Many prominent families lived at 14 Madison Ave. By Michael Mastromatteo Nearly 100 years after they were first constructed, three old mansions at 14-18 Madison Ave.  gained a new lease on life. In 1983, after surviving the “rooming house malaise” of the 1960s, the houses evolved into the Madison Pub, a popular fixture in the […]

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Politics and comedy add to home’s aura By Michael Mastromatteo   This is the second in a series of columns speculating on the lived history of various houses in the Annex.  Imagine that the “walls” of these homes secretly absorb some of the actions and experiences of those living within. If we accept that the […]

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The riot at Christie Pits on Aug. 16, 1933 The September 2025 edition of the Gleaner featured a photo of a counter-protester holding a placard that read “Christie Pits Nazi-Free since ‘33.” This person was protesting against the anti-immigration rally held near the park on September 13. Not every reader will understand the significance of […]

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St. George Street home has many stories to tell By Michael Mastromatteo   This is the first in a series of columns speculating on the lived history of various houses in the Annex. Imagine that the “walls” of these homes secretly absorb some of the actions and experience of those living within. If we accept […]

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The lane name commemorates a mare named Crestfallen, a “miracle in a stable” purchased in 1913 by Dr. John G. Fitzgerald, who played a pivotal role in solving a public health crisis and developing vaccines. 

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Petra Burka, an Olympic bronze medalist, and world champion of figure skating, became known as the “Dynamo on Ice,” and she began her journey at the Toronto Curling, Skating and Cricket club. 

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Kids frolic in what was a tributary of Taddle Creek on June 17, 1916. The tributary was later dammed to create Wychwood Pond

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A large number of heritage properties are at risk of losing their status in the Bloor-Annex area and across Toronto. The pictures in this story are examples of the many “listed” but not “designated” heritage properties.

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ANNEX GLEANER NEWS (Oct. 2020): Midblock fire station on Howland Avenue gets a facelift.

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Can a park’s past set the tone for its future? The Aura Lee playing field located on Robert Street has quite a storied history. In January of 2018 the Gleaner chronicled its past in a piece written by Nicholas Provart. It is reprinted here on the occasion of U of T’s decision to extract green […]

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Tall structures can curb urban sprawl In May 2020, the Annex Gleaner celebrates 25 years of publishing. In celebration, we are republishing highlights of our past; this feature, Fear of High Buildings Groundless by city-building columnist Alfred Holden, is from May 2001. As thirteen developments are going up in the Annex area it appears Holden’s […]

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Lunch with Jane Jacobs in 1997 In May 2020, The Annex Gleaner celebrates 25 years of publishing. In celebration, we are republishing highlights of our past; this feature, Lunch with Jane Jacobs, was originally printed in August of 1997. Jacobs, the celebrated urban thinker, was a long-time Annex resident. Deanne Fisher, who interviewed Jacobs, is the […]

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