House of Industry
A building for Toronto's historic House of Industry was erected on this site in 1848. Designed by William Thomas, it was later enlarged by architects Joseph Sheard (1858) and E.J. Lennox (1898). This charitable institution had been founded in 1837 to provide permanent and temporary lodging as well as food and fuel to the needy in the community, who often were required to do chores in return for help. To meet changing times, in 1947 the building was made into a home for the elderly renamed Laughlen Lodge after Arthur and Frances Laughlen long-time Superintendents. When new senior citizens' housing was constructed 1975-83, in association with the Rotary Club of Toronto, this north section of the old House of Industry was preserved as part of the Rotary-Laughlen Centre.
Plaque via Alan L. Brown's site Toronto Plaques. Full page here.