†after the bird whose common name was derived by
the habit of storing food inside the crevices of mature trees. At a later time, Nuthatches
retrieve the stored food using their bills to hammer the crevices open. They are a common
songbird in Cabbagetown being found in gardens and at feeders. Nuthatches are
Passeriformes of the Sittidae/Nuthatche family.
LANE D - “CATBIRD LANE†after the Passeriformes of the Mimidae/Mockingbird
and Thrasher family. The popular name Catbird recognizes the birds’ ability to mimic the
calls of over 44 other avian species and for its ability to sound a cat-like mewing call.
Successional forests, streamsides and residential areas such as those of the Don Valley
and Cabbagetown neighborhood are attractive habitats to the Catbird.
LANE E - “WOODWARD EVANS LANE†after Torontonians James Woodward, a
medical electrician, and Matthew Evans, a gentleman, who filed a patent for the first light
bulb on July 24, 1874. Together, they constructed the first lamp with a rod of carbon
placed between electrodes in a glass bulb filled with nitrogen. Subjects of public ridicule,
they received little support for their work. Woodward obtained a U.S. patent in 1876. In
1879, Thomas Edison purchased the patent from Woodward and Evans as well as other
interested parties. The larger houses of today’s Cabbagetown, such as those found on
Sherbourne Street and Carlton Street, were among the first in the City of Toronto to be
electrically lighted.
LANE F - “HAGAN LANE†after Frederick Hagan who was born in 1918. By the age
of 16, Frederick’s father had died. He dropped out of school to take employment at a
paper-box factory in order to lend support to his widowed mother and 7 siblings. Later,
he studied at the Ontario College of Art (O.C.A.) and during that time he sketched and
Lane Namings – Cabbagetown Phase 1 6
painted in his garage studio and on the streets of Cabbagetown. By the age of 28, Hagan
taught at O.C.A. and continued teaching until his retirement in 1983. Hagan was given
the Royal Canadian Academy of Art’s Medal in 1998. Hagan died in 2003. Today, he is
remembered as a resident of 262 Ontario Street and for his works often displayed by the
National Gallery of Canada, the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Frederick Horsman
Varley Gallery in Markham, Ontario.
LANE G - “CALGIE LANE†after the Calgie family of Cabbagetown. The Calgies
once operated a general store at Berkeley Street and Dundas Street East. The Calgie’s
store, like many local stores, served as an early gathering place for all ages. It was not
uncommon for such establishments to offer credit, short-term loans and bridge financing
to residents in need of funds. While not a formal lending institution, the general stores of
Cabbagetown exemplified the challenging economic circumstances under which many
Cabbagetowners lived and the standard of personal attention given to them as clientele.
LANE H - “DROVERS LANE†after the once popular occupation of some
Torontonians who drove herds of livestock to market. Such occupational listings
frequently occur alongside the names of Cabbagetown residents in early City of Toronto
telephone directories. The profession is no longer a common occurrence nor is the term
commonly used. As such, the term reflects everyday life in early Toronto.
LANE I - “VERNER LANE†after John Verner, the owner of the popular Cabbagetown
store at 283 Parliament Street (demolished). J. Verner Mc Aree, the nephew of the owner,
used the store as a primary setting in his book Cabbagetown Store. The work records the
writer’s upbringing with his Uncle John and Aunt Polly. Together, they lived onsite and
operated their business from the 1870s to World War I. The store was known to take
credit and issue no interest loans to their Cabbagetown clientele. While not a formal
lending institution, the general stores of Cabbagetown exemplified the challenging
economic circumstances under which many Cabbagetowners lived and the standard of
personal attention given to them as clientele of the store.
LANE J - “CALLAGHAN LANE†after Morley Callaghan who was born in 1903 to an
Irish Catholic family. Callaghan grew up on Belshaw Place in Cabbagetown and was
later educated at the University of Toronto. Callaghan attended Osgoode Hall in the mid-
1920s, but never engaged in the practice of law. Instead, Callaghan worked at the
Toronto Star, where he was a junior reporter. In his time there, he met writer Ernest
Hemingway who was supportive of his craft. In 1928, Callaghan’s first novel, Strange
Fugitive, hit the shelves and his subsequent popularity garnered him the informal title of
Canada’s first urban novelist. By the 1950s, Callaghan mapped his skills as a writer to the
emerging broadcast industry and thereby became known to a much larger audience. His
writings continued to be successful and in 1951 Callaghan received Canada’s Governor
General’s Literary Award for his book The Loved and the Lost. A later success was his
1963 memoir, That Summer In Paris. Callaghan achieved the Companion of the Order of
Canada. He died in 1990. Barry Callaghan, son of Morley Callaghan concurs with the
naming proposal,
Lane Namings – Cabbagetown Phase 1 7
LANE K – “HEADS LANE†after Thomas Head, a plumber and tinsmith whose
business occupied the premises at 316 Parliament Street. Head promised prompt jobbing
and satisfaction to his Cabbagetown clientele. He was a leader in his trades offering
service for the modern conveniences of interior running water and furnace heating often
installing such things for the first time in many homes.
LANE L – “WINDEYER LANE†after the architect R. V. Windeyer (of Windeyer and
Falloon, Architects) who designed All Saint’s Church. Church officials and members of
the community approached Windeyer and negotiations led to the signing of a contract on
March 13, 1874 with Lionel York named as the contractor. Windeyer was asked at a later
date to design the Sunday School and Boys’ Hall additions. The majority of his work
survives and the Church continues to be a landmark (with a portion of the south elevation
abutting the laneway in question). The building has been featured in Toronto’s Open
Doors event and continues to be a landmark building.
LANE M - “NIGHTHAWK LANEâ after the Caprimulgidae of the
Caprimulgidae/Nightjar family. Nighthawks are found in Cabbagetown and other urban
areas in Southern Ontario.
