The Toronto Beltline trail is a wonderful set of multi-use trails that were saved from development and add to the city’s green space with canopies of trees. This 1891 brochure explains that the beltline’s “mission is to economize time by rapid transit, and to carry men, women and children with comfort, safety and speed beyond the cramped and crowded city to the airy uplands.” (Shortlink: wholemap.com/BeltLine1891)
The Beltline first served Toronto passengers on July 30th, 1892. It only ran for 870 days, though, before being closed on November 17th, 1894. The land was used for various purposes since then, with a lot of it eventually being turned into multi-use trails. Curious about the history of the Beltline? We’ve replicated some of the brochure here. (You can also see our collection of historic photos from along the Beltline.)
Introduction from the brochure:
The situation of Toronto, upon a gentle southerly slope, is admirably adapted for the site of a great city. From the shores of Lake Ontario the ground rises from plateau to plateau until, at the distance of about four miles from the water’s edge, an altitude is attained of 350 feet above the level of the Lake. Here are the “Highlands of Toronto.” To obtain a bird’s-eye view of Toronto and its surroundings take some position upon summit, slope or spur of this commanding eminence and wide and beautiful prospects will be your reward. All around the vision circles outward to a remote horizon— Southward, many leagues across Ontario, to trace the American shore — Eastward, far away over and beyond the cliffs of Scarboro — Northward, embracing a pleasant of well-kept farmsteads, to find limit only in the distant Oak Ridges, and now — sweeping from West to South to traverse in panoramic succession the distant profile of the “Caledon Hills,” “Burlington Mountain” and “Queenston Heights.” Here, in the environs of the city, is an elevation of great beauty and diversity, upon which the residential Toronto of the future will find suitable enthronement. The important sanitary considerations of invigorating altitude, ample area and pure air contribute so largely to the health and happiness of the people that as soon as accessible they are promptly embraced : whilst the aesthetic bent, which gains rapidly in an atmosphere of wealth and culture, will bring its thousands to share in the sentimental as well as the substantial advantages of homes on “Toronto’s Highlands.” If one could, with absolute accuracy, predict the rapid progress that coming years will witness in our city, he would gain more notoriety for romance than veracity. Therefore prophecy would not be profitable.
A True Picture by pen or pencil of Toronto in 1900 would excite universal ridicule. Who would have dared in 1880 to have portrayed the Toronto of to-day? Who would have said that in 1890 policemen would be required, at the intersections of our principal thoroughfares, to control the traffic? Who would suggest the gigantic proportions to which our school system has grown, furnishing accommodation for over twenty thousand public school children ? To say that ten years hence our city will be transfigured, our finest buildings eclipsed, our limits extended for many miles and our population increased by incredible thousands, would be to court condemnation as a dreamer. So, however, will it not be? A simple application of the “Rule of Three” — as the past is to the present, so is the present to the future — would convey some index of our important Destiny.
Original beltline loop counterclockwise from Lake Ontario
The scenery along the Belt Line will prove a genuine surprise. Gathering its passengers at various points on the City’s Esplanade, it hurries away east and west rising rapidly to the height north of the city, giving en route many charming views of distant landscapes as well as glimpses of lovely bits of scenery close by wherein forest, stream and valley blend with changing effect and beauty.
The picturesqueness of this route will be a revelation to the citizens of Toronto. That there are dells in the suburbs of Toronto is known to some – a few know of their passing loveliness — but the many are as ignorant of them as if they were in “Darkest Africa.” The very few who have threaded the mazes of these lovely valleys can testify to the rare attractions of their walls whereon forest, flower and fern run riot in un-strained profusion. Then to stand upon the heights!
The brochure then explains the loop starting at Toronto’s second Union Station opened 1873 by the Grand Trunk Railway (GTR) – a passenger rail station located west of York Street at Station Street, south of Front Street in downtown Toronto. The line headed east along Lake Ontario, then north up the Don River, for its first stop at:
Rosedale Station
I can’t find any photos of the Rosedale Station, but it was located near the cloverleaf interchange where Bayview Ave / DVP / and Bloor ramp all meet.
Near at hand is Beacon Hill – a prominent and much-admired headland that is luxuriantly wooded to the summit. Smooth and substantial park roads traverse the main valley of the Don as well as a tributary one of great beauty. These are the Silver Creek Drives, which add another attraction to Rosedale so that visitors can now drive through Silver Creek Valley, passing under the North Steel Bridge, and emerge by Roxborough Street on Yonge Street, at Chestnut Park. A short run from Beacon Hill and the view is suddenly circumscribed as the line curves into the narrow defile of Spring Valley.
Moore Park Station
Spring Valley, now called the Moore Park Ravine, was home to the most ornate station on the line, seeing as John T. Moore was a vice-president of the railway and an owner of property adjacent to the station. He paid the $300 for the extra ornamentation on the station.
The Moore Park station was used as a private residence for a while, then torn down by 1945.
Yonge Street station also known as the Merton Street Station
The line continues north and west through what is now Mount Pleasant Cemetery and the east end of the Kay Gardner Beltline Park multi-use trail on the west side of Mount Pleasant. The trail continues west to a station on the south side of Merton just east of Yonge Street. The station is long gone, but the location now has a Lost Station installation .
Upper Canada College Station at Avenue Road
The trail continues west, parallel to Chaplin Crescent to another Lost Station just north of the recently opened Upper Canada College (UCC). The brochure has an image of the original 1890 school building after it moved from downtown, which was torn down in 1958 and replaced with the current school buildings.
Forest Hill Station – at Bathurst Street
A tract of great beauty extends from this point to when the junction is made with the Grand Trunk Railway. The admirable adaptation of the easterly portion for villa sites is much enhanced by graceful undulations affording much diversity of hill crests and gentle slopes. These are further adorned by fine specimens of forest trees scattered and in clumps. Visitors to Forest Hill will agree that this healthful and beautiful situation must prove an inestimable acquisition to the City of Toronto. The Belt Land Corporation have caused a significant portion of this to be laid out into good-sized lots for villa residences, and have made careful provisions to ensure such features as will contribute to make this a charming neighborhood. Healthful situation, abundant natural supply of pure water, and freedom from burdensome taxation, are sanitary and economic considerations that are certain to influence all ranks and conditions of our people.
Another Lost station marks the spot where the station stood, now under the Eglinton overpass at the top of Spadina.
Fairbank Station and Junction
The Fairbank Station was located just west of Dufferin south of Castlefield. The land there was developed by the Toronto Belt Land Corporation. The numbered avenues on this map were given names like Hopewell, Whitmore, Belgravia, etc…
To meet the requirements of that large class which cannot afford expensive dwellings and yet desire tasteful homes, the survey in the vicinity of Dutferin street at Fairbank will prove a boon. Here, local activity, at the convergence of five important thoroughfares, has already marked it out as a business centre. Speedy growth and steady advance in value must follow the establishment of railway accommodation; and very soon a considerable community will cluster around the present nucleus.
West side of the railway back to downtown Toronto
The brochure loses steam here, so to speak, and summarizes the rest of the loop as:
A short run over the familiar route of the Northern Division of the Grand Trunk Railway down through pretty Davenport, and on past West Toronto Junction and Parkdale, and soon, we are back again at the Union Station. Then to make the circuit in the opposite direction will give agreeable variety.
The rest of the brochure, made available on the Internet Archive by York University Library, is worth a read as it sings the praises of investing in Toronto, including:
A City of Churches it extends a warm invitation to every race and every creed to come here and find congenial association with the religious brotherhood that may lie most cherished. To hundreds of people this denominational fellowship is an unfailing loadstone, and surely there can scarcely be any sect that could not muster a small coterie of adherents in this eminently moral and religious city.
For more information see:
- Lost Stations of the Toronto Beltline
- Our collection of Historic Photos from along the Beltline
- Our blog posts about Mount Pleasant Cemetery
- Wikipedia page about the Beltline