Forlorn Toronto Gray Coach Terminal

The terminal closed in 2021 after the final buses moved to Union Station and the depressed Art Deco building sits near Bay and Dundas waiting for something different. I liked the bus stations colourful platform number signage and decided to look into the fascinating history of the structure and its associated transportation companies.

Luckily the internets has plenty of information on just about anything and Wikipedia and the City of Toronto's own website tell the tale of the empty terminal. I have mostly known of the terminal as a Greyhound bus terminal, a private company. It was a Toronto TTC company before that when the City took over some competition in the bus business way back in 1927 and built the Gray Coach Terminal in 1931 (which also was used by other lines).

Looking into the bus platform terminals

From the City's website, "Consequently, in 1927, the TTC incorporated a subsidiary business called Gray Coach Lines, Ltd. to provide interurban motor coach services and sightseeing operations. Routes covered much of central Ontario, and included Buffalo, where passengers could transfer to other US destinations. Gray Coach Lines also operated several extra-fare special motor coach services in Toronto and motor launch sightseeing tours of the lagoons at Toronto Island."

The view from Bay Street

Public notices on the doors

TTC funding issues and the introduction of GO Transit which duplicated many of the GTA routes contributed to the sale of Gray Coach Lines in 1990. The other companies operated the terminal, leased from the City, until operations ended in 2021 and the building was locked up and the bus platforms fenced off.

Toronto has big plans for the site and will reuse parts of the heritage listed building which will make the building happy again.

Joy Oil Station in Toronto

The old gas station was relocated further along Lake Shore Boulevard and is still sitting along a park, fenced in and unused. The historical landmark looks great still, not like it is rotting in place, but when will something happen with the tiny building.

The historical plaque

Wikipedia suggests the restored gas station building will be turned into a restaurant and tourist information site when the nearby vendor contract expires, however we will have to wait for the intended use is announced by the City of Toronto.

Port Dalhousie abandoned canal locks

In the long history of the Welland Canal the route has shifted several times leaving abandoned locks and mechanical features which you can see in Port Dalhousie - once the terminal point for the canal as it connected to Lake Ontario. The 3rd canal, lock 2 is pictured at top. Port Dalhousie was the terminal point of the Welland Canal from 1829 with the 1st canal, continuing with the second (1846) and third canals (from 1887 till the new and current canal was opened in 1932). I like to go through Port Dalhousie as I head into the Niagara Region and it's wineries and easy route to Niagara Falls staying off the QEW highway as much as possible.

Rankin Condo

Development and rehabilitation is afoot along the old canal route in the town that has been incorporated into the town of St. Catherines. Several condos are planned for the downtown area including the Rankin Condo and the upcoming Harbour Club along the banks of Twelve Mile Creek. The old lock 1 of the second Welland Canal route has been incorporated into an outdoor stage and parkette besides the Rankin Condo.

Harbour Club in the old Dominion Rubber Company building

Canal 2, lock 1 new stage and parkette

We parked along Lake Ontario at Lakeside Park, home of the famous nickel-a-ride carousel, and walked to Rennie Park which has paths and a long pedestrian bridge that connects to Royal Henley Park across the Martindale Pond.

Pedestrian bridge to Royal Henley Park

Old tie down points for ships along lock 2 remain in the park

Canal 3, lock 2 ends in Royal Henley Park

Canal 3, lock 2 looking into Royal Henley Park

As you walk the paths you can see features of the old canals in the water, some where only birds now perch, until you come close to Royal Henley where you can see lock 2 from the 3rd canal route. The lock has been incorporated into the Royal Henley Park where the balance of locks and canal walls have been buried and developed from the park to where it would intercept the current canal adjacent to lock 3 (home of the St. Catherines Museum and Welland Canal Centre). You can follow the canals on this Google Maps geographic guide.

See more of Port Dalhousie's water features after the jump.

Friendship Trail and the abandoned amusement parks

The Niagara Region has a 150km loop of multi-use trails that run along the Welland Canal, Lake Erie, Niagara River and Lake Ontario called the Greater Niagara Circle Route Trails. We have done the majority of the Welland Canal Trail (from Lock 3 to Port Dalhousie) and wanted to try the Friendship Trail which runs between Port Colborne and Fort Erie, a distance of 24km, on a wide, paved path that used to be an old rail line.

A ship transits into the Welland Canal and passes the Clarence Street bridge at the start of the Friendship Trail

A warning barrier has a graffiti painting of Marilyn Monroe

The trail doesn't stray too far from the shores of Lake Erie and the old rail bed provided for gentle slopes which makes the biking easy. The pathway signs indicate the intersecting roads along with points of interest and directions if you want to explore more of the area.

To start off we parked at the Welland Canal Lock Number 8 Park which has a public bathroom and free parking. There is also plenty of free parking near the start of the Friendship Trail as well as along the route (at Ridge Road, Crescent Road and Lakeshore Road). Then we biked along the end of the Welland Canal Trail until we joined up with the Friendship Trail running east along Durham Street. Then it was sweet cycling watching the many factories and houses transition into farmland and residential areas.

The Crystal Beach welcome sign

Looking towards old Crystal Beach pier

We took a 2.5km detour from the path to check out Crystal Beach which was once home to a significant amusement park from 1888 to 1989. All that seems to remain is the large pier which was used by ferries to bring the people to the park - none of the attractions or giant roller coaster that ran right beside the water still remain. It actually far outlasted the Fort Erie park and some of its attractions were brought to Crystal Beach. After checking out the current beach we made our way back to the trail and continued until we hit Fort Erie.

The Friendship trail moved onto a large sidewalk on Edgemere Road in Fort Erie and continues through a future development until you get to Lakeshore Road and the Niagara River Recreational Trail. We detoured off the path to walk along the beach of Lake Erie through the remains of the old Lake Erie Beach Park.

Information on the old Lake Erie Amusement Park

Some foundations for the plane ride

The Lake Erie amusement park operated from 1885 until just after the start of the Great Depression in 1930. Only concrete structures and steps remain, including bases for the plane ride, the old pier and a small wall that that winds around the edge of the water - it used to be one of the largest outdoor swimming pools in the world at one time. The city has put up posters with information and pictures showing the extent of the old fairgrounds.

We had a lunch along the edge of the Niagara River just downstream from the Peace Bridge 

Then it was back to the park at Welland Canal Lock 8 for the end of our 65km ride

Kilns at the Limehouse Conservation Area

As Ontario starts to open from the Covid-19 precautions one of the safer things you can do is explore the great outdoors and conservation areas are a great place to start. In the GTA you can find the Toronto and Region with places like Black Creek Pioneer Village and Heart Lake Conservation Area, Halton with Crawford Lake and Hilton Falls Conservation Area and Credit Valley with the Elora Cataract Railway and Limehouse Conservation Area.

One of the old kilns is in pretty good shape

Located at 12169 Fifth Line in Limehouse, the Limehouse Conservation Area has a great dose of nature plus bonus features of lime kilns, and a cute rock arch bridge over a babbling brook. Entrance is free and the facilities include a parking lot and at this time, no port-o-potties. The main Bruce Trail cuts through the park (white blazed section) and a Bruce side trail called the Black Creek Trail (blue blazed section).

The main trail takes you past an old mill with the arch bridge, near a restored powder magazine (photo at top), by several old kilns, through a wooden path over a small swampy area and up a broken limestone hill to the 'Hole in the Wall' area. Part of the trail is on the old Toronto Suburban Radial Railway with the long abandoned rails removed.

Industrial activity from the 1800's form the historic appeal of the conservation area. Lime kilns line a section of a limestone hill. Arched caverns, some in perfect condition, were used to fire limestone into quicklime which was used in steel making and also to produce concrete blocks. Limestone and waterfalls helped build the economy along the Niagara Escarpment.

The hill leading to the 'Hole in the Wall'

Abandoned Drive In Theatre

Pefferlaw's former cinematic entertainment hub sits empty now, no cars filling its rings of parking spots pointing towards the single, large screen. No superhero blockbuster movies play on the screen, no popcorn popping in the small concession stand.

It looks like it closed down around 2014 and the screen and building are slowly falling apart while the grass grows long in the concentric circles in the parking area. The site is located at 30944 Highway 48 in Ontario, just west of Durham Road 23.

A Google Map capture of the theatre grounds in better days

From the Cindrive drive-in theatre website

See more of the drive-in after the jump.

Abandoned Ontario Place

Rides only remaining in the memory of some and rides that remain partly in place, remnants of what was an adventure ride log flume around concrete silos. A bustling island park south of Exhibition Place, then the government closed it one day. Slowly the park has been reclaimed and brought back to life with some free festivals bringing people back into Ontario Place.

Still, it is fun to explore the abandoned amusement park and remember the times before and hope they leave some of it place for people to explore.

Jordan Harbour abandoned ship

The two-masted replica of "La Grande Hermine", or its stupider name "The Big Weasel" sits low in the water, still rusting within the break-wall of Jordan Harbour. The ship became a historic replica of one of French Explorer Jacques Cartier after it was used as a ferry, cargo ship and floating restaurant until it was brought to the harbour in 1997.

Aerial view of the shipwreck

Resting on the floor of Lake Ontario just metres from the beach with masts poking up over the trees and visible from the nearby QEW Highway between Hamilton and St Catherines. The ship has been through a lot, including a fire, and now is just a brief tourist stop for curious travelers.

Mon Ferris Wheel is kaput

The wheel sits upright and inviting but it lacks a certain something, or many things, like seats and probably a motor. Located at the Front 9 Golf Store on Paris Road just north of Powerline Road in Brantford, the ferris wheel is like a humongous garden gnome, a rusting, hulking garden gnome that will eventually crumble and drop onto the golf store.

The I thought to myself, self, if I wanted wind power when everyone hates wind turbines in their backyard - hello NIMBY, where could I put it and make everyone happy? The answer, hide it in plain sight in your front yard as a midway attraction. All's fair in Fall Fairs.

Detroit and Belle Isle Fountain

I passed through Detroit (see last years post on Detroit) on the way to the Thunder over Michigan Airshow and we drove onto Belle Isle which is a great treasure along Detroit's waterfront. The main part of the Belle Isle fountain (the James Scott Memorial Fountain) has been fixed since my last visit and only two parts remain without water. The pond itself is full of algae and no ducks float on it's almost solid surface.

Back in Detroit the razor wire, graffiti, empty lots and abandoned buildings still remain. I didn't see any urban farms and maybe they still remain as proposals. It is said that Detroit is the 2nd poorest City in America which is really sad considering that the American economy still seems to be reeling from the previous world wide meltdown which has not really ended. I hope that Detroit comes back and that some people can take advantage of the low home prices and bring families and business back to Motor City. Until then the abandoned buildings and damaged structures provide a scary and artistic memory of past bounty.

Welcome, Enjoy Detroit mural.

See more pictures of the Belle Isle Park, fountain and more Detroit pictures after the jump.

Evergreen Brickworks - a look back at abandoned factory

The Evergreen Brickworks is getting ready for a fun Earth Day Celebration on Saturday April 23rd, 2011 at the former Don Valley Brickworks factory and park. On Thursday April 21 the site will also try to make the world’s longest picnic table. Evergreen is also celebrating its 20^th anniversary of making cities more livable. It’s time to get your Green On and participate in some free eco-activities.

Here is a look back at the abandoned group of buildings that was slowly crumbling, with holes in the roof that on sunny days let in slices of sun, and walls full of bright graffiti. The bricks long since stopped being churned out of the factory complex, fences put up in an attempt to keep out people interested in seeing the desolation that unwanted buildings and empty workplaces can produce. It was ghostly and fascinating at the same time and you could always stand in a sunbeam and look for a rainbow and a pot of gold.

And some of Fresh Joe's photos.