Historic photos from around Yorkdale, Toronto

When it opened in 1964 it was the largest enclosed shopping mall in the world, and Canada's first mega-mall. Eaton's originally bought 99 acres, then Simpson's bought adjacent 20-acres leading to the final almost 1,000,000 square fee of retail space at Dufferin and the 401.

One notable design element of the mall: most malls have a set of receiving doors along one side of the mall, but Yorkdale was built with a one-way, two-lane road for trucks running beneath the centre that leads directly to retailers' basement storages. Also underground was the Dominion Grocery Store conveyor belt that delivered your groceries out to a pick-up station in the parking lot once you paid for them

Art and Architecure at Yorkdale

While much has changed at Yorkdale, the original 110 stalactite ceiling high above the original Simpson's Court Restaurant and Fairweather survives. The other famous ceiling at Yorkdale, the lilly-pod or leaf looking balconies of the Eaton's Vista Restaurant have been lost. Other art that has appeared at Yorkdale:

• The Tritons by Graham Coughtry (1964) - three bronze humanoid figures intertwined - originally in the fountain in the Eaton's court, now outside by the northeast entrance.
• Universal Man by Gerald Gladsone (1976) - this bronze sculpture was commissioned by the Canadian National Railway to give a balance of human scale to the CN Tower where it stood from 1976 to 1987 and was moved to Yorkdale in 1994.
• Ambiguous Response by Albert Paley (2013) - originally exhibited along Park Avenue in New York City in 2013.
• Radiance by Ed Pien (2011) - 48 circular disks suspended from 6 rings. Also Revel (2011) - a forested scene populated by birds and celestial orbs on the glass wall west of Radiance

Yorkdale Mall details:

• Short URL to share for Yorkdale historic photos: wholemap.com/Yorkdale
• Address for Yorkdale: 3401 Dufferin Street, North York, Ontario, Canada - M6A 2T9
• Latitude, Longitude for Yorkdale: 43.7259456267039, -79.45193966728485

List of all areas in Toronto or take a look at the historic photos by date. New! You can now access the photos by street address A subset of the photos have also been arranged by subject.

 
 

1964		Yorkdale Mall Press release - a cruciform shaped building with four weather-controlled selling floors 62 years ago - 1964 - Yorkdale at 3401 Dufferin Street Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library)
1965		Partially completed Yorkdale Mall 61 years ago - 1965 - Yorkdale at 3401 Dufferin Street just south of Hwy 401 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1965		Yorkdale Shopping Centre - Simpsons Court restaurant and Fairweather 61 years ago - 1965 - Yorkdale at 3401 Dufferin Street just south of Hwy 401 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1965		Yorkdale Shopping Centre - fountain 61 years ago - 1965 - Yorkdale at 3401 Dufferin Street just south of Hwy 401 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1965		Yorkdale Shopping Centre - Tip Top Tailors, Reitmans, Penningtons and Jack Fraser 61 years ago - 1965 - Yorkdale at 3401 Dufferin Street just south of Hwy 401 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)
1965		Hwy 401 and Spadina Expressway construction with Yorkdale in the background 61 years ago - Monday, May 31, 1965 - Yorkdale at 3401 Dufferin Street Link to archive record - Map location (From York University Archives)
1965		Yorkdale - a new shopping centre opens in Toronto 61 years ago - Sunday, December 26, 1965 - Yorkdale at 3401 Dufferin Street just south of Hwy 401 Max temp: -6.1°C - Min temp: -12.8°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location
1968		Yorkdale Shopping Centre - pale grey terazzo marble court under 110 slalactite ceiling outside Simpsons 58 years ago - 1968 - Yorkdale at 3401 Dufferin Street just south of Hwy 401 Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library)
1968		Eaton's store exterior at Yorkdale Mall 58 years ago - 1968 - Yorkdale at 3401 Dufferin Street Link to archive record - Map location (From Archives of Ontario)
1969		Dramatic ceiling and rounded staircase outside Simpsons in Yorkdale Mall 57 years ago - Saturday, February 22, 1969 - Yorkdale at 3401 Dufferin Street Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library)
1977		Block-long plexiglass dome makes Yorkdale station one of most impressive along Spadina subway 49 years ago - Friday, May 13, 1977 - Yorkdale at 3401 Dufferin Street Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library)
1977		Walkway between Yorkdale subway station designed by Arthur Erickson and the mall parking lot 49 years ago - Thursday, December 29, 1977 - Yorkdale at 3401 Dufferin Street Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library)
1978		Yorkdale Subway station - looking from the platform down to the entrance and fare booths 48 years ago - 1978 - Yorkdale at 3401 Dufferin Street Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library)
1984		Crowds to see The Spoons sign autographs at the new Sam The Record Man store at Yorkdale Shopping Centre 42 years ago - Thursday, August 30, 1984 - Yorkdale at 3401 Dufferin Street Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library)
2010		Aerial view looking south east over Highway 401 and the Yorkdale Mall - with Lake Ontario in the distance 16 years ago - Friday, September 17, 2010 - Yorkdale at 3401 Dufferin Street Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives)