OCharleys

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Thanks to its vast hinterland Toronto designers have had access to a wide array of raw materials for construction Due to the clay sediments of the former lake bed that Toronto is built upon and but more prominently the shale layer underlying this area of North America brick has been an especially cheap and available material for almost the city's entire history Much of it was provided by the Don Valley Brick Works Domtar's brick division Canada Brick and Brampton Brick whose output can still be found in thousands of structures across the city and throughout the surrounding regions Throughout the city most homes from all eras are made of brick Commercial and industrial builders also long embraced brick with the Distillery District being a prominent example though today more efficient materials such as cinder blocks are more common for commercial projects Prominent landmarks have also gone to greater expense and generally eschewed simple brick Older banks and government buildings used stone and modern attempts to marvel have embraced modern materials such as concrete and aluminum in addition to extensive glazing Even today the overwhelming bulk of residential buildings constructed in Toronto are clad in brick Sandstone was also historically a readily available building material with large deposits quarried from the Credit River valley More expensive than brick but more ornate it was used for many early landmarks such as the Ontario Legislature Old City Hall and Victoria College It is also the main material used in the unique Annex style house Industrial architecture. . . .