1894 Buchan: General Plan of Stanley Barracks, Toronto

In 1893 the New Fort was renamed the Stanley Barracks in honour of Governor-General Lord Stanley of Preston, as he prepared to return to England at the end of his term. Stanley had been a popular figure who won a permanent place in our collective memory when in 1892 he presented a silver bowl to be awarded to the country's top ranking amateur ice hockey team. The Stanley Cup has been effectively controlled since the 1920s by the National Hockey League.

By the 1890s the Stanley Barracks had begun to shrink. Most of the stables that surrounded the north square had been demolished along with some supporting structures outside the main square. The First and Second World Wars brought a new relevance, however, when the CNE Grounds became a major recruitment and training depot. But after that role had been honorably discharged, demolition continued in 1951-53 until only the Officers' Barracks stood. They served as the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame (1955-1959) and Marine Museum of Upper Canada (1959-1998); the Toronto Historical Board had its offices upstairs. Now the building is used for storage, as it awaits its next iteration, and the future of the surrounding grounds is determined...

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General Plan of Stanley Barracks, Toronto
Lawrence Buchan, Major, Royal Regt. Candn,. Infty., January 8, 1894.
Image courtesy Library and Archives Canada: NMC23160


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