An archaeological dig across from the National Trade Centre at Exhibition Place is uncovering the foundations of the East Barracks, part of the New Fort that replaced Old Fort York in the 1840s. The only one of the original buildings that survives intact is the officers’ quarters, commonly referred to as Stanley Barracks (which was actually the name of the whole facility). The site supervisor told me that they dug exploratory trenches about four years ago and discovered that the old foundation was still mostly intact, stretching a couple of hundred feet under the parking lot. The dig is in front of the site of the new hotel that has exclusive rights inside Exhibition Place. The developer is planning to cover the majority of the remaining foundation with glass and use it as a feature in the entrance.
A short image gallery is after the jump.
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- A clay drainage pipe runs through the walls.
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- An overview of the current dig site of the East Barracks of New Fort York (Stanley Barracks)
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- Part of the foundation of the East Barracks is exposed in a trench
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- The building was knocked down in the early 1950s and paved over for a parking lot at Exhibition Place.
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- The walls of the East Barracks of New Fort York (Stanley Barracks)
