| WEST YORK COACH LINES Ltd. |
| by R.L.Kennedy |
| Wesy York Coach Lines was a shareholder-owned business that provided local bus service between parts of York Township and the Junction business area of West Toronto. It also served the Village of Malton, connecting it with either the Junction, via Mount Dennis, or the City of Toronto at Jane and Bloor Streets. Charter and school service was also a big part of their business and in fact the most profitable, no doubt similar to the other bus companies as well. The formal address was 1785 St.Clair Avenue West, Toronto 9, Ontario. However, if you went to this address just east of Old Weston Road what you saw was a large, well-known Chevrolet Dealer, West York Motors. The President and General Manager of both was, Edward B. Seedhouse of Etobicoke, and Miss Yvonne Longerhan, was Secretary-Treasurer of both businesses. All of the bus lines properties were owned by West York Motors. The garage and office of the bus lines was located at 444 Pacific Ave. on the south west corner of Vine Avenue, in the Junction. A 10 year old 89' x 100' garage of 8,900 sq.ft. all but filled the 117' x 100' property, while a house about 40 years old acted as offices. Adjacent properties at 145 Vine was a 5,000 sq.ft. body shop over 50 years old that had been a stable and barn, acquired from White Oak Farm Dairy Co.Ltd. In 1952 adjacent land on Vine Ave. was acquired for $47,184.15 at #139 ($11,000), 141 ($12,000), 143 ($6,700), and 147 ($16,800). The latter property was also acquired from White Oak and included a 6-room brick house, over 50 years old. It was rented out for $100 per month! In 1953 two adjacent houses were purchased and demolished to create a parking lot for their buses in place of a rented lot nearby at 2987 Dundas Street West, owned by Power Food Markets Ltd. Note: Shell Oil owned the gas tank and pump on the property. All of these properties had a total market value of about $120,000, while the total assets were $224,911.07 as of January 31,1953, about a year and a half before their sale to the TTC. This did not include the value of goodwill which would also be paid to West York. It is uncertain who owned all the shares of West York Coach Lines, but likely both it and the Chevrolet Dealership were controlled by Seedhouse. Stock was shown as: 2,500 shares of First Preferred at $10 par value, 2,000 shares of Second Preferred, also at $10 par value, and 25,000 common shares of No par value. The profit and loss statement of January 31,1954 showed Revenue of $370,761,28 Expenses of $280,367.07 with a Net Profit of $27,190.83 |