Route 56 Leaside Route History

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LEASIDE Route History *Last updated March 18th, 2002*
By Peter Coulman

1915 (exact date not found)

New route started by James Bristow (602 Merton Avenue), running from Jackes Avenue (three blocks south of St. Clair Avenue) to Leaside via north on Yonge Street, east on Merton Street, northeast on McRae Drive and south on Laird Drive to Lea Avenue, returning along the same route.

November 2nd, 1922

Coincident with the Toronto Transportation Commission extending YONGE cars north to Glen Echo loop, LEASIDE route cut back to Merton & Yonge, looping north on Yonge east on Balliol Street, and south through a laneway to Merton. Service provided every 30 minutes, 18 hours a day, 7 days a week.

December 15th, 1927

Service discontinued and replaced by TTC operation the following day.

December 16th, 1927

New TTC route, operated for the Town of Leaside. No transfers issued, but City school tickets accepted.

This 1928 view is looking northeast up McRae Drive to Laird Drive, at the Canada Wire & Cable Company (on the southeast corner of the intersection) and Durant Motors (the large factory complex to the right of the Canada Wire water tower). Back then the area was still very sparsely developed.

Gordon H. Jarrett photo/Northway Survey Corp. Ltd.

July 1st, 1928

Combined with the EAST YORK bus but continues as the LEASIDE route. From Yonge & Belsize (three blocks north of Merton) via east on Belsize Drive, southeast on Forman Avenue, east on Millwood Road, northeast on McRae, and south on Laird, the Leaside Viaduct and Pape Avenue to Lipton Loop. Short turn service operated from Lipton Loop to the south end of the viaduct, then wye and return. Adult fares are 5¢ cash (or 11 tickets for 50¢) in each zone; two fares are required for a full trip.

August 1st, 1928

Rerouted to Mt. Pleasant Road from Foreman Avenue.

November 5th, 1928

Additional Monday-Saturday rush hour bus added from McRae Drive in Leaside via south on Pape, west on Cosburn Avenue, and southwest on Broadview Avenue to Danforth Avenue, looping clockwise via west on Danforth, northeast on Cambridge Avenue, and southeast on Pretoria Avenue.

November 11th, 1930

Short turn service extended via east on Don Mills Road (now O'Connor Drive) to Donlands Avenue. Rush hour branch now runs on Donlands between Cosburn and the viaduct.

February 28th, 1931

Rush hour branch via Broadview discontinued, and short turn service removed from Don Mills.

April 1st, 1938

Operations transferred to Eglinton division, instead of Davenport garage.

May 1st, 1939

Transfer privileges granted between LEASIDE zone 1 and the new BROADVIEW (TOWNSHIP) bus.

LEASIDE	YONGE DANFORTH
LEASIDE	DONLANDS DANFORTH
signs assumed

June 15th, 1939

Short turn service now loops counterclockwise via Pape, Donlands and O'Connor, instead of wyeing at the viaduct.

December 19th, 1940

Rush hour branch added, from Lipton via Pape, Millwood and Laird, then east on Vanderhoof Avenue to wye at Brentwood (now Brentcliffe) Road. Transfers issued and accepted to and from through buses.

LEASIDE	YONGE DANFORTH
Daily
LEASIDE	DONLANDS DANFORTH
Daily
LEASIDE	BRENTWOOD DANFORTH
Monday to Saturday, rush hours signs assumed

December 1st, 1942

Route moved one block east, from Mt. Pleassant to Harwood Road.

March 20th, 1943

Resumed former routing via Mt. Pleasant.

October 25th, 1943

Coincident with the inauguration of the new SOUTH LEASIDE bus, through service now runs from Lipton via Pape, Laird and west on Eglinton Avenue to Starrett bus loop, at Yonge. Rush hour service to Research Enterprises (Vanderhoof & Brentwood) as before, except routed via Eglinton to Yonge.

LEASIDE	YONGE DANFORTH
Daily
LEASIDE	DONLANDS DANFORTH
Daily
LEASIDE	BRENTWOOD Y O N G E
Monday to Saturday, rush hours signs assumed

September 10th, 1945

Operated in part by Sherbourne garage.

Shift change time in Leaside during World War II. Over a dozen buses can been seen in this picture, lined up waiting to load their passengers.

Toronto Transit Commission photo

April 1st, 1947

Normal hours from Starrett to Lipton Loop via Laird, also Lipton to Donlands / O'Connor looping. Rush hour service provided from Starrett to Lipton via Vanderhoof / Brentwood / Wicksteed looping, and also from Research Enterprises to both Starrett and Lipton loops.

LEASIDE	YONGE DANFORTH
Daily
LEASIDE	DONLANDS DANFORTH
Daily
LEASIDE	BRENTWOOD DANFORTH
Monday to Saturday, rush hours
LEASIDE	BRENTWOOD Y O N G E
Monday to Saturday, rush hours signs assumed