Toronto Power Generating Station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Toronto Power Generating Station |
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| Location | Ontario, Canada |
| Nearest city | Niagara Falls |
| Built | 1906 |
| Original use | Hydro generating station |
| Current use | None (vacant) |
| Architect | E. J. Lennox |
| Governing body | Niagara Parks Commission |
| Designated | 1983 |
The Toronto Power Generating Station is an old building in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. It sits right next to the Niagara River. This building used to be a power plant. It was finished in 1906 and looked very grand, built in a style called Beaux-Arts.
The station was designed by architect E. J. Lennox. It was built by a company called the Electrical Development Company of Ontario. This company was owned by William Mackenzie, Frederic Thomas Nicholls, and Henry Mill Pellatt. Their goal was to send hydro-electric power all the way to Toronto, Ontario.
Building a Powerhouse
The Toronto Power Generating Station was built in a very clever way. It sits on top of a deep hole in the ground called a wheel pit. Inside this pit, at the very bottom, were special machines called turbines.
How it Made Electricity
Water from the Niagara River would flow down into the wheel pit. This water would spin the turbines. The turbines were connected to generators at the top of the pit by long, straight shafts. When the turbines spun, they made the generators create electricity.
After the water spun the turbines, it flowed out through a brick-lined tunnel. This tunnel is called a tailrace. The tailrace eventually let the water out at the bottom of Niagara Falls. When the plant was working at its best, it could produce enough power to equal about 137,500 horsepower!
Why the Plant Closed
The Toronto Power Generating Station stopped working on February 15, 1974. The company that ran it, Ontario Hydro, wanted to use the water more efficiently. They had newer, bigger power plants downstream, like the Sir Adam Beck Hydroelectric Power Stations.
Another reason it closed was that it produced a special type of electricity called "25 Cycle" power. Most places today use "60 Cycle" electricity, so the old plant's power was no longer needed.
A Historic Landmark
Even though it no longer makes electricity, the Toronto Power Generating Station is still very important. In 1983, it was named a National Historic Site of Canada. This means it's a special place that tells an important story about Canada's past.
It was given this honor for a few reasons:
- It played a big part in how business, industry, and technology grew in Ontario.
- It was the first power plant at Niagara Falls that was completely owned by Canadians.
- It has a unique design. It's an industrial building, but it was built in the beautiful Beaux-Arts style, which was unusual for a power plant.
In 2007, the Niagara Parks Commission took over the Toronto Power Generating Station. They have been looking at ways to use the building again in the future. Even though it's empty now, some people who explore old buildings like to visit it.
