Once farmland transformed into a bustling hub. This is the Golden Mile in Toronto. Today we will explore its fascinating past.
The Golden Mile is a commercial district in Scarborough. It runs along Eglinton Avenue East. This area was one of Canada’s first model industrial parks. The original Golden Mile of Industry stretched from Pharmacy Avenue east to Birchmount Road.
Before World War II this area was farmland. Scottish immigrants settled here starting in the 1820s. Before European settlement in the late 18th century, forests mostly covered it.
In the 1940s, the Canadian government acquired 250 acres. They built munitions plants here for the war effort. In 1941, the General Engineering Company of Ontario built a massive plant. It was located southeast of Eglinton and Warden. The location was chosen for safety, far from the city. At its peak, 5,300 people worked there. They produced over 256 million munitions during the war.
After the war, Scarborough Reeve Oliver E. Crockford led the area’s transformation. The township bought the land and 14 buildings from the government. They built municipal offices and a library along Eglinton. The remaining land was sold to private industry. This development was modeled after London’s Golden Mile.
In the 1950s and 1960s, many factories opened here. They produced consumer goods. General Motors operated a large van assembly plant. Retail uses developed further west. These included the Golden Mile Plaza and Eglinton Square Shopping Centre. Suburban residential areas were built around the industrial zone. The success led to the development of Ionview further east. Many apartment buildings fronted Eglinton there.
Today, few industrial operations remain on Eglinton Avenue. Some still exist on side streets. Around 2000, the former van plant was redeveloped. It became American-style “big box” retail.
In 2014, the city and Metrolinx planned walkable, mixed-use developments. This was along the Eglinton Crosstown LRT. The Golden Mile site is one area for such development. It will be served by two LRT stops. City officials believe the LRT stimulates demand for development.
The Golden Mile is home to several shopping centers and plazas. These include Eglinton Corners and Eglinton Town Centre.
The Golden Mile Plaza opened west of the industrial area in 1954. Queen Elizabeth II visited in 1959. This marked the area’s transformation into strip malls. The original strip mall was anchored by a Famous Players movie theatre. A fire in 1986 damaged the west section. This hastened the shift to power centers and big-box stores.
The plaza was replaced with a Loblaws Super Store. Other stores included Fabricland and Zellers. In 2010, No Frills, Joe Fresh, Fit 4 Less, and a dollar store became tenants.
In 2017, Choice Properties REIT announced a redevelopment. It will transform the 19-acre site into a mixed-use, transit-oriented development. This will include buildings of various heights and a new Loblaws supermarket. The project will create new streets surrounding nine city blocks. It will also feature a public park and square. This redevelopment is pending completion of the Golden Mile Secondary Plan Study.
The Golden Mile houses several city services. These include the Toronto Public Library’s Eglinton Square branch. The Government of Canada also operates institutions here. A provincial courthouse and the Toronto East Detention Centre are located in the Golden Mile.
From farmland to munitions production to industrial hub. The Golden Mile’s story reflects Toronto’s growth. Its ongoing redevelopment promises a vibrant future.