Only old folks would think of calling Yonge Street Toronto's "signature thoroughfare," in fact, it's been a long time since it was Toronto's main drag. The great landmarks of old Yonge Street are long gone. In those good old days you could shop at Eaton's and Simpson's, have a top steak in Lindy's, grab a hot dog at the lunchcounter in Ford's drug store, have a cocktail in any of the fancy bars From the Pilot Tavern, "way up north" at Bloor, to the Town Tavern, downtown, ( which featured jazz greats like Dizzy Gillespie and Benny Goodman) You could take in a movie in opulent theatres like the Imperial, and Lowes (both up-town and down-town).
Also, just off Yonge on Carlton was the venerable Maple Leaf Gardens. In those days Toronto's main drag closed down for the Sabbath. It was as dead as any village main street, except when there was a Sunday midnight-matinee, when Yonge was like the midway at the Ex. as throngs strolled up and down the street waiting for showtime. Like all great cities, Toronto no longer has one main centre. There's Harbourfront, Nathan Phillips Square, Bloor Street, Yorkville, the Theatre District, Kensington, Queen Street West... Even if the new Dundas Square sparks a renaissance on Yonge Street, it will never again be the center of things as it was in old Toronto. Pity.
William Bedford
CFP “Poet in Residence” William Bedford was born in Dublin, Ireland, but has lived in Toronto for most of his life. His poems and articles have been published in many Canadian journals and in some American publications.
