Toronto Harbour, looking east along Esplanade East, Princess Street in foreground, Toronto, 1894. Courtesy of the Toronto Public Library.
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Original JPG File | 1920 × 1563 pixels (3 MP) 16.3 cm × 13.2 cm @ 300 PPI |
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Screen | 983 × 800 pixels (0.79 MP) 8.3 cm × 6.8 cm @ 300 PPI |
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Resource ID
8415
Access
Open
Credit Line
1894
Date of Creation
1894
Keywords
Railway, Industry, Waterfront, transportation, Waterfront history, Toronto Harbour, Lakeshore
Program Category
Tours
Rights
Public Domain
Caption
Toronto Harbour, looking east along Esplanade East, Princess Street in foreground, Toronto, 1894. Courtesy of the Toronto Public Library.
Description
Since Toronto’s earliest years, people have wanted space on the waterfront to relax and enjoy views of the lake. Starting in the early nineteenth century, planners proposed an esplanade, a long and open corridor used for leisurely walks, near the city's shoreline. This plan almost became a reality in the 1850s. John Howard, a well-known local architect, drew plans for an esplanade in 1852. The title of his work — "Sketch of a Design for laying out the north shore of the Toronto harbour in pleasure drives, walks and shrubbery for the recreation of the citizens" — defines what Howard envisioned. The city committed to moving forward with Howard's plan; however, it never became a reality. Railways increasingly took up space along the city's shoreline. Land meant for an esplanade was sold to allow increased rail access to the waterfront. Instead of the planned pedestrian path, industry and trade would take over the waterfront for more than a century.