For 45 years the tall building at 78 Braemar Drive at the corner of Clark Boulevard has been a Bramalea landmark. It was built as the first high-rise building and was just the start of what would become a cluster of towers in the centre of Bramalea. Today, 36 towers between 9 and 28 floors dot the skyline.
For many, the building served as a gateway into Bramalea – a starting place to live before buying a house in the area. From the heights of the tower, residents could survey the city as it grew and changed with time.
This was certainly the case for my parents, who first lived in Clark House when they first decided to settle in Bramalea. They looked out across the apple orchards to the north, saved up money and waited until they found the perfect house. In the mid-1970s, that new house was the remote north-east part of Bramalea: the L-Section (Longbourne Crescent to be precise).
Even today, the Clark House stands out as a landmark on the edge of the B-Section. It is a symbol of a turning point in Bramalea – when it started to grow into a suburban city with towers reaching to the sky and a vibrant city centre core.
As the article below explains, the building was on the cutting edge of design when first built. It was “for people with a champagne taste and a beer budget”. I am guessing that most of the cutting edge and “wet look” design elements are gone, but I wonder if the artist-designed mural is still in the lobby?
Please feel free to share any Clark House stories/memories in the comments section at the bottom of the post!
Toronto Daily Star, June 21, 1969
Toronto Daily Star, August 30, 1969.
bramaleablog 