St. Lawrence Market South facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Lawrence Market South Building |
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View from the north of Front and Market Street
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| General information | |
| Type | Public market |
| Address | 92 Front Street East |
| Town or city | Toronto |
| Country | Canada |
| Opened | 1845 (as city hall and municipal complex) 1902 (as public market) |
| Renovated | 1972 |
| Owner | City of Toronto government |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 2 +2(former city building) |
| Floor area | 111,458 square feet (10,354.8 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Henry Bowyer Lane (1845 building) John Wilson Siddall (1902 rebuild) |
The St. Lawrence Market South building is a famous public market in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It's a busy place where people buy food and other items. This building is part of the larger St. Lawrence Market complex, which also includes the St. Lawrence Market North and St. Lawrence Hall. The current building opened in 1902. It even includes parts of Toronto's old City Hall from 1845! The building was updated in the 1970s to make it even better.
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Exploring the Market Building
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The St. Lawrence Market South building has two main floors. The top floor is the biggest space. It runs through the whole building. This area has a large roof and windows on every side. It lets in lots of natural light.
The lower floor is partly underground. It opens up to the outside on the south side of the building. This floor is not as long as the upper one. The market is built near where the lake used to be. The ground drops about 10 feet (3.0 m) from the north to the south end. The lower floor's south end opens right onto The Esplanade street.
What You Can Find Inside
Around the east, west, and south sides of the building, there's a mezzanine area. This is where you can find seats and tables. It's a great spot to relax and eat.
On the upper floor, more than 50 vendors sell fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, and cheeses every day. The lower floor also has some non-food items. Each vendor has their own space, and there are many aisles to explore. You can buy delicious sandwiches, like the famous back bacon sandwich. Drinks like coffee and tea are also available. You'll also find craft sellers, art vendors, and shops selling kitchen supplies.
The Market Gallery and Cooking School
At the north end of the building, you can still see parts of the old City Hall. This section has two small upper floors. On the second floor, you'll find the Market Gallery. The City of Toronto runs this gallery. It shows different exhibits about Toronto's history, art, and culture. They also have programs for schools and community groups.
The Market Gallery opened in 1979. Before that, this space was the city council chamber from 1845 to 1899. This is where city leaders used to meet! On the mezzanine floor, there's a cooking school called The Market Kitchen. You can even get free Wi-Fi throughout the South Market building, thanks to Wireless Toronto.
The North Market
The North Market is currently located south of the South Market. This is because a new building is being constructed for it. Every Saturday, the North Market hosts a farmers' market. It has 43 vendors inside and many more outside. On Sundays, it becomes an antiques market.
A Look Back: The Market's History
This building was once home to Toronto's first permanent city hall and even a jailhouse. It served these roles from 1845 to 1899. An English architect named Henry Bowyer Lane designed it. He also designed other important buildings in Toronto. Lane's design used red brick and white stone, a style known as Georgian architecture.
A special tower called a "cupola" with a clock was built on the front. Two-story sections extended from the main three-story part. These held city offices and shops on the ground floor. The center part had the Council Chambers, where city leaders met. It also had the first Toronto Police Station and a jail in the basement. Building it cost $52,000. Back then, the south end of the building was right on the lake shore!
From City Hall to Market
The "New Market House" was Toronto's City Hall from 1845 to 1899. You can still see the yellow brick outline of the old center part on the front of the building today. The City Hall was updated in 1851 by William Thomas. New shops were added, and the police station and jail cells were improved. More updates happened between 1868 and 1872 by Henry Langley. He designed many churches and public buildings. Over time, the lake shoreline moved further south because of new land created by filling in parts of the lake.
In 1899, the City of Toronto decided to move to a new city hall on Queen Street West. A special group suggested that the old city hall building should be turned into a large marketplace. John William Siddall was chosen as the architect for this project. Siddall decided to remove the cupola and the side sections. He designed a new steel roof to cover the whole building. This created a big, open space with high ceilings and lots of natural light.
The South building opened in 1902. The North Market was also rebuilt around this time. It had a similar design to the current South building. The two buildings were connected by a glass roof over Front Street. The new North building opened in 1904.
Modern Renovations
In 1971, some people thought the market should be torn down. But a group of citizens called Time and Place suggested renovating it instead. They also wanted the old Council Chamber to become a "City display space."
The renovations took place from 1974 to 1978. The basement was opened up for more shops. A new floor was put in on the main level. A freight elevator was added, and new doors were installed to handle more visitors. The renovated Council Chambers opened as the Market Gallery on March 7, 1979. It became a place to show off the City's amazing historical records and art collections.
See also
- Kensington Market
- St. Patrick's Market
- St. Andrew's Market and Playground
- West Don Lands
- Ontario Food Terminal
