Toronto's Queen St W burns
An historic stretch of Toronto's Queen Street West -- the corner of Queen and Portland -- burned to the ground today in a massive fire. This corner was home to the brilliant Suspect Video and the legendary Duke's Cycle, which had been in the same family for four generations.
This was my old stomping grounds, from the age of about 13 until I left Toronto around 1999. Queen Street will never be the same. My condolences to all the people who worked and lived there. Link (Thanks, Shannon!)
Many of the gutted buildings were built at the turn of the century, and had recently been declared a heritage conservation district. City Councillor Adam Vaughan called the fire a tragedy for Toronto."It's a tragedy in so many levels. The Duke's Cycle that had been here for four generations is gone. The building is gone. I bumped in one of the brothers, and they're in shock," he said. "But you know, the residents above the stores, and the stores, and we just had the area declared a heritage conservation district. On a host of levels, it's a bloody tragedy.
"It punches a hole in the heart of Queen St."
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My office is on King and Bathurst and I could still see the smoke billowing out of what's left of that that block. I'm not going down there today since the fire fighters are still working and I don't want to add to the group of slack jawed pedestrians that are getting in everyone's way.
But I will come by tomorrow and take some photos of the remains. Should be un-real.
Also, here's a blog that someone started with photos of the fire: http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/02/6alarm_fire_at_queen_bathurst/
Jeez, I was just down the street from there on Sunday. I hope everyone is okay. I'm glad we didn't lose Steve's Music or the Silver Snail.
A friend of ours created a facebook group for two of her friends who lost their home in the fire
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7993974939
Thats the suck.
Queen st. was my favorite area of toronto to wander when i was still in driving distance.
oh damn... that was one of my favorite parts of TO too. used to walk past there every day on the way to work.
Hmm, I'm getting *far* too cynical. When somewhere goes on fire after getting heritage status I can't help thinking that someone is going to benefit from the redevelopment *coughCamden Marketcough*. Still, it's a great shame, and sounds like a great place to be, and I hope it can be again.
I lived on the top floor of 619A above suspect for 3 years, before moving to Montreal in 2002. I can see my old living room and front bedroom window in the photo. I still miss the neighbourhood, but even more so knowing "my" side of the block is almost completely obliterated. City TV posted an interview with Daniel, manager of Suspect (and a great guy) just yesterday. I'm glad to hear everyone lived, but this is a major blow to "old" Queen St. W. atmsophere. My sincere condolences to everyone who lost a home, business, job, favourite place, or fond memory.
You really could smell the smoke from downtown. I was crossing over into Union from the GO station this morning and could definitely smell it. They shut off the intake to our building all the way at Bay and Adelaide it was so bad.
The only upsides are that Suspect Video had two locations (so they're not likely to go under) and the folks that own Duke's have already vowed to return.
For folks who haven't been around TO in a few years, this stretch is still definitely "old school" Queen W, not like further up the street, where Steve's, Silver Snail, and Active Surplus are some of the few signs of the old days still left.
I was walking east on Queen at Ossington this morning 'bout seven. Sky already filled with smoke. Smoke all day long. Haven't had a chance to walk over and rubberneck. I pass that corner almost every day. It'll be so strange.
Life without Suspect Video
Really nice as-it-happens pix from the roof of the Bovine at the Torontoist website
Interestingly (I say in my paranoid fashion),
the parking lot on the corner [!] was scheduled for
a Home De[s]pot and condos building ...
That's a wonderful surreal photograph. Quite beautiful in it's way.
blogTO readers have been sending us photos all day, and there's a lot of conspiracy talk going on in the comments.
Rumours are abounding that there was a meth lab involved, and other theories that put big box developers in the spotlight.
Such a shame that this block was lost.
This is tragic. I only visit TO occasionally, but this neighbourhood represents everything good about that town. Please God, I hope landowners don't use this fire as an excuse to gentrify (not sure that's the right word in this context) the area with big box stores and other eyesore crap. I suspect Torontonians will need to fight to let Queen Street keep its character.
Went running down that way tonight. Place still crawling with firetrucks, police vehicles, firefighters, policemen, emergency services, etc. Would have made an amazing photoshoot, had I my camera and tripod with me. Looks like BlogTO readers got some great shots though. Maybe will meander down there tomorrow, if I have the time.
Oh, man that sucks. Sure, Suspect Video has 2 locations, but the Queen St. store had a better selection -- more 1-of-a-kind videos.
I great up in Suspect. It's truly tragic. I would love to see a park built in place of the now 14 buildings destroyed! 14 people!
Of course, it'll end up being condos and another Gap store. Sigh.
I blogged about how important Suspect was to me: http://blog.davemadethat.com/2008/02/20/a-piece-of-my-history-is-destroyed/
Thanks for posting this story BoingBoing.
Dave