Torontonians looking to add a wistful, artistic touch to their Facebook newsfeed can find something very special in the Vintage Toronto community page.
Started by former Toronto resident Bill Stevenson, it’s a loving archive of the city, which pulls antique photographs from a variety of sources.
Stevenson has a particular adoration for Toronto’s late-70s sketch comedy series Second City Television, bygone shops such as Sam the Record Man and Eaton’s, and keepsakes such as old postcards and local promotions.
Having gained gradual popularity since its inception in January 2012, the page has now amassed over 55,000 likes.
There’s no real mandate or methodology to Stevenson’s photo collection. Any sentimental token of Toronto past is fair game, and the submissions from others are often just as evocative as the page’s own pictures.
The anthology is filled with over 5,000 black and white, sepia-tone, and undersaturated snapshots both personal and general, from old class photos and church congregations to period images of recognizable city intersections and landmarks, sometimes in the making.
Elsewhere, you’ll find general historical artifacts, such as a photo of the Toronto Star declaring the death of John F. Kennedy. But the real power of Vintage Toronto is its ability to dig deep and find the city’s ageless charm.
Something about seeing identifiable spots, snapped in pastel colours through the generations, gives Toronto a romantic context you never knew it had. At once, it makes these places seem more familiar, yet also more storied and extraordinary.
Those who recognize long-gone buildings, or remember the city’s barren ‘60s skyline, may get the most emotion out of Stevenson’s work, but it’s very worthwhile for younger residents too, especially those not familiar with the city’s history.
This is about as nonlinear, accessible, and poignant a tour of an aging Toronto as you’ll find online.
In this retro-revolution era, where soft-hued photography is as easy as an Instagram filter, sometimes it’s refreshing to see the real deal.
Dustin Dyer
Features Editor
