Palais Royale

Story

Palais Royale is a dance hall in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on Lake Shore Boulevard at the foot of Roncesvalles Avenue on Lake Ontario. Originally built as a boat works, it became notable as a night club in the now-defunct Sunnyside Amusement Park, hosting many prominent 'big band' jazz bands. Since the Park's demolition, the building has ceased to be a nightclub, being used for special occasions and concerts. It has recently been remodeled and is in use for special occasions and meetings.HistoryIn the 1900s and 1910s, the Sunnyside area was undeveloped except for a few waterfront uses. One waterfront business was Dean's Boat House, building canoes, renting boats and providing local boat cruises, located on Lake Shore Road at Queen Street, south-east of High Park. Starting in the 1910s, the waterfront was redeveloped by the Toronto Harbour Commission and all of the waterfront buildings were removed. The waterfront was extended to the south and new buildings were constructed to replace those removed.The new Dean’s Sunnyside Pleasure Boats, a canoe boat-building factory and a supplier to the local Parkdale canoe club was opened in 1922 as part of the new Sunnyside Beach. The new building was designed by the architectural firm of Chapman, Oxley & Bishop, architects who designed the Sunnyside Bathing Pavilion, which opened that same year nearby. The boat-building activities occupied the basement and part of the first floor, which was at shoreline level. The second floor, at ground level from the front, became a dance hall. Although Dean’s Pleasure Boats was successful for some time, it eventually went out of business and the Palais became a dance hall only.