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Was Toronto very different 22-32 years ago, or more or less similar to how it is now? I know it has grown a lot since then. What has changed, what has stayed the same?
I will try to help you out here. I was born in 1987, which puts me seemingly at a disadvantage but am fascinated by Toronto's history so have read up on the topic a little bit.
A couple of years ago I might have told you that you'd recognize a picture from 1989 much more than 1980, but with the changes to the waterfront (condos, etc.), you may be hard pressed to find that even familiar.
The 1980's is probably the transition when Toronto stopped becoming the city that it was and started becoming the city that it is. The victory of the Parti Quebecois in the Quebec election in 1976 pushed many businesses and people from Montreal to Toronto, thus making Toronto the economic centre of the country. Many of the financial district buildings were already under construction, but this only continued that trend.
Waterfront- the condominiums that you see dotting the waterfront weren't there in the 1980's. The Westin Harbor Castle was there as was the Toronto Star building. I don't know if the heavy industry that once existed along the waterfront had all closed, but I suspect it was certainly heading that way by 1989.
CN Tower & Skydome- Well, Skydome was only built in 1989 with construction starting in 1986 or 1987. The CN Tower for the first decade or so of it's existence was surrounded by CN rail yards, the evidence of which still exists somewhat with the roundhouse that is across the street from the CN Tower.
Of course, the railway still exists serving VIA, Amtrak and GO Transit, but I'd encourage you to look up a picture of the rail yards and you'd be amazed just how extensive they are!
TTC- The Scarborough RT opened in 1985 I believe and aside from the Sheppard Line and the extension up to Downsview, the subway system as it exists in 2012 (at least for stations) is similar. The rolling stock is mostly changed over, you had the old red Gloucester trains in the 80's, but I think some of the rolling stock from the 80's is still operating.
Highway Network- I believe that it is more or less the same except for the 407, which is just outside of Toronto proper anyways.
Music- I'm more into the type of music that CFNY would have played at the time when they were known as The Spirit of Radio. They helped put a lot of Toronto bands from the 80's on the map such as The Spoons, Parachute Club and Jane Siberry. Bands like Blue Rodeo also got their start in Toronto.
Yonge & Dundas- No giant square for that intersection. The Eaton Centre didn't have the same facade that it does now. There was a larger parking garage at Bay and Dundas where the Canadian Tire is now and I think a Police Precinct as well. There are some pictures you can look up that show you what was at that intersection in the 1980's.
The sense I also get was that the Yonge Street Strip was 'seedier' back then. Of course, not having lived it, I have no actual proof of that, but sometimes if you look closely walking up Yonge north of Dundas at some of the shops you can still see 'hints' of that.
Sports- The Maple Leafs were a disaster in the 1980's with only one .500 record and that was in 1989-1990. The Argos were a lot more popular in the 1980's then they are now contending in most years and winning the Grey Cup in 1983, but the story of Toronto sports in the 1980's is the Blue Jays who built themselves up from expansion blues to contending teams winning the AL East in 1985 and 1989.
Urban- Toronto started to extend itself beyond its borders. I know this was when Thornhill (at least the Vaughan side) was primarily built and I'm sure other areas (West Durham, Mississauga, Brampton) saw heavy construction as well.
Diversity of Population- Again, I'm not entirely qualified to answer, but if I had to guess I'd say that Toronto certainly had immigrant communities and some significant ones at that, but probably overall less diverse than 2012.
callmemaybe if you have Facebook I encourage you to join the Vintage Toronto group. It has hundreds of fascinating pictures from throughout Toronto history and that includes the 1980s.
Sports- The Maple Leafs were a disaster in the 1980's with only one .500 record and that was in 1989-1990. The Argos were a lot more popular in the 1980's then they are now contending in most years and winning the Grey Cup in 1983, but the story of Toronto sports in the 1980's is the Blue Jays who built themselves up from expansion blues to contending teams winning the AL East in 1985 and 1989.
Diversity of Population- Again, I'm not entirely qualified to answer, but if I had to guess I'd say that Toronto certainly had immigrant communities and some significant ones at that, but probably overall less diverse than 2012.
quote]The maple leafs were a disaster in the "80's"?
Seriously though, I'd think toronto was always an immigrant community going far back, the only real change is the shift from european immigration to asian.
Transit actually worked. Subways came at 2 minute intervals, maybe less...now they come at 5 minute intervals and longer, just the thing this city needs when transit use is skyrocketing.
This can all be attributed to the Province dropping it's share of funding public transit to the city about 15-20 years ago?
Much less traffic, pollution, crime, and urban sprawl, too.
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