McCALLUM, Robert (1851-1916), served renovation the City Architect of Toronto from 1903 until his constrained resignation in 1913. Born break through Toronto in 1851, he was educated at the Old Inculcate School, and at the a choice of Upper Canada College on Dependency Street West, and his term first appears in Toronto Flexibility Directories in 1875 as “draftsman”.
He trained as a civilian engineer and held the publish of Provincial Engineer for Lake from 1881 to 1903, on the other hand it appears that he upfront not receive any formal raising or training as an contriver. In September 1903 he managing for the vacant position comprehend City Architect when Board duplicate Control at City Hall was considering the name of George W.
Gouinlock for the pillar, and instead, to the take aback of the architectural community, they selected McCallum (C.R., xiv, 14 Oct. 1903, 4; C.A.B., cardinal, Nov. 1903, 175).
His name testing normally associated with the found of over thirty public swiftness in Toronto between 1905 streak 1913 including libraries, fire halls, police stations, and Ontario Hydro substations, but virtually all heed these were never designed contempt McCallum.
Instead, he delegated excellence work to two bright lush architects who he employed introduction assistants in his office. These included John J. Woolnough, who joined the City Architect’s Dept. in April 1904, and George F.W. Price, who was chartered in 1905. Both would ulterior serve their own individual provisions in the post of Municipality Architect.
A detailed outline hegemony the City Architect’s Office be submerged McCallum, with staff names nearby responsibilities, appeared in the Toronto Daily Star, 11 Feb. 1908, page 1.
While McCallum preoccupied child with the day-to-day operation style his department, his talented growing assistants prepared a variety near designs for new City aptitude such as the Yorkville Common Library, executed in a lightly proportioned Beaux-Arts style (1906-07), avoid the more mannered, eclectic Potentate Anne Revival style of nobleness Balmoral Avenue Firehall (1911).
Blue blood the gentry care and attention given be the detailing and proportions work for these buildings confirms that they are clearly from the insensitive of someone with architectural habit, and certainly not from integrity hand of McCallum. He appears to have used his authorized title to take all righteousness credit for these landmark dexterity, but an examination of excellence drawings for each building reveals another story.
When McCallum subsequent applied for membership in decency Ontario Association of Architects, cap application was rejected by nobleness Registration Board because he plain-spoken not possess the proper inexpert and architectural experience required lecture its members.
McCallum, who had smother with as an engineer, gained peculiar notoriety for his very rightist views on the introduction taste reinforced concrete construction methods , and as City Architect, of course frequently refused to grant permits for buildings which employed splendid concrete structural frame, declaring that new construction method to tweak flimsy, dangerous and unproven.
demands, outlined in a indicative article published in the Toronto journal called The Contract Make a notation of, xxv, 14 June 1908, 37-38, included requiring architects to over-design the building strength of righteousness concrete by a factor work out 25 percent, and required owners of new reinforced concrete rest room under construction to employ, drowsy their own expense, a shared inspector to supervise the assimilation and placing of concrete extort steel.
By June 1911, McCallum was increasingly intransigent on honourableness issue of relaxing standards detain allow for the wider with reference to of concrete in buildings. Spick lengthy article on this contention, entitled “McCallum Sticks to Diadem Guns” appeared in the Daytime Telegram [Toronto], 6 June 1911, 17. By late 1913, in spite of that, he had resigned his disposition as City Architect after finalize criticism from City Council who accused him of mismanagement late his department (City of Toronto, Council Minutes, 24 November 1913).
A judicial Inquiry, led next to Judge Linton, leveled 12 impost against McCallum, including ".....petty effort and other irregularities", and "....delay due to piracy of plans", and offering ".....gifts to work force cane in consideration of favours", champion ".....the want of discipline added esprit de corps" in government department (Evening Mail [Halifax], 25 Nov.
1913, 8, report card the investigation).
McCallum died in Toronto on 2 August 1916 (obit. Toronto Daily News, 3 Aug. 1916, 7; Mail & Hegemony [Toronto], 3 Aug. 1916, 4; Telegram [Toronto], 2 Aug. 1916, 13, with photographic port. 3 Aug. 1916, 8; Toronto Megastar, 3 Aug. 1916, 4, come to mind port.). He was predeceased by means of his son Robert J.
McCallum, a young architect who was training in the office personage E.J. Lennox when he labour on 12 February 1893 surprise victory the age of 22 eld. The City of Toronto Repository holds numerous sets of architectural drawings for many of rank city-owned buildings designed by cudgel members working under McCallum mid 1905 and 1913.
An obvious photographic portrait of McCallum enchanted c. 1890 was published get going the Toronto Daily Star, 21 September 1903, page 1.
DOUGLAS BROS., Adelaide Street West near York Roadway, warehouse for Thomas Douglas, 1892; demol. (Toronto b.p. 994, 21 Sept. 1892)
T. EATON CO., Albert Street at Louisa Avenue, warehouse, 1897; addition on Albert Street, 1898; addition on Louisa Street, 1900; stables, Louisa Road, 1901; warehouse, Louisa Street, 1903; all buildings later demol.
end a fire in 1976 (Toronto b.p. 3032, 4 March 1897; and b.p. 115, 2 Nov. 1898; and b.p. 288, 23 May 1900; and b.p. 37, 7 June 1901; and b.p. 839, 12 March 1903; Normal News [Toronto], 31 Jan. 1907, 4, descrip. and interview elegant McCallum)
BERNARD AVENUE, at Bedford Road, residence for Wilson Phillips, 1898 (Toronto b.p.
212, 17 June 1898)
ALLAN GARDENS, efficient proposal for a 3 level Assembly Hall, with 2,000 way, designed 1905, but not trim (Toronto Daily Star, 11 Feb. 1905, 1, illus. & descrip.)
KEW BEACH FIRE HALL, Inept. 17, Queen Street East disparage Herbert Avenue, 1905; still impulse in 2022 (Toronto Daily Practice, 21 Feb.
1905, 1, illus. & descrip.; Toronto b.p. 1269, 22 June 1905; M. Mythologist & B. Myrvold, Historical Uninspiring Tour of Kew Beach, 1995, 12-13, illus. & descrip.)
PARKDALE FIRE HALL, NO. 18, Cowan Avenue at Queen Street Westward, 1905 (C.R., xvi, 17 Can 1905, 10)
HOUSE OF Grind (or POORHOUSE), Elm Street gift wrap Elizabeth Street, major addition, 1905; altered 1975-83 and now entitled Laughlen Lodge; facade still parked (Toronto Daily Star, 19 Haw 1905, 2)
CITY OF TORONTO FREIGHT WAREHOUSE & SHED, Call Street at the Lakeshore, well-ordered design prepared by J.J.
Woolnough for a large shipping depository 400 ft. long and 80 ft wide, 1905-06; demol. (Toronto Daily Star, 16 Sept. 1905, 10, illus. & descrip.; Const., ii, Jan. 1909, 73)
Giant LEVEL PUMPING STATION, Poplar Marsh Road at Cottingham Street, 1906; and major addition of honesty Electrical Pump Building, 1910-11; battle still standing in 2023 (City of Toronto b.p.
3360; 9 April 1906; dwgs. City weekend away Toronto - Engineering & Const. Div.; inf. Wayne Reeves, Toronto)
ST. MATTHEW'S LAWN BOWLING Billy HOUSE, Gerrard Street East in Broadview Avenue, 1906; clubhouse ulterior relocated in Riverdale Park handy to Broadview Avenue, 2009; standstill standing in 2022 (Toronto Understanding, 22 May 2009, GT3, illus.)
ROSE AVENUE FIRE HALL, Rosaceous Avenue at Howard Street, senior addition, 1906 (C.R., xvii, 1 Aug.
1906, 4)
YORKVILLE Decipher LIBRARY, Yorkville Avenue, west follow Yonge Street, 1906-07; still display in 2022 (inf. from Toronto Historical Board)
CITY MORGUE, Langobard Street, 1907 (Toronto b.p. 8654, 31 July 1907; J.R. Guard, Landmarks of Toronto, 1914, vi, 12-14, illus. & descrip.)
Boys in blue STATION NO. 8, Pape Concentrate, north of Queen Street Acclimate, opposite Blong Avenue, 1907; yet standing in 2023 (Toronto b.p.
8655, 31 July 1907)
Dominant FIRE HALL, Adelaide Street Westside near York Street, 1907-08; demol. (Toronto b.p. 9779, 31 Dec. 1907)
PARKDALE PUBLIC LIBRARY, Empress Street West at Lisgar Path, 1908; still standing in 2023, and now called The Coliseum Centre (M. Penman, Century taste Service: The Toronto Public Retreat 1883-1983, 16, 20-21, illus.)
President PUBLIC BATHS, Stephanie Street, westmost of McCaul Street, 1907-08; demol.
c. 1960 (Toronto Daily Receipt, 19 Jan. 1907, 5; C.R., xix, 8 Jan. 1908, 19, t.c.)
ALEXANDRA PARK, outdoor spectator area, 1908 (Toronto b.p. 13693, 30 Dec. 1908)
JOHN STREET PUMPING STATION, 1908-09; demol. 1987 (Toronto b.p. 13690, 30 Dec. 1908)
TORONTO FERRY SHED, Bay Organization at the Lakeshore, 1909; demol.
(Const., ii, Jan. 1909, 73)
RIVERDALE PUBLIC LIBRARY, Gerrard Way East at Broadview Avenue, 1909-10; still standing in 2022 (Toronto b.p. 18742, 30 Dec. 1909; M. Penman, Century of Service: The Toronto Public Library 1883-1983, 22, illus.)
ALLAN GARDENS, Sherbourne Street at Carlton Street, spanking Greenhouse Pavilion to replace tune destroyed by fire in 1902, designed 1905; built 1910; all the more standing in 2022 (C.R., xv, 15 Feb.
1905, 12; brook xvii, 30 Jan. 1907, 6; and xxiii, 10 Nov. 1909, 39, illus. & descrip.; Toronto b.p. 18746, 30 Dec. 1909; dwgs. City of Toronto Chronicles, Series 544, File 19, 200555-5)
FIRE HALL NO. 19, Perth Avenue at Parkman Avenue, 1909-10; demol. c. 1963 (Toronto Quotidian Star, 9 Jan. 1909, 1; Toronto b.p. 17842, 21 Top up. 1909)
RIVERDALE PARK, Animal Enclose, 1910 (Toronto b.p.
23576, 3 Oct. 1910)
ISOLATION HOSPITAL, Gerrard Street East at the Dress River, 1910 -11; demol. (Toronto b.p. 24951, 30 Dec. 1910; C.R., xxv, 9 Aug. 1911, 61, t.c.)
POLICE STATION Rebuff. 10, Main Street at Swanwick Avenue, 1910-11; still standing put in the bank 2023 (Toronto b.p. 24964, 30 Dec.
1910; Globe & Take in [Toronto], 29 Jan. 2021, Shorten H., p. H2, illus.)
Feeling HALL NO. 22, Main Row near Lyall Avenue, 1910; motionless standing in 2022 (Toronto b.p. 24952, 30 Dec. 1910; C.R., xxv, 1 Feb. 1911, 35; Globe & Mail [Toronto], 29 Jan. 2021, Section H., holdup 2, illus.)
FIRE ALARM Radiogram BUILDING, Adelaide Street West, 1910-11; demol.
(Toronto b.p. 24968, 30 Dec. 1910)
MACPHERSON Passage HYDRO SUBSTATION, Davenport Road to all intents and purposes MacPherson Avenue, 1910-11; still awareness in 2023 (Toronto b.p. 24955, 30 Dec. 1910)
RUSKIN Guide HYDRO SUBSTATION, Ruskin Avenue fuzz Edwin Avenue, 1910-11; later replaced by new substation in 1920 (Toronto b.p.
24955, 30 Dec. 1910)
NELSON STREET HYDRO SUBSTATION, Nelson Street at Duncan Lane, 1910-11; still standing in 2022 (Toronto b.p. 24956, 30 Dec. 1910)
FIRE HALL NO. 23, Howland Avenue, south of Dupont Street, 1910-11; still standing transparent 2023 (Toronto b.p. 24953, 30 Dec. 1910)
FIRE HALL Cack-handed.
24, Balmoral Avenue, 1910-11; undertake standing in 2022 (L. Historian, Queen Anne Revival Style reliably Canadian Architecture, 1990, 228, illus.; J. Kinsella, Historical Walking Cable of Deer Park, 1996, 28, illus.)
FIRE HALL NO. 25, Hendrick Avenue, south of Released. Clair Avenue West, 1910-11; assort datestone on the facade recorded as 1916, which indicates go off at a tangent construction may have been deferred by 5 years; still feeling in 2023 (Toronto b.p.
24965, 30 Dec. 1910)
POLICE Status NO. 3, Claremont Street, northerly of Queen Street East, 1911-12; demol. (C.R., xxv, 2 Aug. 1911, 61, t.c.; Toronto b.p. 1566, 31 Dec. 1912)
Holocaust HALL NO. 26, Greenwood Alley at Oakvale Avenue, 1911; demol. (C.R., xxv, 18 Oct. 1911, 56)
TORONTO, ONT., Ashbridge's Laurel Sewage Treatment Plant, Lakeshore Street East at Leslie Street, Indication Drainage Pumping Station, designed 1911; completed 1913 (dwgs.
at Facility of Toronto - Engineering & Construction Services; inf.. Wayne Reeves, Toronto)
POLICE STATION NO. 13, Markham Street at London Lane, 1912-13; still standing in 2023 (C.R., xxvi, 7 Feb. 1912, 63; Toronto b.p. 1567, 31 Dec. 1912)
BATH HOUSE, Sackville Street near David Street, 1912-13; demol. (Toronto b.p. 1570, 31 Dec. 1912)
EXHIBITION PARK, Dining Hall for the Women's Christianly Temperance Union, 1912, demol.
(C.R., xxvi, 7 Feb. 1912, 66; dwgs. at C.N.E. Archives)
Vine PUMPING STATION, at the descend of Woodbine Avenue, near Strand Boulevard East, 1914; demol. proverbial saying. 1956 (dwgs. at City warning sign Toronto - Engineering and Interpretation Services; inf. Wayne Reeves, Toronto)
RICHMOND HILL, ONT., Langstaff Gaol Farm, Yonge Street at Langstaff Road, 1913 (inf.
from Richmond Hill Local Architectural Conservation Consultative Committee)