Commissioners Street Stack

 

Location: Lakeshore at McCleary Park

Date photo taken: 7 July 2020

Standing 137 metres tall, the stack at the former incinerator complex on Commissioners Street in the Port Lands is an impressive sight. Though not as tall as the Hearn's stack (which is poking out from behind in the photo above) the open vista provided by McCleary Park makes it easier to admire. Built in the early 1950s, it was the last incinerator facility to be built by the City and today the building is a listed heritage site. It ceased burning things in 1988 due in part to health concerns about released toxins and today functions as a transfer station for the City's Solid Waste Management Services division. It's also where you can go to drop off your household hazardous material and e-waste, although possibly not for long. The Port Lands are currently under redevelopment and the Port Lands Planning Framework re-envisions this complex as a community hub with a creative sector incubator. Fingers crossed! The stack itself recently underwent extensive rehabilitation so it's all set for whatever the future has in store.

183 Dovercourt -The Argyle Lofts

Location: Corner of Dovercourt Rd. and Argyle St.
Date photo taken: 19 April 2014

This beautiful building is known as the Argyle Lofts but once upon a time it was the home of the Ideal Bread Company. Built in 1919, each floor was specially designed to house a stage in the bread-making process. The third floor for example was where the baking of the bread took place and it had higher ceilings to accommodate the ovens.

According to the Heritage Toronto plaque on the side of the building "Montreal architect Sydney Comber designed this factory building in Edwardian Classical style... Window design is unique to each level and reflects the original separation - by factory floors - of the processes of bread production. In the final stage, bread wagons were loaded from the ground-level archways on Argyle Street."

The building ceased to operate as a bakery in 1957 and was used for various purposes before being converted to lofts in 2007. It was designated as a heritage property in 2003.