Victoria Hospital for Sick Children is a building in

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. The building served as a hospital until 1951 and currently serves as a blood centre. The building has received a Commendation of Adaptive Re-use from the Toronto Historical Board.

History

The hospital was built in 1892 by the architectural firm of Darling and Curry and served as the hospital that is now called Hospital for Sick Children (or "Sick Kids") until 1951. The construction of the five-storey building was a very important step in the history of the hospital since it was previously located in a small downtown house which was rented for sixteen years by Elizabeth McMaster, the founder of the hospital, with support from a group of Toronto women ( Toronto Archives). The invention of

pablum Pablum is a processed cereal for infants originally marketed and co-created by the Mead Johnson Company in 1931. The product was developed at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario, to combat infant malnutrition. The trademarke ...

, the introduction of incorporated

X-rays An X-ray, or, much less commonly, X-radiation, is a penetrating form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation. Most X-rays have a wavelength ranging from 10 Picometre, picometers to 10 Nanometre, nanometers, corresponding to frequency, ...

in 1896, and the origins of the battle for compulsory milk

pasteurization Pasteurization or pasteurisation is a process of food preservation in which packaged and non-packaged foods (such as milk and fruit juices) are treated with mild heat, usually to less than , to eliminate pathogens and extend shelf life. The ...

in 1908 occurred in this building (Adams 206). Since 1993, it has been home to

Canadian Red Cross The Canadian Red Cross Society ()Canadian Blood Services Canadian Blood Services ( French: ''Société canadienne du sang'') is a non-profit charitable organization that is independent from the Canadian government. The Canadian Blood Services was established as Canada's blood authority in all provinces ...

Regional Blood Centre. It is located at the corner of

College A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offering ...

and Elizabeth Streets, near the

Toronto General Hospital The Toronto General Hospital (TGH) is a major teaching hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and the flagship campus of University Health Network (UHN). It is located in the Discovery District of Downtown Toronto along University Avenue's Hospital ...

Architecture

The building, which is made of sandstone, is rendered in the

Richardsonian Romanesque Richardsonian Romanesque is a style of Romanesque Revival architecture named after the American architect Henry Hobson Richardson (1838–1886). The revival style incorporates 11th and 12th century southern French, Spanish, and Italian Romanesque ...

style, then a trend in the design of buildings. Thick masonry walls are used as structure, with heavily rusticated stone used at the base. There is a cavernous door opening and windows are set deeply in reveals. The roof is steeply pitched, proving ventilation to the building (Adams 206).

Awards

The building was awarded with Commendation of Adaptive Reuse by the Toronto Historical Board after it was reconstructed in 1993 by Parkin Architects (Official Parkin).

References

* Adams, Annmarie. Medicine by Design: the Architect and the Modern Hospital, 1893-1943. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, 2008. Print. * Crossman, Kelly. Architecture in Transition: from Art to Practice, 1885-1906. Kingston [Ont.: McGill-Queens UP, 1987. Print. * The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). "About Sick Kids." SickKids. The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). Web. 15 Oct. 2010

* Parkin Architects. "Canadian Blood Services Renovation." Parkin Architects Limited. Parkin Architects Limited. Web. 16 Oct. 2010

* Toronto Archives. "1892, Opening of the Hospital for Sick Children." Toronto. City of Toronto. Web. 15 Oct. 2010

Canadian Red Cross Regional Blood Centre

SickKids History

{{DEFAULTSORT:Victoria Hospital For Sick Children Hospital buildings completed in 1892 Hospitals in Toronto Hospitals established in 1892 1892 establishments in Ontario Defunct hospitals in Canada

History

Architecture

Awards

See also

References