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Left: Hotel Lobby Turn of The Century Right Detail: Gargoyle south facing exterior HISTORY The Gladstone Hotel is the oldest continuously operating hotel in Toronto. The Gladstone was originally built in 1889 as a stylish hostelry across from the then existing Parkdale railroad station which serviced the Grand Trunk, the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), and the Canadian National Railway (CNR) companies. The location of the Gladstone Hotel, just east of Dufferin on Queen Street West, was one considered the western edge of Toronto and it provided accommodations to travelers from the Parkdale train station as well as visitors and exhibitors at the Canadian National Exhibition. The original owner Susanna Robinson was a widow who operated and lived at the hotel with her 13 children. In fact, the hotel as always been operated as a family enterprise and continues to do so today under current ownership of the Zeidler family. The Gladstone was named for the street which was named after English politician William Gladstone 1809-1898. Gladstone held several important government positions including Prime Minister. He was elected Prime Minister four times. (The first in 1868). The hotel's monthly newsletter, the Gladstone Bag is named for the popular suitcase style, also named for William Gladstone, which was developed during this period and utilized no doubt by many of the Gladstone Hotel guests. The Gladstone was one of the first ten hotels in Ontario to receive permission to allow patrons to drink and play shuffleboard in a licensed alcoholic area. At one time the Gladstone Hotel was the last place to obtain hard liquor before reaching The City of Hamilton. ARCHITECTURE The hotel was designed by George Miller, the architect of the Lillian Massey building of the University of Toronto, many other public buildings in the city, as well as a large number of formerly grand residential buildings in the Parkdale neighbourhood. The building permit was issued in September 1889 for a value of $30,000.0 The Hotel was designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque style - in the period, a popular Victorian style for public buildings such as train depots, churches, and libraries. The architectural style of the Gladstone is characterized by the rough cut stone and brick and by the dramatic arches over the windows and porch entrances. The Hotel tower is also characteristic of the style. The cupola was removed in 1930 due to disrepair. The Gladstone is a fine example of a Victorian Hotel with intact plaster moldings in the grand hallways. The two restored pillars in the hotel's Melody Bar are unique in the city of Toronto in that their faux marble finish was rendered in true European Fresco technique. No other architectural pillars such as these exist in the city! The meticulously restored Victorian elevator is one of the last hand-operated elevators in Toronto Zeidler Partnership and Eb Zeidler were the architects for the historic restoration of the hotel. RECENT SOCIAL HISTORY The Gladstone Hotel is currently owned by the Zeidler family, who feel a strong sense of appreciation for and responsibility to the existing Parkdale neighbourhood and artistic community. Their historic restoration of the property reflects the hotel's architectural and community history. The Zeidler family, right from the beginning, was concerned about the well-being of the existing (some long-term) residents of the hotel and took a personal interest in supporting them and helping them find new, comfortable homes in the community prior to beginning the restoration project. The family provided financial support and the managers and employees at the hotel worked hard to find the most elderly and at risk places to live. Some of these former residents had come to the Gladstone off the street and had no identification, health card or social insurance number. The Gladstone with the invaluable help of The Parkdale Community Health Centre worked hard to ensure that these people made contact with professionals who properly assessed their needs and found appropriate housing with access to the medical attention. Some of the former residents now live at the Parkview Arms Hotel, just down the street beside Trinity-Bellwoods Park. The owner -Jeffrey Milne- was fantastic and worked diligently to accommodate these people. These former residents still drop by often. The Gladstone made sure that in the transition, none of the existing residents were abandoned. The hotel supported them as necessary and helped to find them places to live. The Gladstone kept its bar and event venue spaces open and operating throughout the restoration process in order to maintain vital community and neighbourhood connections. To see social change in action, please check out this local Parkdale social housing project. From top left: Hotel circa 1950's, Queen Street facing East circa 1900's, Queen Street facing west circa 1900's, Exterior Detail of Gargoyle.