Supply Depot (Toronto)
| Supply Depot | |
|---|---|
The Supply Depot, from Carl Hall Road
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| Alternative names | Building 151, Supply Depot #1, The Bunker |
| General information | |
| Type | Military, industrial |
| Location | 40 Carl Hall Road, Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Coordinates | 43°44′59″N 79°28′46″W / 43.74985°N 79.47935°WCoordinates: 43°44′59″N 79°28′46″W / 43.74985°N 79.47935°W |
| Completed | 1954 |
| Owner | Downsview Park |
| Technical details | |
| Floor area | 81,470 m2 (876,900 sq ft) |
| Other information | |
| Parking | Outdoor |
| Website | |
| www |
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| References | |
The Supply Depot is a large warehouse located at Downsview Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Built to withstand a nuclear attack, the former military structure is today used as a farmers' market, film studio, and venue for the Toronto Roller Derby.
In 1952, the Canadian federal government acquired an airfield and several buildings located in the north Toronto neighbourhood of Downsview. A de Havilland Canada aircraft production facility was already located there, and the site would eventually become Canadian Forces Base Downsview.
Several new buildings were constructed, including a massive warehouse used for storage and shipping. The "Supply Depot", completed in 1954, consisted of a one-story 81,470 m2 (876,900 sq ft) warehouse with an adjoining two-story office building.
The Depot's location was ideal for shipping and receiving, with a Canadian National Railway mainline along the building's east side, and a spur-line connected to the north side. The newly constructed Ontario Highway 401 was a short distance south.
The building was commonly referred to as the Supply Depot, though de Havilland named it "Building 151" in accordance with a numbering system the company used. The Department of National Defence adopted this and officially named the structure Building 151. The Treasury Board of Canada later referred to the building as "Supply Depot #1".
The building became the central supply location for the Canadian military, and contained everything from screws and nails, to aircraft engines and wings. The main floor was so vast that workers moved from station to station using bicycles.
When CFB Downsview closed in 1996, a portion of the former base—including the Supply Depot—became part of Downsview Park, the first national urban park in Canada. In 1998, the Supply Depot became one of 11 properties at the site listed on a municipal heritage inventory.
The Supply Depot is a unique example of Cold War military construction in Canada, with heavily reinforced concrete used to create a fortress-like structure designed to survive a nuclear blast. The walls are 1.5 ft (0.46 m) thick, and the flat roof is a 2 ft (0.61 m) thick slab of exposed concrete supported by columns spaced 40 ft (12 m) apart.
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Wikipedia