First Fire Hall

Photo by Alan L Brown - Posted July, 2007

Photo by contributor Wayne Adam - Posted March, 2011

Photo by Alan L Brown - Posted July, 2007

This tall structure stands in Princess Park on the west side of Doris Avenue. A City of Toronto plaque a short distance away tells us about it. Here's what it says:

Plaque coordinates: 43.768839 -79.410671

This brick fire hose tower represents a partial reconstruction of North York's first fire hall, which once stood proudly on the east side of Yonge Street near Empress Avenue. It was named in honour of Ivan M. Nelson, who led North York's fire-fighting force after 1935.

The original two-bay fire hall was designed by Murray Brown and constructed in 1942. An English trained architect of noteworthy talent, Brown also designed North York's first municipal building in 1923, whose elegant frontspiece and stylized east entrance now stand inside the east vestibule of the Empress Walk development beside this public park.

At the time the fire hall was built, the newly-established force consisted of five full-time fire-fighters, two pumper trucks and several volunteers. As North York developed and its population grew, the fire-fighting force expanded and the fire hall was enlarged with an additional bay on its left-side circa 1952, presumably by Brown.

Architecturally, the fire-hall was fashioned in the Colonial Revival style incorporating clean lines, contemporary materials and an overall massing influenced by Modern design. Its tower features a gabled roof with cornice returns, pilasters framing a half-circle louvered vent, time clocks, red brick quoins and frieze-like bands of smooth-cut Indiana limestone. Functionally, the design of the structure was influenced by 19th century fire halls, incorporating garage bays, a compact massing and a tower used to hang wet fire hoses.

The fire hall was carefully dismantled in 1989. The hose tower was conserved and reintroduced into the public park as an important element interpreting North York's early municipal heritage.

Photos and transcription by contributor Wayne Adam - Posted March, 2011

This plaque just inside the Empress Walk east entrance adds to the information:

The Brick & Stonework from the Hose Drying Tower was carefully salvaged in 1989 during the demolition of "Ivan M. Nelson Fire Station" and reconstructed on property donated by Menkes Developments for a public park. The two-engine-bay structure which was built in 1942 (a third engine bay was added in 1952) and located on the east side of Yonge Street south of Empress Avenue was North York's First Fire Hall. This historical element has been conserved and reconstructed in order to preserve the early heritage of the Municipality of North York for future generations.

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