First Fire Hall
This brick fire hose tower represents a partial reconstruction of North York's first fire hall, which once stood proudly on the east side of Yonge Street near Empress Avenue. It was named in honour of Ivan M. Nelson, who led North York's fire-fighting force after 1935.
The original two-bay fire hall was designed by Murray Brown and constructed in 1942. An English trained architect of noteworthy talent, Brown also designed North York's first municipal building in 1923, whose elegant frontspiece and stylized east entrance now stand inside the east vestibule of the Empress Walk development beside this public park.
At the time the fire hall was built, the newly-established force consisted of five full-time fire-fighters, two pumper trucks and several volunteers. As North York developed and its population grew, the fire-fighting force expanded and the fire hall was enlarged with an additional bay on its left-side circa 1952, presumably by Brown.
Architecturally, the fire-hall was fashioned in the Colonial Revival style incorporating clean lines, contemporary materials and an overall massing influenced by Modern design. Its tower features a gabled roof with cornice returns, pilasters framing a half-circle louvered vent, time clocks, red brick quoins and frieze-like bands of smooth-cut Indiana limestone. Functionally, the design of the structure was influenced by 19th century fire halls, incorporating garage bays, a compact massing and a tower used to hang wet fire hoses.
The fire hall was carefully dismantled in 1989. The hose tower was conserved and reintroduced into the public park as an important element interpreting North York's early municipal heritage.
Plaque via Alan L. Brown's site Toronto Plaques. Full page here.