Oral History Project
The St. Clair West neighbourhood we know today was born as a streetcar suburb. The St. Clair line, which opened in 1914, was part of the City of Toronto’s efforts to move people north – a classic ‘if you build it, they will come’. And come they did. Farmers’ fields and orchards were replaced by homes and schools, shops and businesses—all because of the streetcar.
In these interviews you’ll hear how the community evolved through the voices of people who lived there between the 1920s and 1980s. It’s a window into everyday life in a very dynamic, and always changing, neighbourhood.
Dr. Heather Hannah
St. Clair Veterinary Facilities
Dr. Heather Hannah owns St. Clair Veterinary, the longest continual business (since 1947) in the Hillcrest Village BIA, of which Dr. Hannah is currently Chair. In her interview, Dr. Hannah describes the changes since she first arrived from Iroquois Falls in 1989. The neighbourhood has become more cosmopolitan, with more languages spoken and a very successful restaurant scene. Even the pets have evolved, from mostly big yard dogs to lots more cats and other dog breeds - “Everything is a Doodle or a Frenchie.”
Donovan Wong
Gerrys Fast Foods
When Donovan Wong was 17, his family left Jamaica for Toronto and opened Gerry’s Fast Food on St. Clair West in 1977. Donovan shares a unique perspective on the St. Clair West community as a young immigrant and now as a business owner, since he and his sisters have taken over the restaurant.
Robert Ashley Forster
Robert Ashley Hair Salon
Since 1987, Robert Ashley’s salon has been a fixture on St. Clair West. Ashley tells how the street has changed over the years, with the transformation of the Wychwood Barns, the building of the streetcar right-of-way and the arrival of new businesses and condos. On the other hand, some things have not changed, especially the family-friendly feeling of the neighbourhood.
