Toronto Old City Hall - Toronto ON (Canada)
Posted by: 
Bon Echo
N 43° 39.134 W 079° 22.907
17T E 630495 N 4834521
A plaque outside the main entrance to this historic building describe the laying of the cornerstone in 1891, and the grand opening in 1899.
Waymark Code: WMKTBZ
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date Posted: 05/27/2014
Views: 22
This Grand opening plaque is located just outside the doors for the main entrance to this building. Because it is on the exterior of the building, it can be accessed at any time. Please bear in mind that the building is currently used as a count house, and my recommendation is that visits be made after-hours to reduce any suspicions. Still, it is a heritage building which sees many visits from the public.
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THIS BUILDING WAS ERECTED BY THE CITY OF TORONTO FOR ITS MUNICIPAL AND JUDICIAL OFFICES
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THE FOUNDATION STONE WAS LAID IN THE 53RD YEAR OF THE REIGN OF HER MOST GRACIOUS MAJESTY QUEEN VICTORIA ON THE 21ST DAY OF NOVEMBER, A.D. 1891 BY EDWARD FREDERICK CLARKE, ESQ, M.P.P., MAYOR. AND WAS DECLARED COMPLETE AND OPEN FOR PUBLIC BUSINESS ON THE 18TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER A.D. 1899 BY JOHN SHAW, ESQ, MAYOR.
WHO WITH THE FOLLOWING ALDERMEN CONSTITUTED THE MUNICIPAL CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF TORONTO FOR THE YEAR 1899
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About Toronto's Old City Hall:
The building located at 60 Queen Street West, now known as "Old City Hall", was constructed between 1889 and 1899. As the third "City Hall" for the growing municipality, it housed the municipal government and courts for York County and Toronto. It housed Toronto's municipal government and courts for York County and Toronto
The building, which is set in a variation of Romanesque Revival architecture known as Richardsonian Romanesque, was designed by prominent Toronto architect Edward James Lennox, and cost more than $2.5 million to build. The building incorporates sandstone from the Credit River valley, grey stone from the Orangeville, Ontario area, and brown stone from New Brunswick.
The building was replaced by a new City Hall building in 1965. The building was subsequently slated for demolition, in order to make way for future retail and other developments. Only through public involvement was this grand building saved. Today the building is used as a court house for the Ontario Court of Justice. It was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1984.
About John Shaw:
John Shaw (1837 – 1917) was the 29th Mayor of the City of Toronto. He served as Mayor from 1897 until 1899, having previously served as Alderman since 1883.