25 million bricks per year. At peak production, the Don Valley Brick Works produced a lot of bricks. Located along the Don River in Toronto, Canada, this quarry and brick making plant was responsible for a significant number of buildings in Toronto.
The plant hit peak production in 1928 and operated until 1984, when the clay in the quarry had begun to run out.
Brick kilns, catwalks and various other pieces of industrial machinery were still present at the time of my visits. With interior spaces unevenly lit by a punctured roof, the mood of the place could be remarkable.
Other people seemed to think so as well.
Between 2004 and 2009, it might have been difficult to find a photographer in Toronto that hadn't been here. It attracted all manner of people willing to see something different.
This period of intense curiosity mostly ended when redevelopment plans began in 2009. With the buildings gutted and transformed signficantly, the site lost much of its appeal. This transformation is now complete, and the new facility opened in 2010.
For more about the Brick Works history, see the Don Valley Brick Works page on Wikipedia.
Information about the redeveloped site can be found on the Evergreen Brick Works site.
