Discover Toronto's history as told through its plaques

2004 - Now in our 15th Year - 2019

To see what's new on this site, you can visit the Home Page

Looking at this page on a smartphone?
For best viewing, hold your phone in Landscape mode (Horizontal)

O'Donohoe Row (Walnut Hall)

Photos and transcription by contributor Wayne Adam - Posted March 2017

This 2016 Heritage Toronto plaque attached to the brick wall at 110 Shuter Street on the northwest corner of Shuter and George streets has this to say:

Coordinates: 43.655681 -79.372874

Click here for a larger map

In 1857, Alderman John O'Donohoe commissioned a row of four Georgian-style townhomes on this site and marketed them to wealthy buyers as O'Donohoe Row. Architect John Tully designed the homes with yellow buff brick, gable roofs, and dormer windows to distinguish them from the surrounding buildings.

In 1903, the row was converted to apartments and renamed Walnut Hall Apartment House. In 1973, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) purchased Walnut Hall. The City of Toronto leased the building from them and ran it as a low-income rooming house from 1974 to 1976. When the City did not renew its lease, the RCMP boarded up Walnut Hall. Both actions were criticized as a failure to address homelessness in the area.

Despite being on the City of Toronto's Inventory of Heritage Properties since 1973 and protected under the Ontario Heritage Act since 1997, the building was neglected for decades. The RCMP sold Walnut Hall in 1996. In May 2007, the building partially collapsed and was demolished.

Another Toronto building designed by John Tully
Cooper and Gillespie Houses

More
Residential buildings

Here are the visitors' comments for this page.

(none yet)

Here's where you can send me a comment for this page.

Note: Your email address will be posted at the end of your comment so others can respond to you unless you request otherwise.

Note: Comments are moderated. Yours will appear on this page within 24 hours (usually much sooner).

Note: As soon as I have posted your comment, a reply to your email will be sent informing you.

To send me your comment, click alanlangfordbrown@gmail.com.

Thanks
Alan L Brown
Webmaster

Note: If you wish to send me a personal email, click here.