Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Bathurst and Dundas - By Moses

Hey,

Anybody ever wonder why Bathurst and Dundas is in an awkward curvature? I'll tell you why.
See, it was 1941 and my Great Grandfather Harry Gula - a recognizable Hebrew - owned the largest Jewish Bakery in all of Canada (Gula Matzot). The municipality of Toronto (funded Federally), decided to build a main Northern through-way called Dundas Street. The City of York paid off businesses for the purpose of building a Street parallel to Queen Street. My Great Grandfather was making a lot of money in those days and asked the City for more money (Oliver). The City essentially decided in their infinite wisdom to bar him from inclusion and this resulted in Dundas Street West being an eyesore for anyone traveling the crooked street. Anti-Semitism was very prevalent in those days (we took our share) and to this day the story passed down from generation to generation in our family is that the City of Toronto (funded Federally) wouldn't pay a Jew $5,000 more for his property, but rather spend $100,000 (funded Federally) to build a crooked street.
My question is this; In 1941 did anyone working for the City of Toronto, or Federal Cabinets ever consider Jews to be crooked, as Hitler was proclaiming at the time while the Allied Forces were fighting a battle in Normandy? and, would you sell your business at rock bottom when you're making a tonne of money?

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