Posts are listed in chronological order based on date of posting – newest posts first.
There were many (at least 50) of these benches made on-site by Fio Parravano and his staff in the late 1950’s. They were used in the Arts & Crafts and Pottery cabins and were also found in most camper cabins as well.
This one was in the photography shed and was autographed by staff in 1982.
More Benches:
The cabin structures in the Muppet, Zoolu and Jetson units were not built until the late 60’s. Before this, canvas tents were used as shelters all over camp. Here are some of them:
From 1964, CBC television camera in Peewee Unit. The purpose of this visit is unknown.
Very strange things going on. Men prancing around in bathing suits – including the CBC sound-man. The 2 people on the left look like actors.
1963
The carousel first became associated with Sunbeam in a TV ad from the 1940’s! Apparently you needed the energy in Sunbeam bread in order to ride a carousel back then. These floats toured around in the 50’s and 60’s.
The red spiral slide in the Peewee/Muppet unit was an iconic feature at the camp. It was purchased in the early 60s. It was manufactured by Blue Imp. in Medicine Hat, Alberta.
The company is still in business today and according to their website, they pioneered the stainless steel spiral slide – and this is an early model! Never seen another like it. According to the current president of the family-owned business, this slide first appeared in their catalogue in 1962. He recalled seeing them manufactured when he was a boy. The final design was slightly different leading him to speculate that the slide at camp was an early version – from 1960 or 1961.
The slide was featured in several camp brochures and was a popular attraction through 1993. It was removed in 1995 as part of the demolition as it no longer met playground regulations.
Bert’s parents, Lillian and Meyer Fine were often at camp.
Meyer Fine enjoyed leading activities – especially puppet-making. For a time, every camper received their own wooden puppet. He had the nickname , “Grandpa Doodle”.
Ribbon-cutting to begin soapbox derby ca. 1963. Ribbon is being held by Mike Shulman (right).
Making puppets in 1960. Paul Sobel in the background.
Making puppets in the garage, 1963
Lillian Fine, outside the Peewee fence. ca 1965
Bert and Lillian tour camp in 1988.
Swim Show, Parade, Peter Pan Play, Swimming
4K Enhanced Clip using Starlight (before & after):
The design of the auditorium complex as featured in the March 1965 issue of The Canadian Architect.
1947
1957
1960
1962
1967
1971
1979
1983
1992
2013 (10 years after closing)
1979 vs 2013:
Aerial Photos 1947 – 2013. See photo captions for more information.aerial photomap
The Classic Camper Bag
Originally, all the bags were blue w/tan trim:
2nd Generation also blue w/ Bathurst Manor Day Camp. Plastic handles:
3rd Generation – multicoloured – without printing for at least one year:
4th Generation introduced colour coding. Originally, handles were tubular plastic. Later plastic straps, then woven straps:
Other Variations:
Zoolus. ca. 1980
Peewees. ca. 1976
Camper Bags were replaced by backpacks in 1991:
Original Colour Coding:
Red: Peewees, Muppets
Green: Zoolus
Yellow: Jetsons
Blue: Boysworld, Mavericks. Pioneers (co-ed)
Orange: Rangers (co-ed), Mustangs
Maroon: Girlsworld, Rangers
————————————————————-
Changes:
The coed units Pioneers and Rangers were changed to Boysworld (Blue) / Girlsworld (Maroon)
Boysworld and Girlsworld were changed to Mustangs (Orange) / Mavericks (Blue)
Peewees changed to Muppets – colour remained the same (Red)
Tennis Camp Added: Green
Computer Camp: Blue
Teen Town: Blue
In the 60’s, the baseball diamond was located on the upper field (between the paddleball wall and Central Supply). The location is shown in this photo:
This photo, with the garages in the background, helps identify the location:
Same location in 1965. Some time in the 1970’s, this backstop was moved to the lower field.
and 1963:
There were some serious baseball games played here . ca. 1964:
1980s:
Before the Bertmobile, there was the Bertcycle.
There were 2 different scooters used at camp, beginning in the late 1950’s.
They have been identified as follows:
1962:
1962:
1962:
1965:
1988:
1988:
1986:
Fish & Chips – 1986
Mavericks Lunch – 1989:
Dessert:
Birthdays were celebrated with a slab cake:
1992:
Partial List of All Lunches:
Barbara SteeleRemember going to Forest Valley in the early 80’s. I went to Driftwood P.S. Great memories of our day trips there. I remember eating lunch in that same tent looking building.Reply
Red, White and Blue:
Photo from 1985:
Also a sweatshirt:
Also available as a sweatshirt:
35th Anniversary:
For many years, child access to the deep end of the I-Pool and T-Pool was governed by a Black Tag and White Tag system. To obtain their White Tag, children had to demonstrate an ability to swim 5 widths of the I-Pool without stopping, and then, immediately after, be able to tread water continuously for 5 minutes. Success provided access to the deep end of the I-Pool, but the child was required to wear his or her White Tag at all times when swimming there. The tag was a piece of white boondoggle knotted around his or her wrist.
Success in the Black Tag test provided access to the T-Pool compound. In this case the candidate had to be able to swim 10 widths of the T-Pool deep end without stopping, and then, immediately after, to tread water for 10 minutes continuously. This had little to do with safety and deep-end proficiency, since the White Tag already demonstrated that. Rather, insofar as it applied to Swim Club members, the Black Tag test was a thinly disguised effort to keep the T-Pool compound as a more or less adult-only area, with a quieter atmosphere, since most children below a certain age could not successfully complete the test. For children in the single digit age range, wearing a Black Tag (a piece of black boondoggle knotted around the wrist) was a badge of considerable honour.
James WaeseThanks for posting this. As a child of the swim club in the 60’s and ‘70’s, the white tag and black tag tests were absolutely rites of passage, and symbols of growing independence. I can still remember, about 45 years later, the day I proudly walked down the steps into the T-pool area, my new black tag showing everyone my new status among the adults. Not so sure my parents were so thrilled about it…Reply2017 Note: This page started as a small reference to the plaza where Bathurst Manor / Forest Valley Day Camp purchased many daily supplies. It has developed into what appears to be the only comprehensive source of information about the plaza.
History
A frequent destination for camp purchases, Bathurst Manor Plaza (a.k.a. Wilmington Plaza) was built in 1957 during the development of the area. Throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s, it was a bustling community destination with a wide variety of stores and services.
This sign introduced the plaza to the neighbourhood:
Opening Advertisement:
During Construction. The 2-storey south section and the Dominion (later Sunnybrook) store were built first. 1957:
Additional stores and a gas station were added in 1961:
An addition was built in 1984:
A third addition was added later for “Edith’s Fashions.” This building was spared from demolition in 2017 – likely to be used as a sales office for the new development:
The plaza was original referred to as “Bathurst Manor Plaza”. Later, it became know as “Wilmington Plaza”
Partial List of Stores
Abie’s Restaurant
Ann Biederman Frocks
Bagel Nook (The)
Barber Shop (Roger Williams)
Bathurst Manor Cleaners
Bathurst Manor Food Centre
Bathurst Manor Fruit Market
Brody’s Jewelers
Clover Printing and Labels
Country Style Donuts (Kosher)
Demi’s Restaurant
Dollar Guys (Ali)
Edith’s Fashions
Fressor’s Restaurant
Fagot’s Hardware (Later, Metro Hardware) Aby Moses & Family
Fisherman’s Table Restaurant
Focus Optical
Gary’s Sports Cards
GoGo Luggage & Leather
Goodman’s China
Hopedale Drugatieria (Later Shoppers Drug Mart) Fred Stall/Harvey Pearlston
Isaac’s Bakery
Israel’s Judaica
King David Pizza (Uri Hazan)
Knights of the Campus Boys Wear
LCBO
The Leather Mart
Lisary Bags & Luggage
Little Caesar’s (Before King David Pizza)
Louis’ Bakery
Man About Town (Alessandro DeRosa)
Meat/Poultry Shop
Optometrist
P.F. Travel
Rachel’s Catering
Red Ruby Restaurant
Ronit Originals – Unisex Italian Leather Fashions
Shoe Repair
Shoppers Drug Mart
Sunny Gym
Sunnybrook (formerly Dominion)
Tony’s Hairstyling
Toy Store
Variety Store / Smoke Shop / Krivy’s Cigar Store
Video Break
Wilmington Convenience & Produce (Terry Kim)
Bathurst Manor Service Centre (Morris & Alex)
Originally Shell. Later Pioneer. Owned by Mr. Pasternack
At one time, a guy named Rocco took care of the plaza.
Partial List of Office Tenants:
110 – 120 Overbrook Place
MCI Medical Clinics
Dr. Irving Zelcer
Dr. Harriet Train
Dr. Alan Sandler
Dr. Gerry Cohen
Dr. May Cohen
Dr. Grey
Riaboy & Anic Engineering Ltd
New Fraternal Jewish Association
Terry Leuty Real Estate (Harold “Husky” Goldkind)
Beth Meyer
Overbrook Medical Centre
A video of the plaza. ca. 1990:
Advertising
A collection of ads from local newspapers.
Decline
Following the closure of Sunnybrook in the mid 1980s, business declined in the plaza. Many stores closed. Some new tenants moved in, but did not stay long. In the early 2000’s, major tenants like CIBC, LCBO, & Shoppers Drug Mart left the plaza. Without these core tenants to draw traffic, the remaining stores struggled to survive.
Photos from the 2000s:
The phone numbers for the 2 pay phones:
416-633-0711
416-633-0860
Closure
In July, 2016, the plaza closed. It was boarded up in November 2016.
Several news articles about the closing.
Demolition
Demolition of the plaza began in February 2017. The building formerly used by Edith’s fashions (facing Wilmington) looks like it will be retained – likely to be used as a sales office for future development:
Redevelopment
Proposals have been in the works since 2006.
Link to City of Toronto Development Page: http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=b0f30621f3161410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD
Latest News
From 2012 Plan:
LisaSo sad that this plaza couldn’t be revitalized and used by the community. It was just sitting around, decomposing for years. I’ll always have fond memories of Isaac’s Bakery and Sunnybrook. 
Reply
Michael GilbertMany great memories ..
Phillip PearlstonThe drug store was Hopedale Drugatieria. Fred Stall and my father Harvey Pearlston were partners. Shoppers took over the store after they bought out Hopedale.Reply
MelDo you have any photos of Sunnybrook Food Mart? Such fond memories. Sad to see it boarded up, I truly wish it had been maintained and revitalized for the community.Reply
DaveA few to add to the list:– Fressor’s Restaurant
Marty RosenThe store list is not a list without the Red Ruby Resturant. Oh the memories, few of which I would dare share in a public forum. 
Reply
VitoThere was also Abie’s restaurant in the late 70’s. Among, the regular Canadian style menu, they also served Falafels, hummus, techina(tahini), etc.ReplyVito……P.s., Hopedale drug mart in the early 70’s before becoming SDM.Reply
Old GuyLola’s at the Cigar Store!Reply
Lynda Frappier (Ross)Remembering the amazing pizza bagels at louis’ bakery, the midway that would herald the arrival of spring, “spinny” lusthouse who worked at the gas station (RIP), the old shoe store between Dominion and Fagot’s hardware store. Good times.ReplyOn July 24, 1964, Matthew Kerry Smith, (24) robbed the CIBC branch on Wilmington Avenue. , As a disguise, Kerry wore a Beatle wig sold in Toronto dime stores that summer during Beatlemania.
During the robbery, Jack Blanc, (58) was shot and killed. Blanc, a fur cutter and a former Canadian and Israeli Army veteran was a customer in the bank and took the bank’s revolver from an employee and pursued Smith into the street, not knowing the revolver had only four rounds loaded in it.
Smith who was armed with a handgun and a military FN assault rifle, shot Blanc dead in the exchange of gunfire.
A manhunt ensued for the “Beatle Bandit”. He was captured in January 1965 with great fanfare. He was sentenced to death, but sentence was commuted as per practice then.
Paul Truster Some of these don’t appear to have been published previously, do you have any information on the source? or the identity of the man and woman walking west up Overbrook Place? Thanks!Reply
FV-Jay Many were not published but were located in the archives of the Toronto Star. I have no details on who the people are in the photos.ReplyPaul Truster Thanks very much for the prompt reply! There are also unpublished photo negatives in the Toronto Telegram archives up at York University.Reply
