Year |
Details |
1905 |
Deer Park Public Library is organized. By 31 December 1905, the "not Free" library has total receipts of $425.65 including a municipal grant of $25 from York Township and $60.75 from member's fees. It has 180 members, 532 volumes issued 212 times and expenditures of $403.40. The library is housed in Deer Park School (it stood from 1888 to 1961 on the north side of today's St. Clair Avenue East, just east of the present Ferndale Avenue). Principal William J. Thomson is the librarian. |
1908 |
Deer Park is annexed to Toronto from York Township. The assets of the Deer Park Public Library, including $18.25 cash on hand and 1,281 books are transferred to the Toronto Public Library. |
1910 |
Deer Park Public Library ceases to receive provincial and local aid, and closes. "At the request of those interested in the Library, its collection of books [1,281 volumes, plus $18.25 cash on hand] was taken over by the Toronto Public Library, and it decided to open a sub-station in that section of the city. In accordance with this decision, premises have been leased on Yonge Street, in the near vicinity of the Deer Park Post Office, and furnishings and books are being installed. It is the intension of the Board to open this Branch during three afternoons and evenings of the week. It will commence operations with a supply of some 1,200 volumes." (Toronto Public Library, Annual Report, 1910). |
1911 |
Toronto Public Library opens Deer Park Branch, 21 January. Located in rented premises, 1524 Yonge Street, west side, between Delisle Avenue and Heath Street West. |
1914 |
Relocated to rented premises, 4-6 St. Clair Avenue West, north side, late December. |
1917 |
Relocated to larger rented premises, 5-7 St. Clair Avenue East (Murray Block), southeast corner of Yonge Street (between Yonge street and Tamblyn Lane), opened 29 December. |
1933 |
With drastically decreased revenues, the Toronto Public Library Board decides to close Deer Park Branch on 30 April, but reversed its decision on 4 May. "When this decision was announced, however, there arose such a storm of protest that the Board was eventually prevailed upon to keep Deer Park open." (Toronto Public Library, Annual Report, 1933). |
1950 |
Site for a new library is acquired on St. Clair Avenue East at the northeast corner of Alvin Avenue. Beck and Eadie Architects are hired to design "a three-storey building. At street-level will be the Adult Library and three stores; on the second floor, the Boys and Girls Library and offices; the third floor will be given over entirely to offices. The building will be a milestone in library planning on this continent, in that the cost of $473,000 will be amortized over twenty years or less by means of rentals from the stores and offices; thus no part of the capital cost will fall on the tax rate." (Toronto Public Library annual report 1950, p. 7) |
1952 |
Opened at 40 St. Clair East by Mayor Allan Lamport on 2 June. |
1981 |
Renovated by Shore Tilbe Henschel Irwin Peters Architects. Reopened 20 June. |
2000 |
Closed for renovation 12 June. Bruce Stratton Architects. Reopened 23 October. |
2007 |
Open hours per week increased on 8 January from 60.5 to 62. |