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- by Fred Creighton

In the ‘old days’, the Salvation Army held many ‘united’ meetings in the Toronto Temple, Massey Hall, Varsity Arena, etc. in downtown Toronto. For regularly-held meetings such as Congresses and Good Friday meetings, the corps bands and soldiery would march to the meetings from a number of neighbouring places-even Queen’s Park on University Ave. In those days this was quite easy to do as traffic was much, much lighter, especially with no Sunday or holiday shopping.

Here’s a picture of East Toronto Citadel Band and soldiery arriving at Massey Hall on Shuter Street just off Yonge, probably for a Good Friday morning meeting in 1933. Look at the crowds on the sidewalk which greeted (and graded?) each band. Look at the uniforms, ‘civy’ clothes, hats bonnets, flags, STOP sign, streetcar tracks, and the ‘speeding’ car. What an opportunity for each bandmaster to have the band play the ‘just right’ inspirational hymn tune or march, and for each group to display their marching skills and ‘march-off’ into the Hall!