Why I Love 32 Gothic Ave.: The lost view of beauty and summer funThe Mayor meets The Minnies meets t

Why I Love 32 Gothic Ave.: The lost view of beauty and summer fun

The Mayor meets The Minnies meets the Toronto condo boom

A while back a condominium, in a former mansion, went on the market at 32 Gothic Ave. and instantly caught my attention not only for its architecture, but it history too. The home was built in 1889 for the mayor of the Town of West Toronto Junction, George Johnston St. Leger. The property was built by H.G. Paul and was dubbed Clandeboye after an Irish estate.

(Courtesy of The Globe)

It was later modified by Ellis and Connery in 1907 for Dr. William J. McCormick who turned the mansion into the High Park Sanatorium. According to the Globe,the hospital treated diabetes, anaemia, obesity, neurasthenia, paralysis and more. One of the popular treatments prescribed at this facility was hydrotherapy, or the water cure, which preaches the use of water for pain relief.  This was a popular option as evident with the sanatoriums installation of a Mineral Bath, which was the size of an Olympic Pool and predated the Sunnyside Bathing Pavillion.

(Courtesy of Toronto Archives)

The bath was famous as it was a natural swimming hole with “pure, cold, spring water,” that eventually flowed into Grenadier Pond.  The pool became a summer hot spot for men and women with the McCormick family brining swimming instructors to teach the public. Locals dubbed it The Minnies.

(Courtesy of Toronto Public Library)

Eventually McCormick closed the hospital and rented the property out to Strathcona Hospital – a maternity hospital. The pool remained after the High Park Sanatorium closed and McCormick continued to invest in the pool, which was the site of the 1924 Olympic swimming and diving trials.

(Courtesy of Toronto Public Library)

In the 60s the pool closed as part of the areas reconstruction for Line 2 of the TTC. The maternity hospital also vacated the property and it became a youth halfway house.

Its current incarnation occurred in 2004 when it was approved to become a condo complex hosting 7 units. The smallest suite is 1,415 square feet with the largest is 1,845 square feet.

A lost view

Walking past the former mansion/hospital you wouldn’t guess it had such a vibrant history, nor a stunning view. Today 32 Gothic Ave. is a beautiful old home awkwardly sandwiched between a condo complex, which likely blocks the sun from its beautiful New Orleans styled wrap around veranda. Not only does it likely block natural daylight, but according to historical accounts the home once had an unobstructed and epic view of High Park, not to mention the city’s hottest summer destination.

(Courtesy of Toronto Life)

What did Joni Mitchell say?

“They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.”

Well in the case of 32 Gothic Ave they didn’t put up a “pink hotel, a boutique and swinging hot spot.” Instead they took away that swinging summer hot spot, replacing it with a now underfunded transit system and condominium – which I guess is sort of boutique? Change happens for better or worse. Luckily, we have our imaginations to help take us to a time when beautiful landscapes dominated.

(Courtesy of James Ellis, Architect)