Historic plaque back in rightful place

Historic plaque back in rightful place. From left, HCMS York Commander Matthew Davies, Scotiabank senior vice-president John Doig, retired Navy Commander Fraser McKee, Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone and Heirtage Toronto board chair Peter Ortved unveil two plaques - one of which was the first ever unveiled by the former Toronto Historical Board - to commemorate the site of the city's first training site for the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserves at Scotia Plaza on Friday, Sept. 3. The original plaque went missing from the site for over 20 years before being found this year.

The plaque was placed at the former reserve training site at King Street West in 1969. It adorned the site for roughly 20 years, but disappeared when that building was torn down in 1988 to make way for the current plaza.

It turned up earlier this year in the basement of a building at the CNE and, through a fortuitous piece of timing, has been reinstalled in time to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the naval reserves.

Little was made of the historic plaque's disappearance until last spring, when retired naval reserve commander Fraser McKee walked past Scotia Plaza and noticed the unique sign was missing.

"I was involved with placing the plaque originally, but then a year and a half ago I went by and realized the plaque was gone," he said. "I called the city and (Heritage Toronto) to see if they had it, but they both said, 'no, it must be lost.'"

A replacement plaque was made so that it could be installed at Scotia Plaza in time to commemorate 100 years of the Canadian Navy.

By chance, however, the original plaque turned up on a dusty shelf in the basement of the old Stanley Barracks building at the CNE. Because of the plaque, Canada's naval history will be better known among those who walk past and a take a moment to read the plaque.

"The site is unique because it's the first place in Toronto where there was a formal location for the reserves to train," McKee said. "Canada's Navy started out as volunteers and this site is really the beginning of the naval forces in Toronto."

Peter Ortved of Heritage Toronto said the plaque is unique not only as a marker of Canada's naval history, but as part of Heritage Toronto's own past.

"This is the first plaque (the organization) ever mounted," he said.

Ortved said Heritage Toronto had been determined to find the historic plaque once they learned it had gone missing, but noted the organization had exhausted all avenues when a call came in from out of the blue.

"We looked and we looked some more and had given up the search when Heritage Toronto received the call from Exhibition Place," he said.

City of Toronto deputy mayor Joe Pantalone said the return of the plaque will fill a gap in the city's history - one that has existed since the plaque first went missing over 20 years ago.

"We are who we are because of our past, and the plaque puts a historical context to this building," he said. "It's part of the reality of Scotia Plaza, and the building's past and present enrich each other."

The original plaque and the replacement plaque created when it appeared the original had been lost for good were unveiled at a ceremony at Scotia Plaza on Friday, Sept. 3, where they will remain as a reminder of the site's past.