Today, bathhouses are common in Canada, and Toronto in particular. They have a rich history stretching back thousands of years. Generally, the first mentions of baths can be found in the Ancient East. These establishments were created not only for cleansing the body but also for clearing the mind. An interesting fact—in Ancient Greece and Rome, baths were the centre of social life. Here, Greeks and Romans combined socializing with hygienic procedures. But in Canada and Toronto, bathhouses appeared in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Read more about this on the toronto1.one website.
What We Know About Bathhouses in Toronto
As is well known, Toronto has been actively developing for more than one century. Many immigrants came to the city, and each community brought its own traditions and customs. The tradition of visiting bathhouses is not originally Canadian, so this type of wellness was brought to Canada from Europe and Russia.
Unfortunately, there is no verified information on when the first bathhouse appeared in Toronto. However, in this section, we will talk about the High Park Sanitarium and the High Park Mineral Baths, which were located nearby. They were established in 1906.
It is worth noting that the first baths had an elongated shape and were used by the sanitarium’s patients. Later, they were reconstructed to create rectangular pools measuring 50 by 100 feet. The baths reopened in 1913.
By the way, this pool was promoted as the largest outdoor pool in Canada, with a capacity of 150,000 gallons. The baths were supplied by two artesian wells, one of which was 80 feet deep, and the other 650 feet. The water in the baths was heated, chlorinated, and constantly filtered.
These establishments also had a convenient location: at the terminus of the city’s streetcar line.
In 1922, the sanitarium was leased to Saratoga Hospital. The pools and baths operated until 1962. The facilities were closed due to underground work for the construction of the Bloor subway line.
“Operation Soap” at Toronto Bathhouses
In the 21st century, Toronto offers a variety of bathhouses and saunas from different cultures, including Russian, Finnish, and Turkish baths. These bathhouses not only provide an opportunity for physical relaxation and wellness but also serve as centres for cultural exchange and socializing between people of different nationalities. But in this article, we decided to cover another event related to bathhouses in Toronto.
It all happened on February 5, 1981, at four bathhouses in downtown Toronto. 200 police officers carried out “Operation Soap” at the gay bathhouses: The Barracks, The Club, Richmond Street Health Emporium, and Roman II Health and Recreation Spa.
Police officers entered the bathhouses at 11:00 PM and used crowbars to open visitors’ lockers. The police behaved arrogantly. One officer even stated that he wished the pipes in the bathhouse were connected to gas so he could “exterminate” the group of detained gay men.
As a result, 286 men were charged with being found in a common bawdy-house (brothel), and 20 people were charged with operating one. This was the largest mass arrest in Toronto’s history at the time. The bathhouses suffered $50,000 in damages. But no cases of prostitution were discovered.
The community did not stay silent after these events. The very next night, a protest march was organized against the police actions. Over 3,000 participants attended the event. As a result, 11 people were arrested, and one police officer was injured. By the way, the bathhouse raids became a turning point for Toronto’s gay community.
And that’s our informative article. We hope you learned something new today about your home city and the history of bathhouses in Toronto.
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