2009C i t y o f T o r o n t o

A R C H I V E S A N N U A L R E P O R T

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Introduction

Celebrating Toronto’s 175th

2009

2009

The City of Toronto Archives is a program of the City Clerk’s Office and supports the City Clerk’s statutory responsibility for managing records and information. The core functions of archives are to acquire, preserve and make available information that constitutes our documentary heritage. The Archives carries out these functions through an active acquisitions program, the operation of a major public research facility, outreach and educational activities, and a digitization program that enhances access to archival holdings in a variety of ways.

In 2009, the Archives joined in a city-wide celebration of the 175th anniversary of Toronto’s incorporation in 1834. This report highlights the commemorative projects undertaken by the Archives team in 2009. It reflects the year’s accomplishments regarding new acquisitions, increased digital content, and creative outreach programming which served to enhance the profile of the Archives to the wider community.

2009 was a milestone year for Toronto, marking its 175th birthday. As stewards of Toronto’s history, the Archives wished to look back in a meaningful way, and to celebrate by engaging people in the city’s rich historical narrative. In short, our goal was to get people talking about Toronto.

We set our sights on a single major project -- the publication of a commemorative book, Toronto’s Visual Legacy: Official City Photography from 1856 to the Present. It was truly a team effort with Archives staff contributing expertise and support to authors Steve MacKinnon, Karen Teeple and Michele Dale. The book offers a stunning visual overview of Toronto’s urban evolution though some 200 archival photographs, carefully selected from the collection of photographs taken by the City’s official photographers. The concept for the book grew out of a popular photography exhibit curated by archivist, Steve MacKinnon, in 2007.

Mayor Miller unveiled Toronto’s Visual Legacy at City Hall on March 6, as a part the official anniversary festivities. We were overwhelmed by the positive response, selling 400 copies of the book in a single day. As the Archives’ first anniversary book, it was a proud achievement. Celebrations continued and momentum behind the book started to grow. In May, Mayor Miller

joined the authors for a promotional event at Indigo Bookstore. The Mayor talked about his favourite images of historic Toronto, and the authors discussed their experiences producing the book, followed by a book signing.

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The book became a means for the Archives to engage diverse audiences at a number of exciting Toronto venues. Staff developed a travelling exhibition based on the book’s themes and photographs. The exhibition was featured prominently in City Hall Rotunda throughout the anniversary celebrations in March. In the same month, the Archives gained additional exposure by participating in Canada Blooms, Toronto’s largest gardening show. In November, our exhibit was enjoyed by yet another new audience when it was displayed at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. Also in November, Archives staff joined in the 205th Anniversary celebrations of the St. Lawrence Market, selling out of books in a matter of hours.

In addition to participating in these large public events, we also felt it was important to reflect upon Toronto’s stories and its history in more depth. In September, the Toronto Reference Library hosted a lecture that brought together the authors of Toronto’s Visual Legacy with Mark Osbaldeson, author of Unbuilt Toronto: A History of the City that Might Have Been. Guests at the lecture were treated to a spirited discussion about Toronto’s past, liberally illustrated with images selected from the books.

Our busy year concluded with another great opportunity for the Archives to collaborate with a new partner, the Hudson’s Bay Company. Wanting to mark the City’s anniversary in a special way, the Bay featured Toronto’s Visual Legacy in its Queen Street store throughout the holiday season. Archives staff designed signage and framed archival photographs for display in the store, and on December 1st the book’s authors took part in an in-store presentation and book signing.

It was a year unlike any other for the Archives. The Archives reached out and was a part of its community in exciting new ways. We made new friends through partnerships and alliances. Toronto’s Visual Legacy sold out its first printing and a soft cover version of the book was released in July 2010.

Mayor David Miller, authors Karen Teeple and Steve MacKinnonwith journalists at Indigo Bookstore on May 6

View of City Hall rotunda on March 6, showing enlargements of photographs from Toronto’s Visual Legacy

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Collections Management and Standards2009The City of Toronto Archives plays a vital role in the community it serves. The Archives acquires and preserves documents, photographs and other records that tell the story of our long and proud history – but that is not all. The Archives also ensures that key records and information produced by the municipal government are accessible to all Torontonians.

In our society, information is everywhere, but reliable and complete information is still often hard to find. The Archives understands this challenge. Virtually all of our staff are dedicated, in one way or another, to making it easier to find the information we hold in trust for the public. Our archivists describe our holdings in our on-line database, our reference staff assist researchers who visit our facility, our digitization staff create thousands of scanned versions of photographs and municipal by-laws that are available on our website, and our exhibit and outreach staff bring our holdings to life for hundreds of students and other visitors.

The main focus of the Collections Management team of seven archivists is to acquire and make available both government and non-government records. Here are some highlights of the work we accomplished in 2009.

GOVERNMENT RECORDS•Eighty-eight volumes of 1998 for 1999 assessment rolls

for Toronto (including the former municipalities of East York, Etobicoke, North York, Scarborough and York)

•Etobicoke Protocol Office files, 1960-1997

•North York Heritage Section collection, 1878-1997

•Photographs of the Scarborough Economic Development Division, 1991-1997

•Forest Hill scrapbooks and public notices, 1923-1964

•Swansea Clerk-Treasurer’s general correspondence, 1926-1966

•City Clerk’s Department protocol files, 1889-1982

•Department of Public Health photographs, 1982-1993

•Toronto Public Health ephemera, posters and publications, ca. 2000-2006

•General accounting journals, 1836-1919

•Urban Design photographs, 1975-1998

•Buildings Department permit application and licensing files, 1913-1974

•Parks and Recreation grants and subsidies records 1976

•Parks and Recreation photographs, 1917-1990

•Parks and Recreation policies, procedures and guidelines of the Recreation Division, 1985-1995

•Parks and Recreation subject files, 1988-1998

•Parks and Recreation memorials, monuments and plaque files, 1955-1990

•Parks and Recreation park concession files, 1931-1987

•Committee on Parks, Recreation and City Property communications, 1902-1980

•Heritage Toronto commissioned photographs, 1972-2000

•Toronto Civic Historical Committee minutes, 1949-1960

•Toronto Historical Board minutes, 1960-1997

TORONTO TRANSIT COMMISSIONThe Archives also made significant progress in describing the Toronto Transit Commission records that we manage for the TTC. The Commission is supporting a dedicated TTC archivist, who started work in June 2009. The following records were processed and made available in 2009.

•Subject files of the Rapid Transit Department, 1949

•Official copies of the minutes of the TTC, 1954-2009

•Minutes of the Audit Committee, 1996-2009

•Operator’s training records, School of Instruction, 1939-1973

•Record of TTC employees and badge numbers, 1885-1959

•Subject files of the Marketing and Community Relations Department, 1962-1991

•Building inspection reports of the Subway Construction Branch, 1963-1969

•Filming on TTC properties files, 1972-1989

•TTC annual reports, 1922-2009

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NON-GOVERNMENT RECORDSIn addition to government records, the Archives acquires archival collections that relate to Toronto’s history from individuals, associations and organizations. These records reflect our culture and concerns, and provide primary evidence of what we do and what we think. They complement the official record by giving voice to the people. The following are some highlights from 2009.

•Records of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, 1923-2008, consisting of administrative and operational records, including minutes, subject files, financial records, information about musicians, concerts and conductors, marketing files, promotional materials such as posters and programs. Also included are photographs of musicians, concerts and conductors, audio and video recordings, and records relating to the Toronto Youth Symphony Orchestra.

•Photographs by Ted Yarwood, 1983-2008, consisting of interior design photographs of Toronto homes taken by this commercial photographer for publication in prominent design magazines, and his photographs documenting Queen Street West between University Avenue and Roncesvalles Avenue.

•Wychwood Park records collected by Albert Fulton, 1868-2008, consisting of subject files and photographs about the homes, the residents, the history and the physical environs of this Toronto enclave.

UNION RECORDS•Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union

fonds, 1957-2000

•Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America fonds, 1921-2001

•Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees fonds, 1995-2004

•International Ladies’ Garment Workers Union fonds, 1943-1995

•Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union (HERE) Local 442, fonds, 1983-1998

•Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union (HERE) Local 75, fonds, 1960-2004

•International Beverage Dispensers’ and Bartenders’ Union (IBDBU) Local 280 fonds, 1954-1999

•International Beverage Dispensers’ and Bartenders’ Union (IBDBU) Local 299 fonds, 1936-1985

SPECIAL PROJECTSGlobal Monetary Appraisal of the Collection – How do you put a value on priceless archival records? It isn’t easy, but there are accepted methods that professional appraisers use to gauge not only the market value of archival collections, but also their long-term research value. The archivists worked very hard for several months to gather information about all of our holdings (excluding the TTC records) for examination by our appraiser. Over a six-day period in early October, the appraiser reviewed our records and personally inspected scores of boxes. The appraised value: close to $31 million.

I-School Student Practicum – We have had a long and fruitful relationship with the I-School at the University of Toronto (formerly known as the Faculty of Information Studies). Four of our archivists are graduates of the program, and in May 2009, we welcomed another graduate, who did her 105-hour practicum with us. Her project was to develop a methodology for the re-appraisal of records schedules, and for this she focused on the records of Toronto Public Health.

New User Interface for Archives Database – The Archives continually strives to improve customer service and access to its collections. To this end, we undertook an overhaul of the user interface for our on-line descriptive database. Working with software developer, Eloquent Systems, we designed a more attractive and user-friendly portal to our collections. Launched in December 2009, we have received a good deal of positive feedback and have seen an increase in the use of our web-based database.

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Preservation and Conservation

The digitization program at the Archives converts photographs, negatives and transparencies, and paper records to electronic files. Many of these digital images are available on our website, allowing the public and City staff to access photographs, create web exhibits and purchase digital reproductions of archival records. Digitization is also used to preserve fragile and deteriorating records. These documents are converted to electronic images which users can access instead of handling the original records.

Several years ago the Archives purchased an 88 megapixel camera to make digital photographs of oversized documents and large format records such as maps, plans and panoramic photographs. Bound volumes such as books and ledgers, large photographic prints, and glass plates negatives can also be digitized with this camera.

In 2009, forty oversized design drawings of the proposed Don Jail, created between 1857 and 1859 by architect William Thomas, were digitized using this camera. In addition, when other equipment was not available, this camera was used to complete the 526 digital reproduction orders received from the public and City staff.

At the end of 2008, the Archives acquired a slide scanner to digitize transparencies. In 2009, Archives staff used this equipment to digitize approximately 4,700 images. Highlighted here are some of the collections that were digitized in 2009.

Fonds 2, Series 8, Subseries 4, File 1, Item 2Photographs of Robert and Harold Stacey

Ellis Wiley fonds, 1945-1993, consisting of 1,500 colour transparencies created by amateur photographer Ellis Wiley. These images document people and places in Toronto, including Fort York, Kensington Market, St. Lawrence Market, the Gerrard Street area that was known as Greenwich Village, Toronto Island, Don Valley, Black Creek Pioneer Village, the Toronto Zoo and Ontario Place.

Photographs of Robert and Harold Stacey, 1967-1976, consisting of 167 colour transparencies which document redevelopment in downtown Toronto and focus on the demolition of 19th century structures, mostly residences, as part of that process.

Etobicoke Clerk’s Department, 1955-1977, consisting of 338 colour transparencies showing commercial, residential and parkland development in the Township and Borough of Etobicoke. With a focus on multiple unit dwellings (e.g., apartments and multiplex homes), plazas and shopping centres, and service stations, these colour slides document the evolution of Etobicoke’s built environment in the decades following World War II.

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Fonds 124, File 1, Item 142Ellis Wiley fonds

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Urban Design photographs – ca. 1975-1998, consisting of 23,782 transparencies, of which 2,178 were digitized in 2009. They highlight various downtown districts in Toronto. There are also aerial views of the city, photographs of prominent Toronto buildings, and photographs documenting the design of other North American and European cities. Most of the slides were produced by the City of Toronto Urban Design staff, part of the City Planning Division. They were used for reference purposes and for presentations.

Arnaud Maggs fonds 1967, consisting of 515 transparencies which document aspects of the Toronto International Summer Sculpture Symposium, which was held in High Park in 1967. The symposium was initiated and organized as a centennial project by Canadian sculptor Gerald Gladstone.

Work also continued on the massive collection of photographs taken by the Arthur Goss and his successors for the Department of Public Works (between 1890 and 1963). This series consists of 99 subseries which depict major public works and housing conditions among Toronto’s poor. In 2009 the following subseries were scanned and then linked to the descriptions in the Archives’ online database:

Gerrard Street bridge photographs, 1922-1923, consisting of 512 photographs which show the construction of the Gerrard Street bridge over the Don River.

Road and Street Condition photographs, 1910-1957, consisting of 310 photographs of streets and intersections across Toronto.

Construction photographs of St. Clair Avenue East viaduct, 1922-1924, consisting of 400 photographs which document the construction of the St. Clair Viaduct located at St. Clair Ave. E. between Avoca Avenue and Inglewood Drive.

Toronto Water Works photographs, 1910-1953, consisting of 1,130 photographs of Toronto’s water distribution network during the first half of the twentieth century.

Over the past few years, a major initiative of the Preservation and Conservation program has been the scanning of 33,162 by-laws from the former City of North York. By the end of 2009 this work was completed. Approximately 150,400 images were scanned and converted to Adobe Acrobat files. These files will be accessible to the public through the By-law Status Register on the web site of the City Clerk’s Office.

CONSERVATION ACTIVITIESThroughout the year the conservator applied preservation and conservation treatments to restore and preserve the Archives’ photographs and other paper-based collections. Some of these activities included:

•Purchasing data loggers to consistently and accurately measure temperature and humidity levels in storage areas at the Archives

•Removing mold, repairing tears, flattening, dry cleaning documents, re-attaching book covers, de-framing and encapsulating archival records, were tasks performed when collections were processed and exhibitions prepared

•Identifying, packaging and transferring 570 negatives from the Eric Trussler collection to a freezer for cold storage protection to prevent further vinegar syndrome damage

•Researching and creating a draft Emergency Plan to preserve the Archives records when emergency or disaster situations arise

•Re-housing 110 advertising cards in acid-free containers; these cards were previously used in transit vehicles operated by the Toronto Transit Commission

•Providing advice and information to City staff on conservation and preservation treatments that will remove mold from water damaged records.

The conservator uses a soft brush to clean a studio photograph

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Reference and Outreach2009RESEARCH HALLEvery day, our dedicated team of three reference staff perform the core function of the Archives by making public records accessible to people. Supported by archivists, the by-law clerk and outreach staff, the reference team responds to a vast array of requests. Their knowledge of our holdings is crucial, as they respond to the widely varying needs of lawyers, architects, planners, writers and historians, filmmakers, genealogists and students. The thoughts and experiences of one researcher, Jay Young, help to illuminate some of the important work that goes on every day in the Research Hall.

One Researcher’s Story…Jay Young is entering into the 5th year of his PHD in history at York University. He spends about 4 days a week researching at the City of Toronto Archives. For his dissertation, Jay is exploring how the growth of Toronto’s subway system has shaped the city’s identity, and how subway infrastructure has impacted both people and the local landscape. It is a subject he started thinking about on his daily ride out to York University while completing his MA.

“[The Archives] has completely unique documents,” says Jay. He works extensively with the Toronto Transit Commission fonds, as well as the collections of influential urban planners, Hans Blumenfeld and Harold Clark. Jay’s work requires constant cross-referencing and the Research Hall facilitates his easy access to City and Metro Council minutes, in addition to a comprehensive collection of aerial photographs. “I can use the aerials if I need to know [for instance] the changes to Nordheimer Ravine. It’s so amazing to be able to see the whole city and how it changes through time.”

Jay describes his experiences researching at the City of Toronto Archives this way; “[t]here is no monograph written on Toronto’s subway, so it’s really a case that, when you’re in the Archives, these stories are coming to you for the first time.”

Interestingly, one of the things Jay likes best about the City of Toronto Archives doesn’t have to do with his research. “Sitting in a corner you see academics, but you also see ordinary people experiencing the personal stories of the space they live in.” Our reference staff spends a good part of each day helping people discover the stories of their homes, and navigating them through assessment records, building permits, maps and photographs.

The Archives is always looking to improve its services to researchers like Jay, one of many whose work demands the unique, original records held only in archival facilities. In 2009, the Archives implemented a new policy which allows researchers to photograph some documents and photographs using their own digital cameras, saving time and money. Jay adds, “[The Archives] is always adding to their digitized database. Lots of records I used to have order up are now online. It’s wonderful.”

“Sitting in a corner you see academics, but you also see ordinary people experiencing the personal stories of the space they live in.”

Jay Young in the Research Hall

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OUTREACH ACTIVITIESToronto’s 175th Anniversary provided a remarkable number of outreach opportunities for the Archives in 2009. Outreach staff worked extremely hard on a range of projects supporting both the anniversary and the promotion of the Archives’ commemorative book. Staff collaborated on exhibits, developed publicity materials and represented the Archives at numerous offsite events throughout the year.

In 2009, the Archives was actively engaged in the celebration of another major milestone, the 125th anniversary of the appointment of Toronto’s first Medical Officer of Health, Dr. William Canniff. Staff partnered with Toronto Public Health to present an engaging lecture series exploring the themes of our exhibit An Infectious Idea: 125 Years of Public Health in Toronto. Over 250 people attended the lecture series, held over three evenings in the Archives’ atrium.

The first lecture, “Summer of Sorrow: The Typhus Epidemic of 1847,” was held on April 7. Moderated by Robert Kearns, the panel spanned multiple disciplines, bringing together film maker Craig Thompson, archaeologist Ron Williamson and Professor Mark McGowan.

The second lecture, held on April 21, was titled “A Long Haul: Water, Public Health and City Building.” Moderated by Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health Dr. David McKeown, the speakers were author John Lorinc, and Mahesh Patel of Toronto Public Health.

The final lecture, “Spanish Flu in Ontario: Lessons from the 1918 Pandemic” was held on May 7, just when fears about the spread of the H1N1 flu virus were at their height. Author Heather MacDougall and Dr. Brian Schwartz, Director of Emergency Management Support, Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (OAHPP), while speaking of an epidemic of almost 100 years ago, were able to bring their insight and knowledge to an immediate and relevant topic. The moderator was Dr. Vivek Goel, president and CEO of OAHPP.

A packed house for the first Public Health Lecture held on April 7 at the ArchivesLeft to right: Moderator Robert Kearns, Professor Mark McGowan, Archaeologist Ron Williamson and Film Maker Craig Thompson

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DOORS OPENThe annual Step Into Your Archives open house event, held as part of Doors Open Toronto, took place on Saturday May 23. Co-sponsored by the Toronto Area Archivists group (TAAG), the event attracted 1,219 visitors. As in years past, other local archives joined us to introduce the public to the wealth of information and resources in their repositories. Participating organizations included the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives, the University Health Network Archives, the Miss Margaret Robins Archives of Women’s College Hospital, Dance Collection Danse, the Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections at York University, and the archival supplier, Carr McLean.

The Archives’ first print sale was held at City Hall on December 1

FUNDRAISING INITIATIVESIn December, outreach staff launched an initiative to raise revenue for the Archives. This was a holiday print sale held in City Hall Rotunda. Photographic prints featuring images from past exhibitions, in addition to selections from our collection of over 1.2 million photographs were sold during this very successful venture.

Grade 3 students spend the day exploring and creating at the Archives.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMSThe Archives offers a wide range of curriculum-based programs for students from Grade 3 to university, as well as specialized tours for ESL students, seniors groups, book clubs and community organizations. In 2009, outreach staff worked with over 140 different student and community groups, hosting 4,543 visitors to the Archives, as part of tours and special events.

Elementary school programming grew in new ways in 2009. In September, outreach staff represented the Archives at a teachers’ history fair at Fort York with over 300 teachers in attendance. We met with TDSB curriculum leaders to discuss and shape the future goals of educational programming at the Archives.

The reputation of our perennially popular Grade 3 program, Then and Now: Urban and Rural Communities, drew over 800 Grade 3 students to the Archives. In honour of Toronto’s 175th birthday, staff collaborated with one very special Grade 3 class for a full day of activities at the Archives. Students explored their city through archival maps and photographs, and then created art collages which reflected their thoughts and feelings about living in Toronto.

“Thank you so much for such a great classroom connection!”- Grade 3 teacher

What does Toronto mean to you?Grade 3 student collages incorporate historic imagery

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The Archives continues its strong relationship with the Toronto Urban Studies Centre (TUSC). A record 600 Grade 5 students visited the Archives in 2009 as part of our TUSC partnership program, Our Local Government, now in its 13th year. In addition, exciting progress was made with senior-level student programming. High school numbers were up, with 362 students participating in our enriched history and English literature programs. Students were encouraged to draw their own conclusions from real primary sources, gaining hands-on experience working with maps, photographs, directories and assessment rolls.

“I was amazed at the Archives’ treasures that the city has takenthe time to preserve. I had a great time.” - Parent

“I am grateful that we have this kind of facility. It is always important to know where we have been.” - Archives’ visitor

Here are just a few of the groups who visited the Archives in 2009:

•University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine

•Toronto Public Health nurses

•George Brown College, Health Information Management

•University of Toronto Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE)

•Ryerson University

•University of Ottawa, English Department

•Eastern Ontario AA Archives

•University Settlement Recreation Centre (USRC)

•Vacation Plus, Community Care East York

•LINC Learning Enrichment Foundation (LEF)

•PTP -Adult Learning and Employment Programs

•Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD) Documentary Processes class

CITY OF TORONTO ARCHIVES255 Spadina RoadToronto, ON M5R 2V3

Grade 12 Archives and Local History students explore primary sources up close at the Archives

phone: 416-397-0778CITY OF TORONTO ARCHIVES255 Spadina Rd.Toronto, ONM5R 2V3

General Information: 416-397-5000Research inquires: 416-397-0778Fax: 416-392-9685www.toronto.ca/archives

Weekdays, 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.Saturdays, mid October to mid April: 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.Closed Sundays, plus Saturdays of holiday long weekends throughout the year.

The City of Toronto Archives is easy to get to by public transit. Exit the University/Spadina line at Dupont station and walk north.

The City of Toronto Archives is a program of the City Clerk’s Office.