Park Plaza Opening

Admin History/Bio: The Park Plaza Hotel, originally called the Queen's Park Plaza, began construction in 1928. However, because of financial problems in the Depression it was not completed until 1936. Prior to its completion it was bought by the Park Plaza Company, a group of investors including Harry Rotenberg of Yolles and Rotenberg and Joseph Schwartz, Sylvia Schwartz's father. It was originally used as a hotel, residences and office space. Through the 1940s and 1950s it was a popular hot spot, acting as a venue for entertainers such as Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington. In the 1960s it became a popular location with the literary crowd, including Margaret Atwood and Mordecai Richler.; It was eventually bought by the Hyatt chain and re-named the Park Hyatt Toronto.

Scope and Content: File consists of images of a party in the ballroom at the Park Plaza Hotel. Those pictured include members of the Schwartz, Yolles, Halbert and Wintrob families. Also included are images of Sylvia Schwartz, the singer Phyllis Marshall and musicians.; It is unknown what the party was for, but the original envelope indicated that it was an opening of some kind.