Long Branch in Toronto used to have its own Fire Hall
These days I don’t spend as much time as I used to in writing posts at this website.
Instead I spend much of my time on a multiyear, independent research project centred on a biography about a speech therapist in Alberta.
As part of my research I’ve been reading about the history of Alberta – with a focus on how such a regional history relates to the history of Canada and the world. A multitude of valuable resources that I’ve been studying closely include God’s Province (2016), Orange Chinook (2019), and Blue Storm (2023).
The latter two texts are available online at the University of Calgary website. The online versions are handy but the print versions are easier to read in my experience. Nonetheless the online versions offer a great way to get acquainted with Orange Chinook and Blue Storm – valuable resources featuring the work of many authors.
Also of interest: First World Petro-Politics (2016), Fundamentalism and American Culture (2022), Rule of Darkness (1988), Dark Vanishings (2003), and Time’s Monster (2020).
Until I became involved with the successful effort to save Parkview School starting in 2011, I did not have much interest in history. However, since that local history project I’ve been reading widely – for example, about world military history and the history of the British empire. I’m interested not just in history but also in historiography – how history gets written, and whose needs – and purposes – are served by the writing of it.
On occasion I still write about Long Branch as in a recent post about Exmoor Drive. The latter post began with an inquiry from a site visitor. Every once in a while, as a result of things previously posted, I get an inquiry about information I might be able to help with.
In a recent such case, I’ve received an inquiry, forwarded by Gord Young of Peterborough, regarding where the Long Branch Fire Hall once stood.
The inquirer’s great grandfather returned to Peterborough after the First World War and found his job gone. “He went to Long Branch Volunteer Fire Department,” Gord Young notes, “and gradually became the Deputy Chief in the amalgamation with Etobicoke.” The question that interested the inquirer was: Where in Long Branch was the Fire Hall located?
The Fire Hall was located at 106 Thirty First St.
One of my local history contacts has been very helpful in enabling me to access the information which follows below. First, it may be noted that a picture of the Long Branch Fire Department can be found on the Etobicoke Historical Society website.
Long Branch Fire Department. Source: Etobicoke Historical Society website. CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO ENLARGE IT
https://www.etobicokehistorical.com/long-branch-image-library.html
In 1960 the Fire Hall was located at 106 Thirty First St. as is evident from the image with pink background.
Link for above-noted detail: https://archive.org/details/torontocitydirectory1960/page/639/mode/1up
Gord Young has noted that the inquirer’s great-grandfather is shown in the city directory above the Fire Hall; his name is Donald Blackford. The Village of Long Branch provided Donald an apartment in running distance of the Fire Hall. Given that he couldn’t live solely on the pay from each “call out” to fight a fire, he worked for a small custom print shop owned by a Village Councillor.
I’m reminded that someone has remarked to me, years ago, that during the Village of Long Branch era the Councillors, of which there were quite a number, were local residents. You could run into them while doing your daily errands in the community. You would, as I understand, be able to talk about local community concerns with Councillors at any time.
I’m also reminded of a comment from Mike James who grew up in New Toronto. Mike has said that children growing up in the 1960s in places such as New Toronto had a clear sense of their home community’s boundaries. They knew they were expected to stay inside such clearly defined boundaries.
We can also refer to the 1960 City Directory – under “Long” – that is, the smaller image in gray.
Link for above-noted detail: https://archive.org/details/torontocitydirectory1960/page/782/mode/1up
1967 aerial photo of Long Branch
We can see the rectangular building on the left (west) side of Thirty First St., in this aerial photo from 1967.
The Fire Hall is the rectangular building on left (west) side of Thirty First St. in this aerial photo from 1967
Photo source: https://www.toronto.ca/ext/archives/s0012/fl1967/s0012_fl1967_it0007.jpg
We can add that the Fire Hall was not located at the same site as the Long Branch Town Offices which were further west and on the north side of the Lake Shore Road. You can see them (below) on the same 1967 aerial photo:
Long Branch Town Offices which were further west and on north side of the Lake Shore Road
Additional details from 1967 photo
The 1967 aerial photo shows the Dominion Store at the site of the former Eastwood Farm in the northwest corner of Long Branch by the TTC Loop. I have previously written extensively at this website about this corner of Long Branch where Colonel Samuel Smith’s log cabin was torn down in 1955. It’s great to see where the Dominion Store and other buildings now long gone used to be located in the late 1960s. At the lower left corner of the photo you can see a well known former landmark, namely Arnold’s restaurant.
Detail from 1967 aerial map of Long Branch
A Nov. 8, 2024 Urban Toronto article, “Proposal Quadruples In Height Across From Long Branch GO,” details current plans for the same corner of Long Branch.
Photo source: Nov. 8, 2024 Urban Toronto article entitled “Proposal Quadruples In Height Across From Long Branch GO”
Fire Hall in New Toronto
A subsequent post is entitled:
The Fire Hall in New Toronto is at Eighth St. just north of Lake Shore Blvd. West
At that post I discuss the work of Cas Mudde and others regarding the phenomenon of populism.
Long Branch Aerodrome trained First World War fighter pilots
Given that the current post mentions the First World War, I’m reminded of the aviation history connected with the adjoining community of Lakeview, Mississauga. A previous post features photos from this era:
Royal Flying Corps flying cadets during training at Long Branch Aerodrome, ca 1915. Cornelius (Neil) van Nostrand is second from right in back row. Photo source: Andrew van Nostrand
A related post is entitled:
“Y” Squadron air crew, Long Branch Aerodrome, May 27, 1917
PANORAMA AIR CREW 1917. Photo by Bob Lansdale of the original photo
Of related interest is a post entitled:
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