Greenwood

Greenwood Station. A quiet hum vibrates beneath your feet as we stand at the edge of this unassuming transit hub. It’s hard to believe that this spot, now a gateway to the bustling city, once held a very different purpose. Greenwood Station, opened in 1966 as part of the Bloor-Danforth line, sits just north of Danforth Avenue, a block east of Greenwood Avenue, its namesake. But long before the rumble of subway cars, this area resonated with a different kind of industry. Imagine the scene: billowing smoke, the clang of machinery, and the gritty toil of workers shaping the very bricks that built Toronto. Greenwood Avenue, stretching from O’Connor to Queen Street, was once a hub of brickyards and clay pits. Companies like Standard Brick Co., Isaac Price Brickyard, Bell Bros & Co., and A H Wagstaff Brick Co. all operated here, excavating the clay and firing the kilns that produced the building blocks of a growing city. The TTC eventually purchased this 31.5-acre site, a former clay pit that had become a garbage dump. The Greenwood Subway Yard stands as a testament to this transformation, a modern marvel built upon the foundations of a forgotten industry. Even the surrounding streets hold echoes of this past. Torbrick Road, with its modern houses, marks the location of the Toronto Brick Company, the last of the brickyards on Greenwood, operating until the 1950s. As you walk down Torbrick Road, consider the layers of history beneath the pavement. From clay pit to brickyard to garbage dump and finally to a residential street, the land has undergone a remarkable metamorphosis. Even remnants of the old brickyard entrances remain, like ghostly reminders of a bygone era. And at the corner of Greenwood and Gerrard, a fitting tribute: the Brickyard Grounds Fine Coffee. This cafe, nestled in a former gallery space, acknowledges the area’s industrial heritage. Adorning its wall, the “Bricks and Wagons: A Greenwood Allegory” mural celebrates the brickyards and their role in shaping the community. And just a short walk away, Greenwood Park itself occupies the site of the former Joseph Russell Brickyard. Once a source of clay, it now offers green space, baseball diamonds, a dog park, and even a skating rink. So, as you descend into Greenwood Station, remember the layers of history beneath your feet. From the gritty industry of brickmaking to the modern convenience of public transit, Greenwood stands as a testament to the ever-evolving landscape of Toronto.