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The Daily Photoist: November 9, 2009
Cumberland Terrace gets no love. While the 1970s time capsule of shopping mall design still sees excited holiday shoppers, most are passing through on their way to other nearby destinations to drop their dollars or to access the subway. Commentators on architectural web boards have dreamed of knocking it down. Even the centre's current owners have admitted that the site sticks out as an eyesore amid the current wave of redevelopment in Yorkville.
Cumberland Terrace touted itself as "the nicest way from Yonge to Bay" from its opening on October 14, 1974. A steam calliope was stationed at Bloor and Yonge to entice first-day shoppers. The early tenants were a mix of chains (Classic Bookshops, Dack's Shoes, DeBoer's Furniture, LCBO) and oddly-named independent retailers (Copygraph, The Elephant Crossing, Mr. Eat 'Em). There have been occasional attempts at renovations but much of the centre retains the brick and brown/orange colour scheme that were popular when it was conceived.
You may have to act fast to capture the old elements. If all goes as proposed, wrecking ball operators will be busy in late 2009/early 2010 transforming the site into two residential towers, street-level retail topped by villa-style residences, and above-ground parking.
Source: Toronto Life, December 1985
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See, Yorkville's not just for white people. There's an Indian (??) tourist there too!
It'd be a shame to lose the underground mall. It really does provide convenient access during the winter. The game/toy store isn't bad either for finding some hard-to-find stuff.
yeah that game shop is great. Really helpful staff.
I am strongly of the opinion that the "brick and brown/orange colour scheme that [was] popular when it was conceived" is totally awesome.
I don't really care if anyone disagrees with me, either. If there's one man who is unafraid to admit an unadulterated love for this era of architecture and design, please let him be me.
A very telling event in the life of Cumberland Terrace was when the LCBO moved across the street to the Hudson Bay Centre.
CBC TV used to have a midday program originate from the Terrace for a couple of years but that hardly generated crowds.
It's always been a place you walk through rather than shop at.
leftist: you'll still have the Spadina line stations to enjoy. They achieved great results with that colour scheme. I just can't imagine Dupont without those orange tiles.
leftist and AR: same here on both accounts!
CBC mid-day TV.
yep. "Elwood Glover's Luncheon Date".
I kinda like it too. Certainly more interesting than the generic Everymall they're bound to replace it with.
@reetdoontoon
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It was not Elwood Glover's Luncheon Date that
was broadcast from Cumberland Terrace.
This Wikipedia link may help:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elwood_Glover%27s_Luncheon_Date
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Glover was increasingly self-conscious about his hearing loss and decided to retire before it became too serious. He was worried about not understanding what a guest would be saying.