Lane names in St. Lawrence
There are 28 laneways in the St. Lawrence neighbourhood. Beginning in 2008 the SLNA worked with Councillor Pam McConnell's office on a Laneway Naming Project to name all of the 21 lanes that were, as at that time, yet unnamed.
The project's objective was to commemorate the rich history and heritage of the St. Lawrence with lane names honouring its past.
Over the next number of years, with help and input from the community and from Councillor McConnell's office, all but one of the unnamed public lanes in the St. Lawrence neighbourhood were named; all are now identified on city maps and with new street signs.
The neighbourhood's Lanes are listed below in alphabetical order. [Lanes that were already named in 2008 are identified with an *.]
*ABBEY LANE. runs between Sherbourne and Princess Streets immediately south of King Street East. It commemorates "Russel [sic] Abbey" the ancestral home of Peter Russell (1733-1808).
BARBED WIRE LANE. North of Lombard St. between Church St. and Victoria St., this L-shaped lane was adjacent to the Ontario Lead and Barb Wire Company in the late 19th century. By-law 310-2015.
BOOTLEGGER LANE. An L-shaped lane running east off George St., south of Queen St. E., then south to Britain St. This name was selected, with much local input, to maintain a link to a reputed local bootlegger. By-law 311-2015.
BRIGDEN PLACE. Brigden Place to Richmond. This lane, which is also L-shaped, is now all called Brigden Place – it is part of an upcoming development project. (245 Queen Street East)
CHING LANE North of Adelaide St. E. just east of Yonge St., named to commemorate Sam Ching, one of the first Chinese residents on record in Toronto and the first person of Chinese origin to own a business in Toronto, Sam Ching & Co. Chinese Laundry, founded in 1877 at 9 Adelaide Street East. By-law 882-2012.
CENTRAL FIRE STATION LANE Lombard St. to Richmond St. E., just west of Jarvis. To commemorate the old Central Fire Station that, along with Hook, Ladder and Hose Company #5, was adjacent to it. By-law 176-2013.
The project's objective was to commemorate the rich history and heritage of the St. Lawrence with lane names honouring its past.
Over the next number of years, with help and input from the community and from Councillor McConnell's office, all but one of the unnamed public lanes in the St. Lawrence neighbourhood were named; all are now identified on city maps and with new street signs.
The neighbourhood's Lanes are listed below in alphabetical order. [Lanes that were already named in 2008 are identified with an *.]
*ABBEY LANE. runs between Sherbourne and Princess Streets immediately south of King Street East. It commemorates "Russel [sic] Abbey" the ancestral home of Peter Russell (1733-1808).
BARBED WIRE LANE. North of Lombard St. between Church St. and Victoria St., this L-shaped lane was adjacent to the Ontario Lead and Barb Wire Company in the late 19th century. By-law 310-2015.
BOOTLEGGER LANE. An L-shaped lane running east off George St., south of Queen St. E., then south to Britain St. This name was selected, with much local input, to maintain a link to a reputed local bootlegger. By-law 311-2015.
BRIGDEN PLACE. Brigden Place to Richmond. This lane, which is also L-shaped, is now all called Brigden Place – it is part of an upcoming development project. (245 Queen Street East)
CHING LANE North of Adelaide St. E. just east of Yonge St., named to commemorate Sam Ching, one of the first Chinese residents on record in Toronto and the first person of Chinese origin to own a business in Toronto, Sam Ching & Co. Chinese Laundry, founded in 1877 at 9 Adelaide Street East. By-law 882-2012.
CENTRAL FIRE STATION LANE Lombard St. to Richmond St. E., just west of Jarvis. To commemorate the old Central Fire Station that, along with Hook, Ladder and Hose Company #5, was adjacent to it. By-law 176-2013.
COLBORNE LANE. East of Leader Lane between Colborne St. and Wellington St. E. This lane mainly runs behind the buildings on the south side of Colborne Street. By-law 173-2013.
CONGER COAL LANE. Market Street to Church Street just north of parking garage (south of The Esplanade). To commemorate the Conger Coal Company whose yard and wharf was nearby. By-law 175-2013.
*COURT SQUARE. surrounds Courthouse Square Park on the north side of Court Street
DITTY LANE. Berti St. to Church St., and on the east side of Church Street, just south of Queen Street. To commemorate the Ditty Hotel, once located at Church and Queen Streets. By-law 882-2012.
DUCHESS LANE. North of Richmond St. E, west of Parliament St. To remember Duchess Street, the former name of Richmond Street. By-law 882-2012.
DUKE MEWS. West of Princess St. between King St. E. and Adelaide St. E. To remember Duke Street, the former name of Adelaide Street. By-law 882-2012.
*FARQUHARS LANE. Runs between The Esplanade and Front Street East immediately east of Church Street. This lane, which was originally spelled Farquhar's Lane, appears to have been named after John Farquhar who operated as a lime merchant at the southern end of the lane in the 1870s.
CONGER COAL LANE. Market Street to Church Street just north of parking garage (south of The Esplanade). To commemorate the Conger Coal Company whose yard and wharf was nearby. By-law 175-2013.
*COURT SQUARE. surrounds Courthouse Square Park on the north side of Court Street
DITTY LANE. Berti St. to Church St., and on the east side of Church Street, just south of Queen Street. To commemorate the Ditty Hotel, once located at Church and Queen Streets. By-law 882-2012.
DUCHESS LANE. North of Richmond St. E, west of Parliament St. To remember Duchess Street, the former name of Richmond Street. By-law 882-2012.
DUKE MEWS. West of Princess St. between King St. E. and Adelaide St. E. To remember Duke Street, the former name of Adelaide Street. By-law 882-2012.
*FARQUHARS LANE. Runs between The Esplanade and Front Street East immediately east of Church Street. This lane, which was originally spelled Farquhar's Lane, appears to have been named after John Farquhar who operated as a lime merchant at the southern end of the lane in the 1870s.
GENDRON LANE. West from Ontario St. between Adelaide St. E. and Richmond St. E. The Gendron Manufacturing Company operated out of a building immediately north of this lane. Gendron manufactured wheel chairs, baby carriages, hospital beds, bicycles, wagons and other mobile devices. As of 2026, the Gendron Building is still standing on the south west corner of Richmond St. E. and Ontario St. By-law 312-2015.
*LEADER LANE. Runs between King Street East and Wellington Street E., west of Church Street. The name commemorates the Toronto Leader, a newspaper published in Toronto in the 19th century. Their offices were nearby. Leader Lane is classified as a street.
*McFARRANS LANE. Runs between Queen Street East and Richmond Street East, immediately east of Sherbourne Street and is named after Andrew McFarren who operated a grocery store at the Queen Street end of the lane from 1870. McFarren, who was born in Ireland in 1826, was "a Conservative and member of the Baptist Church".
[This Lane was formerly called Walz Lane (or Walz's Lane) after John Walz who was an early and influential German immigrant who owned a brewery in the area and was, in the 1850s and 1860s, the first person to brew lager in Toronto.]
NICHOLSON LANE. Berkeley St. to Princess St. - south of Front St. E. To commemorate P.J. Nicholson, one of the founders of the St Lawrence Community Recreation Centre and a former SLNA President. By-law 1166-2012.
*McFARRANS LANE. Runs between Queen Street East and Richmond Street East, immediately east of Sherbourne Street and is named after Andrew McFarren who operated a grocery store at the Queen Street end of the lane from 1870. McFarren, who was born in Ireland in 1826, was "a Conservative and member of the Baptist Church".
[This Lane was formerly called Walz Lane (or Walz's Lane) after John Walz who was an early and influential German immigrant who owned a brewery in the area and was, in the 1850s and 1860s, the first person to brew lager in Toronto.]
NICHOLSON LANE. Berkeley St. to Princess St. - south of Front St. E. To commemorate P.J. Nicholson, one of the founders of the St Lawrence Community Recreation Centre and a former SLNA President. By-law 1166-2012.
OAK HALL LANE. Running east from Church St. south of King St. E., just south of Sculpture Garden. Named to commemorate “Oak Hall Clothiers” which was the building/store on the site of the Sculpture Garden. By-law 178-2013.
[As of June 2018, this Lane is also called "Barbara Turnbull Way" as a ‘ceremonial name’ to celebrate a local resident and advocate for the disabled.]
[As of June 2018, this Lane is also called "Barbara Turnbull Way" as a ‘ceremonial name’ to celebrate a local resident and advocate for the disabled.]
OLD POST OFFICE LANE. Toronto St. to Victoria St. north of King St. E. To commemorate the 4th post office that once operated out of 10 Toronto Street. On old City maps, the Lane had this name in the late 19th century. By-law 177-2013.
POMPADOUR LANE. South of Adelaide St. E., west of Berkeley St.. To commemorate Pompadour, a free black man, whose wife Peggy was a slave to Peter Russell. Russell was President of the Executive Council and Chief Administrator of York in the years between Governor Simcoe and Governor Hunter from 1796 to 1799. By-law 882-2012.
RODEGA LANE. East of Leader Lane between King and Colborne. To commemorate the old Rodega Hotel that was in this area. By-law 882-2012. In June 2018 the City agreed to ‘close’ this Lane and sell the land to the developer of the surrounding land.
*SCOTT LANE. Runs east off Scott Street immediately north of The Esplanade. This name commemorates Thomas Scott (1746-1824), Attorney-General of Upper Canada.
SPICE MILL LANE. Adelaide St. E. to Lombard St. between Church St. and Victoria St. In the 19th century this lane was adjacent to the Todhunter, Mitchell & Co. Spice Mill; at one time the largest in Toronto. By-law 313-2015.
*STONECUTTERS LANE. Continuation of the already named Stonecutters Lane to south of Richmond St. E. This lane, which is now on both sides of Adelaide Street East, is all called Stonecutters Lane. By-law 882-2012.
*STONECUTTERS LANE. Continuation of the already named Stonecutters Lane to south of Richmond St. E. This lane, which is now on both sides of Adelaide Street East, is all called Stonecutters Lane. By-law 882-2012.
TAYLOR’S WHARF LANE. The first of the lanes named by the City as an outcome of the the 2008 SLNA Lane Naming Project, Taylor's Wharf Lane runs between Frederick Street and George Street South just south of Front Street East. The name commemorates Taylor's Wharf, which was located at about this spot. The wharf itself was named after Captain Archibald Taylor who, in 1856 to at least 1865, had a coal and wood business and owned the wharf. Subsequently the wharf was used by the J & J Taylor Safe Works whose factory was at the south west corner of Frederick Street and Front Street East.
(The two Taylor families were unrelated.) By-law 893-2009.
(The two Taylor families were unrelated.) By-law 893-2009.
TOM LONGBOAT LANE. South of Longboat Avenue (north of rail tracks). To commemorate Tom Longboat. Thomas Charles Longboat (Cogwagee) (1887-1949) was an Onondaga distance runner from the Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation near Brantford, Ontario. For much of his career Longboat was the dominant long-distance runner of the time. By law 174-2013.
WORTS LANE. An L-shaped lane running south of Richmond St. E. west of Parliament St. To commemorate James Worts who died in 1834 and was a co-founder of the Gooderham and Worts Distillery. By-law 882-2012
The only Lane in the St. Lawrence neighbourhood which is still not yet named is a dead-end lane on the east side of Berkeley St., between Queen St. E. and Richmond St. E. [That lane is part of a development application submitted in 2026.]
Last updated June 2018
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The only Lane in the St. Lawrence neighbourhood which is still not yet named is a dead-end lane on the east side of Berkeley St., between Queen St. E. and Richmond St. E. [That lane is part of a development application submitted in 2026.]
Last updated June 2018
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Contributors
SLNA recognizes and thanks the ad-hoc Committee responsible for canvassing the neighbourhood and proposing lane names to the SLNA and subsequently to the City:
- Joyce Arnold,
- David Crawford (Chair),
- Denis Glasgow,
- Marcus Little,
- Suzanne Kavanagh (SLNA President).
Download the source document here:
| lanes_edit.pdf |