Oshawa Then & Now

Historic photographs of Oshawa compared to images of today

[@Guillan80]

Honestly think oshawa looked so much nicer in the 1900s then the city does now The original structures constructed where eye catching.

[@annet6017]

Fascinating look at Oshawa's history. Some good changes especially since the 1990s when I had moved away and the downtown was neglected.( I wish people wouldn't say mean things about the homeless.) But there has been a lost of a lot of beautiful architecture. The G.M. headquarters was a sad lost. Hopefully we can preserve more in the future. Good work doing this video.

[@jeffleblanc8850]

Moved to oshawa in 1967 wen the Cadillac the central and Lancaster prince street and bond street I lived downtown in around 69 above the burns shoe store on simcoe and bond we used to go shoot pool at the victory pool hall across from the armoury and mikes pool hall that was a book store and you could get your shoes shine ther by a fellow named Amos he was a hustler he would shoot pool shovel snow he had a legit shoe shine buSsiness wen he wasn’t shining shoes he did odd jobs such as shovel snow anything to make a buck a real hustler we were poor that is why we lived down town 331/2 simcoe st it’s all gone now it burned down the compleate block I remember the bus terminal on the corner of king and centre of track betting ther also and prince street had a few stores left bond street and prince buy 71 I believe most of the stores on bond and prince area were all waiting to be tore down we ha dgreat fun as kids seen it all 33 1/2 simcoe and 29 simcoe above paternicks cloths store was a rough area in the late 60s early 70 I would always look out the 3 rd floor window and ther would be a cop car and a ambulance the old green Cadillac ambulances like I say it was a rough area rent was very cheap in them apartments above the stores so you got a lot of junkies and such most would not know that but I guess as a kid it was all very interesting I went to the old Mary street school were I had most of my friends as a kid and then of to king street we used to go to sonnys it was a burger joint on king street I guess it was pretty close to the Canadian Corp and the clinic in between its changed a lot over the years it was a nice city back then at least ther was some department stores down town people were hustlen and bustle at this time of year the oshawa centre and midtown mall killed that but ther is still a few interesting stores back then it was great as a kid I was 12 or 13 wen I moved I believe I think to Ajax for a year or two but back to oshawa I loved the victory pool hall a couple men named Gus a nick lakases they have ther name on a building we’re the soupe kitchen is and they ther was bollahoods sports store on king around were the atria is across from Genosha hotel Main Street it was know as in the 80s I guess I got lots of good memories even not having much it’s to bad gm is all but gone wen it was going in the 70s 80s the amount of people around was a lot different than today but then again I guess every body goes to the oshawa centre I have mostly good memory’s of oshawa I thought it was the best I come from a small town in Newbrunswick came up here in 6 the first thing I seen was down town the army tank wen you are 7 and see something like that and it seemed like oshawa was the size of Toronto wen you are that age I thought it was the best place in the world I guess it is I still call it home it got its good and bad but all cities do glad I grew up in oshawa had a lot of fun I could go on and on but I won’t I live in Lindsay now I’m 61 but I miss oshawa especially how it used to be any way any body who reads have a merry Xmas and a great 20 20 especially if you live in oshawa the city that used to motivate great video a lot of memory’s for me

[@getthestoneman]

Wow Jeff !!! Im 60 n I grew up there too !! You have all the same memories !! lol Prob partied together at Main Street or another one of the fine bars we had back then !! Some of the BEST bar bands in Canada played Main Street !! Cheers Bud !! thanx for the memories !!!

[@garybee3018]

Lived at 44 Ontario St. Remember your Dodge charger. Hope your good. Alot of years passed.

[@crush42mash6]

Thanks for sharing these pictures brings back lotta memories. I’m 51 and the downtown core with the movie theatres were lots of fun. Took my wife to Rocky horror picture show where everyone Got dressed up on Halloween. The downtown was safe and people were always out and about going to Mike’s Place, Woolworth diner house for a milkshake or hang out, it wasn’t all that bad when I was growing up there in the 70s. Somehow the vision got lost on the downtown core and city Council seem to forget it when there are so many positives that could’ve happened there, but didn’t. Most people now go to the Oshawa Centre to do any type of shopping, this kind of kills the downtown core and I know some businesses are trying to keeping it going but without the numbers they are struggling. So this is where you get the loan stores or the other fly-by-night businesses. As a student at Saint Gregory school my buddies and I would go down to Mings and get the five dollar special of the great Chinese food and then walk back to class after lunch. As I said lots of good times at the arcade called Spanky’s and just a bunch of kids hanging out playing video. Now nobody goes out because the technology has improved so much did Kids stay at home more. It’s definitely sad to see it once busy downtown go downhill so bad. When you think about it the most valuable town space is the downtown core and the waterfront. Not in OSHAWA the downtown and waterfront is not that great.

[@Kemoswavvy]

It looked nicer in 1910 than it does in 2021.

[@davidjohnson-fw5co]

I miss the cinemas & restaurants downtown from 1970s - 1980s . I worked there for over 30 years . Not much in the downtown now. Too bad for a city of Oshawa's size !!

[@markhancock6694]

It seemed to have a little class in the old days with the stately homes (most demolished), the family run businesses (now pay day loan stores), a trolley system (torn up), theatres (low rent housing), and some well-to-do folks doing their business downtown (now just homeless and druggies). The town has regressed significantly due to a council that has never had any foresight or knowledge of civil engineering and city planning. That’s why the City of Oshawa’s slogan is, “Oshawa: It’s not the end of the world, but you can see it from there.” What a shit hole!

[@sethwalsh8095]

Lived here all my life. You are a much too hard on the place. Never had any bad experiences here. Am actually friends with many homeless men and women living downtown. Real nice people just got handed the shit end of the stick. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.

[@bathombre9739]

It's a shithole, lived in oshawa 8 years, sold my house now live in a town that actually preserves its history and charm, port hope

[@FreeDom-lz4yg]

@@bathombre9739 ✊S✊

[@FreeDom-lz4yg]

@Wise Acres Bobby just stop Bobby boy

[@cluricaun78]

That was highly enjoyable, thanks :)

[@mccaffal]

I’ve never been so utterly heartbroken by a set of before and afters. A city that once had a bit of class now lacks uniformity and cohesion. Most buildings that were once beautiful are now either gone, painted beige, or falling apart. Oshawa will always be where I was born and raised but it’s no longer my home, these before and afters make my homesickness disappear.

[@sparklecanada0112]

AlexM92. I was born and raised in Oshawa as well. I moved away shortly after I got married. I feel the same. Looking at this video brings back wonderful familiar memories of growing up in the 1960's and 70's. But, with what Oshawa has become; I too, am saddened and heartbroken. Everything that made Oshawa great and a welcoming Family Community before, is gone.💔😢😔. All it is now, is Toronto Lite. 😣👎👎 I hope Someone will have the insight and wherefore to re-establish Oshawa's former glory and desirability. Maybe then, I can proudly share it with my grandchildren and children again.☹🙁

[@joanrountree9463]

I see now I would rather just keep my memories. It is no longer home.

[@SIGNIFICANT1OTHER]

Monty you were a great man..I miss you terribly...RIP!!!

[@Tallgirlsrock]

Ditto ❤️ I worked with Monty, great memories!

[@Richard-lionhearted]

I moved to Oshawa ( followed my boys ) 12 years ago ! People are mean and nasty city council does nothing good for the city , buildings looked nicer 50 to 75 years ago .... I’m so sad I’m here . I feel like I’m in Detroit !

[@SkyDiverCanada]

You should do another one now... downtown boarded up.

[@sewildman50]

Photo of regent theatre at 32:04 is from 1972. Innocent Bystanders (on the marquee) was released in 72.

[@philh77]

Thank you very much for doing that.

[@alphaomega3766]

I'd like to say I had a lot of good memories at the Genosha Hotel but I don't remember most, thankfully.

[@PeterGonet]

In the end you don't want Oshawa to be as Metropolitan as Toronto. You want to create your own unique charm for this city!

[@nekomasteryoutube3232]

Rather interesting to see the changes over time in Oshawa.

[@tracyrichards6545]

I lived in house at 37:22....sad a beautiful building was sacrificed ...we put a inground pool in and the next buyers took it out and put in a parking lot for their business ☹️

[@sallydorsey1851]

Love love it

[@kristytruax5518]

Some very disappointing before and afters. What was once someone's home is now a boarded up store or a parking lot. But it's nice to see that Oshawa has kept some of their century-old architecture.

[@Guillan80]

I remember the old building on Bruce across from the GM center and clinic. It looked so beautiful and historic. Now it’s the university . Harmony ps (harmony & olive) is now the development of houses. The old school on Wilson & Shakespeare is torn down now.

[@brianandrejicka8848]

Typical....Beautiful houses torn down and replaced by new ugly buildings.

[@bobdewey8540]

What a change Oshawa has gone through, that town does not have much old buildings left. If this cancel culture generation keeps this up they won't have any history left to teach their children.

[@christopherg.limbiotakos3292]

I think the music is a bit wired....

[@drumtum81]

super creepy

[@commanderblade8417]

My home town I'm currently still in it now. :)

[@ZombieBrainGaming-rl3lv]

Commander Blade same

[@S2DF4real]

Poor guys

[@DirtyShwa]

Toronto Dominion just fuckin EVERYTHING NICE UP

[@shaminmohammed672]

I like those 80s period now it git changed a lot

[@Juleyreneegaspar]

Hi there! I saw you had a Whitby now and then, but it's not available to watch? if you could post the Whitby video would be amazing, I would love to show my grandparents this!!

[@montyroth1698]

Try Whitby Then & Now

[@kevinmcginn6209]

The brick house at 12:24 was my great great grandfather's - is there any where that I can get a digital image of the print anywhere? Now that it's a parking lot it doesn't look so exciting! Thanks

[@montyroth1698]

ourountario.ca

[@tedrundle1214]

Interesting. My grandfather owned the house (105 Simcoe St South) in the 1920's plus the ones south of it until the mid 50's when those burned to the ground.

[@daviddoyle8956]

I was in Oshawa from late 92 Mid Teens -2007 late 30's went back to Oshawa in 2015 to see Motorhead I went to the Oshawa Centre the theatre is gone that sucks and they turned the escalator around it was fine where it was. The Downtown is a Ghost town I used to go to the pawn shops it had a life it was cool enough everyplace is gonna have it's homeless and addicts. Just because GM is gone I don't think the place should become what it has the place has great potential. The problem is the town council is probably pocketing $$ and projects that are suppose to happen they find some way to pocket that. I'm in Peterborough, Ont now and the town council does exactly that takes to long to get things built because they want there little cut. The new mayor here acted like she was 'leave it to beaver' to get in but she only wanted in to have the power to get her hands into the realist ate here and make her fortune. Anyway I really hope Oshawa gets back in gear regardless of what people say about the place I have a lot of good memories of the place. I would just like to see what the Genosh Hotel looked like inside and how it looked in it's prime.

[@chrisslaunwhite685]

Say what you want about the dirty crack heads etc it's amazing to see how many buildings are the same and almost all of them have been standing between 100-140 years old! Great vid!!!

[@sallydorsey1851]

Good paying job healthy people no fast foods and NO GOD DAMM INTERNET

[@barnacleq9341]

Kind of like the internet you’re using to post your comments?

[@finnwhitmee9590]

nice

[@marieedwards5776]

I live at Stacy and Jamesa cro is ss from Sunnyside park

[@reinatorres5738]

como vivir en Oshawa

[@Kris-annKingyens]

I think Oshawa had more class back in the day. Now downtown looks so junky.

[@Edward-ko9pn]

The music sounds a little like pink floyd

[@lillianmckelvey6893]

TD Bank at King and Simcoe is moving--wonder if it is because of the druggies??

[@FreeDom-lz4yg]

It got so bad at one point

[@andrewbeaudry4399]

now crackheads and foreigners then working class and industrious Canadians

[@Smitty_Werbluntjaegermanjensen]

I hear a lot of people get stabbed in Oshawa

[@stuoi2]

Lol

[@jaydengibson465]

no big changes ~~~

[@jean-marccloutier4309]

Mikes place , empty

[@barnacleq9341]

The best thing for the current downtown Oshawa is a can of gasoline and a match, what a crap-hole.