Temple Building (Toronto) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Temple Building |
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The Temple Building in 1902
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| Alternative names | Temple of the Independent Order of Foresters |
| General information | |
| Status | Demolished |
| Type | Commercial offices |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| Location | 62 Richmond Street West Toronto, Ontario Canada |
| Coordinates | 43°39′05″N 79°22′54″W / 43.6513°N 79.3818°W |
| Completed | 1895-1896 |
| Demolished | 1970 |
| Height | 36.93 m (121.2 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 12 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | George Wallace Gouinlock |
The Temple Building was a very tall building in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It stood at 62 Richmond Street West and Bay Street. This building had 12 floors and was about 37 meters (121 feet) high.
History of the Temple Building
The Temple Building was finished in 1896. Many people thought it was one of Toronto's first "skyscrapers" because it was so tall for its time! It was built to be the main office for a group called the Independent Order of Foresters (IOF).
The IOF was a special kind of group. It was a "friendly society," which means it was a club that also helped its members with money, like offering insurance. It was a very important financial group back then.
The leader of the IOF at that time was a very active person named Oronhyatekha. He asked for this grand building to be built. The building was designed by an architect named George W. Gouinlock. He got ideas from other tall buildings in Chicago, especially one called the Rookery Building.
When the Temple Building was finished, it was the tallest building in Toronto! It held this title for a while, until the Trader's Bank Building was built in 1905.
The Independent Order of Foresters moved out of the Temple Building in 1953. They moved to a new building on Jarvis Street. Later, in 1967, the IOF moved again to Don Mills.
Sadly, the Temple Building was torn down in 1970. It was removed to make space for new buildings called the Queen-Bay Centre. These new buildings, which include the Munich Re Centre and the Thomson Building, are still there today.
What Remains Today
Even though the Temple Building is gone, a small part of it still exists! You can find a piece of the building's outside wall at Guild Park and Gardens in Scarborough. It's like a little reminder of the building's history.
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The remains of the Temple Building at Guild Park and Gardens.
See also
In Spanish: Temple Building (Toronto) para niños
