The largest and most linked artifacts for the Junction’s railroad history at the rear of 110 West Toronto St., are at risk.
Deep at the rear the parking lot of the Rona store on West Toronto Street lies an important yet often overlooked piece of Junction’s railway history huge parts a turntable used for rotating trains in the CPR workshops which once sat on the lot. Despite its historical significance, many in the community are unaware of its existence or the efforts that once preserved these artifacts.
The display owes its presence to the talks that took place in the between 1995 and 1997 between local resident group known as the Junction Railway Committee – a group who were requesting the CPR make changes to the noises and vibration their activites created in the community. Amid discussions over noise and safety concerns, CPR sought to give back to the community and funded a study of the roundhouse, knowing it would soon be decommissioned. Junction Railway Committee contacted the West Toronto Junction Historical Society, bringing them into the groups discussions with thye railway.
While access to the site was tightly controlled, CPR allowed a select few from the community to photograph the sites outdoor premises. Additionally, with the help of an CPR engineer involved in discussions, internal images from CPR’s Montreal archives were secured. These photos, which were once shared online, deserve to be revisited and reposted for historical preservation.
Today, the site is subject to a residential development proposal, where currently Official Plan Amendment seeks to redesignate the subject site from General Employment Areas to Mixed Use Areas.
The current application states, The proposal
is being brought forward on a land use basis
only, and does not seek to establish site-specific
performance standards for future development. In
this regard, no new buildings or building additions
are being proposed at this time, and it is intended
that the existing buildings on the subject site will
remain.
Yet if the proposial is accepted by the city, and the allowed land uses change from general General Employment Areas to Mixed Use Areas, the site will allow Mixed Use Areas zoning which allows for a blend of residential, commercial, and institutional uses, which General Employment Areas not not.
Yet, troublingly, city development site fail to mentions the fate of the historic railway artifacts. Without recognition and action, this crucial link to Junction’s railroad heritage may soon disappear.
If the community wishes to preserve these relics, now is the time to raise awareness and advocate for their protection.
