Canadian Pacific Railway

West Toronto Depot

R.L.Kennedy

West Toronto Depot Winter 1976-77
West Toronto Junction Historical Society Archives

West Toronto Depot was closed in 1976, after all passenger service had ended. The offices upstairs were relocated October 1978 with the Calling Bureau (Crew Dispatching), and the Roadmaster, going to the new yard office at Lambton, and the Rules Instructor going to Union Station. The station was finally demolished November 25,1982 after failed attempts to preserve it. The end came without warning, and the fallout was "nuclear"! Outraged heritage proponents declared 'war" on the CPR, and won the war when Parliament brought in legislation prohibiting the demolition of designated heritage railway stations. Unfortunately, it did not include other structures such as roundhouses, shops etc. Smarting from this public backlash, the CPR wisely saved John Street Roundhouse in downtown Toronto, following its closure in 1986, giving it and 14 acres of prime downtown real estate to the City for a proposed railway museum. Little happened as year after year the City stalled and rebuffed attempts to bring about a railway museum. June 2005 it sits, still waiting.