Royal York Hotel Commemorative plaque, 2021.
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Resource ID
8746
Access
Open
Address
100 Front Street West, Toronto, ON, M5J 1E3
Credit Line
Heritage Toronto
Date of Creation
2021
Historical Themes
Architectural Heritage, Performing Arts, Transportation History
Program Category
Historical Plaques
Rights
Heritage Toronto
Time Period
1900-1953, 1954-1998, 1999-today
Caption
Royal York Hotel Commemorative plaque, 2021.
Description
The Royal York Hotel is one of Toronto’s most famous landmarks. In 1862, this was the site of the Queen’s Hotel, an establishment that offered many modern conveniences such as passenger elevators and running water in the guest rooms. The Canadian Pacific Railway purchased the land in 1925 and the Queen’s Hotel was demolished to build the Royal York.
The Beaux-Arts style building was designed by architects Ross & Macdonald, with Sproatt & Rolph, and opened on June 11, 1929. The Royal York was the tallest building in the British Empire. It had 1,048 guest rooms, a library containing 12,000 books, a 12-bed hospital, and its own radio station.
The Royal York was one of many Canadian Pacific Hotels serving the railway across the country. The chain also included the Banff Springs Hotel in Alberta and the Château Frontenac in Quebec. In 1959, a new east wing designed by Ross, Patterson, Townsend & Fish, with Charles B. Dolphin, added 400 guest rooms and meeting rooms themed for Canadian provinces and regions.
The Royal York dominated Toronto’s skyline and upper class cultural life for decades. Performers such as Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Buddy Rich, and Ella Fitzgerald have played its Imperial Room concert venue. Celebrities and dignitaries including the Royal Family often stay at the Royal York. In 2019, the hotel underwent substantial renovations. Since it first opened, the hotel has served over 40 million guests.
Marker lat / long: 43.646698, -79.381302 (WGS84)