Taylor Library turns 50

By Hedy Korbee 

It is the gift that truly keeps on giving.

In 1962, Fred Taylor donated/sold his home at the corner of Warden and Kingston Road to the old City of Scarborough so the people of Birch Cliff could have a local library.

50th birthday next week

Next week, Taylor Memorial Library is celebrating its 50th anniversary and the entire community is invited to celebrate on September 18th from 5 – 7pm.

The original library building was constructed in 1921 and was the home of Fred Taylor and his first wife Florence McMillan Taylor.

At the time Warden was a dirt road with horse traffic and the house was surrounded by fields.  Fred Taylor ran stores on Main Street that sold toys, books, cigars and the Victrola phonograph.

Florence McMillan Taylor

Citizen involvement came early

Florence, whose photograph still hangs in the library, passed away in 1954.  Fred and his second wife, Kate, decided to move and started talking to a group in Birch Cliff who were trying to get a library building.  There had been a library for decades, but it was located in Birch Cliff Public School.  The Taylors donated their home to Scarborough in honour of Florence “for the purpose of a branch library and no other purpose”.

Fred Taylor having tea at the library, 1970

Almost sold in 1967

According to library documents, just five years after it opened, the Library Board made a decision to close Taylor Library and sell the building, contrary to the Taylors’ wishes.  The community rallied to prevent the destruction of the building and on April 13, 1967 the Globe and Mail reported that money was found to save the library.

Taylor Memorial Library

Community input into new building

By the 1980‘s, the need for more space coupled with concern over the age of the building  led to redevelopment.  An advisory committee that included residents was struck to ensure there was local input in the design.

Activist Barb Brown remembers taking a tour of other libraries and the group deciding they wanted something “on a human scale” that fit in with the neighbourhood:

“We looked at various sites in Scarborough where they had built recently and they were more modern in design, more square, the way that you might build something in a strip plaza.  They were designs that we felt wouldn’t necessarily enhance our community streetscape.”

Another long time activist, Hedi Greenwood, who is still a big library supporter says the consultation was phenomenal: “ They managed to put in everything we asked for.”

An intimate library

What they asked for is an intimate library that respected its origins as a private home.   That’s why today there’s not just a back patio and garden, but a lovely fireplace in the centre of the library surrounded by comfortable arm chairs and a couch.

“Blue Bird of Happiness”, from the original Taylor home

They also preserved the beautiful stained glass window, which was a treasured part of the Taylor homestead.  The window, called “Blue Bird of Happiness” was purchased by Florence from the Massey family and was originally installed in the Massey home on Victoria Park off Dawes Road.

Rave reviews

According to the Toronto Star, the new Taylor Memorial Library opened to “rave reviews” in 1985.  The library won an award in 1986 for excellence in urban design and the Scarborough Library Board Chair expressed thanks to the community for their role in submitting ideas for the design.

Let’s celebrate

The history of our community library is something to be celebrated, according to the current branch head Renuka Jeyanayagam, who is organizing the birthday party on September 18th.

“I think it’s a very strong community.  They feel very connected to the library.  It’s very much a part of their lives,” says Jeyanayagam.

There will be coffee, tea and cake at the party with a little music as well as a slideshow of old photographs.

It promises to be a true celebration of the legacy of Fred, Florence and Kate Taylor – a legacy the residents of Birch Cliff have helped to maintain.