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UER Forum > Archived Canada: Ontario > What have we lost in Ontario? (Viewed 2799 times)
Decoy 


Location: Leslieville
Gender: Male


Oh I have slipped the bonds of earth...

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What have we lost in Ontario?
< on 3/8/2006 6:52 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Hey all. I know there is a thread along these lines in the main forum, but I'm looking for geographically specific information. I'm part of an activist art group called HBagToronto (Heritage Building Advocacy Group - Toronto) and we're putting together a presentation package for schools (in the form of a video). To supplement our interviews with Toronto Preservation Board members and Heritage Ontario officials, as well as our street-level questioning, I'm trying to gather data about buildings we've lost in the GTA (actually, anywhere in Southern Ontario).

I'm here to get your horror stories. What have we lost recently (or not so recently), and what are your reactions to these events? How fast did they go, and how much warning did you have?

If you're cool with being quoted or having your story transcribed, start your post with "good to go" - and I'll know that I have your permission to use the info.



So, the Whitby Psych is foremost in my mind, as is that building that started coming down - to the shock of the community - in the KW area.

What else are we loosing / have lost out there?

PS: Also, if you have any opinions about the benefits of Heritage Building Preservation that you want to throw at me (from a UE standpoint or otherwise) feel free to toss it in.

It's a drag, it's a bore, it's really such a pitty
To be lookin' at the board, not lookin' at the city.
Axle 


Location: Milton, ON
Gender: Male


Sieg oder Tod

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Re: What have we lost in Ontario?
<Reply # 1 on 3/8/2006 1:09 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
In Milton particularly:

Bruce Street Public School - Demoed in 1970's lands now occupied with the Milton Public Library

Milton Power and Light Co. - Demoed in 1990's land now occupied by the Carriage Square Strip mall

PL Robertson Factory - Still around but renovated in 2004, no longer has the same 'charm'

Gordon House/Children's Aid Society - Demoed in the 1970's land now occupied by modern shops and apartments

Celer at Audax
Para la Victoria Siempre Alemanes!
Crossfire 


Location: Kay-Dub
Gender: Male


Don't call it a comeback, I've been here for years.

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Re: What have we lost in Ontario?
<Reply # 2 on 3/8/2006 1:58 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
As a side note regarding the building in KW (the Forsythe Factory), the City of Kitchener had their request for continued demolition denied. Now, I don't know exactly what this is going to do for what's left of it - I think only half of it is still standing, the rest is in ruin. Not exactly an attractive thing to have downtown, but it could be payback for the city going ahead and ripping it down under false pretenses in the first place.

C.

Disgruntled.
defacto 


Gender: Male


you're getting verrry sleeepy

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Re: What have we lost in Ontario?
<Reply # 3 on 3/8/2006 4:37 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
"good to go"

Not long ago, "the Willoughby Baptist Church — also known by local residents as the Indian Road Baptist Church—was demolished to make way for four new townhouses. The church, designed by Toronto architects Ellis and Connery, was recommended for designation under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act for the cultural value of its early 20th century Neo Gothic design. "

http://www.sylviaw...tters/issue18.html)

This was a particularly disgusting event to witness. The developer, while residents were angrily (I know because I happen to live near by) protesting and with Breakfast Television present, smashed the church to the ground.

The despicable behaviour of the developer is illustrated in the article listed below. Here is a quotation to whet your interest:

"Unfortunately, by the time the Heritage Designation took effect [preventing its destruction] the next morning (June 18) and the City had the right to void the permit, the developer had brought in the bulldozers and worked overtime to ensure that there was nothing left of the church to save [emphasis added]. The developer had been given a head’s up on the impending designation when the Heritage Board was required to notify him of the Preservation Board meeting and the City’s intentions."

http://www.sylviaw...tters/issue17.html

THIS is a horror story.

I've looked for images, but as I am not a full member I can not check the full DB; perhaps some lucky people got in there before it was destroyed? or knows its history?

defacto

"the verge is best"
Crossfire 


Location: Kay-Dub
Gender: Male


Don't call it a comeback, I've been here for years.

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Re: What have we lost in Ontario?
<Reply # 4 on 3/8/2006 4:47 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Yes, I believe that the church was documented by an explorer here before it was destroyed. I remember that story. I used to live down at the end of Indian Road (on Parkdale Road) and I know that church well. It was disgusting how the situation was handled. That's basically what the city of Kitchener tried to do here - rip it down before anybody could do anything about it. As far as I'm concerned, the people in charge of the downtown development of this city are morally and ethically bankrupt.

Hmmm... don't know if there is an LDB entry for it, but I definitely saw pictures of it around the time this happened.

C.

Disgruntled.
defacto 


Gender: Male


you're getting verrry sleeepy

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Re: What have we lost in Ontario?
<Reply # 5 on 3/8/2006 4:58 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
I tend to think that many city councillors would, if they could, stop this kind of thing from happening, but as everyone knows, politics always gets in the way, (along with a couple of good kick backs for campaign contributions)

defacto
[last edit 3/8/2006 4:58 PM by defacto - edited 1 times]

"the verge is best"
journeylady 


Location: Kitchener
Gender: Female




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Re: What have we lost in Ontario?
<Reply # 6 on 3/8/2006 4:58 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by Crossfire
As far as I'm concerned, the people in charge of the downtown development of this city are morally and ethically bankrupt.


Y'know Sim has this theory that they have burned most of the buildings in the downtown core deliberately....



It's a tragedy.
It's exactly like a greek tragedy.
We should only be Greeks.
defacto 


Gender: Male


you're getting verrry sleeepy

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Re: What have we lost in Ontario?
<Reply # 7 on 3/8/2006 5:01 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by journeylady


Y'know Sim has this theory that they have burned most of the buildings in the downtown core deliberately....




the pyros! ;)

"the verge is best"
bandi 

Lippy Mechanic Bastard


Location: Trent Hills, ON
Gender: Male


A liminal mind is all I've ever known.

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Re: What have we lost in Ontario?
<Reply # 8 on 3/8/2006 5:02 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Campbellford - Co-op building - 10 storey, all brick victorian commercial building, demoed in late 90's to make room for condos, which were never built, and the "Launch" building, 5 storey stone manufacturing building, demoed to make room for these same condos which never happened. The launch building built ejector seats for world war II planes. All that exists 7 years later, is still a muddy vacant lot.

Warkworth - Warkworth Public school... demoed in '95, gorgeous old brick building, late 1800s, 3 stories I think. Demoed for more yard space at the senior's home.



Hopefully Ringwood manor can be saved, that's always been one of my favourite buildings.




hi i like cars
Crossfire 


Location: Kay-Dub
Gender: Male


Don't call it a comeback, I've been here for years.

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Re: What have we lost in Ontario?
<Reply # 9 on 3/8/2006 5:11 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by journeylady
Y'know Sim has this theory that they have burned most of the buildings in the downtown core deliberately....

She's not the only one... Shatter and myself both feel the same way. It's the mass burnination of all undesireable buildings in the area.

C.

Disgruntled.
simmorill 


Location: Toronto
Gender: Female


Go big or go home.

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Re: What have we lost in Ontario?
<Reply # 10 on 3/8/2006 5:40 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
There was a rash of burnings in the Kitcheners downtown core about 4 years ago, peaking with the Ackers fire. Most of the buildings that burned were unmemorable, but within a few weeks, (WEEKS) the city had built new and ugly buildings where their hollow shells used to stand. During this time, the city was buying up all of the core land they could lay their grubby little hands on. It seems to me that all of the properties that were out of the citys budget range, burned to the ground.

Coincidence? I think not.

It seemed like a good idea at the time.
Phantom403 


Gender: Male


MOOOO!

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Re: What have we lost in Ontario?
<Reply # 11 on 3/8/2006 7:01 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Yeah....I know this is kind of off topic....but to those of you who've never heard of a Canadian Folk singer called Garnet Rogers....he sings quite the tale that's very relevant to our plight....

As silent as the voice of God
these empty barren hills
they hover above the dry plain
they shimmer in the distance
I feel a sudden chill
The ground is dry and cracked like an old mans skin
stretched across the plain
Lightning flickering across the thunderhead
Empty promises of rain

Some kind of stormfront on the move tonight
Feel the tension in the air
Dust devils dance on the side of the highway
Leaves and garbage everywhere
Mothers call their kids from the door
"C'mon get inside, shut the windows, lock them tight"
The sun has burned its bridges
plunged into the mountains in a sea of steam
and poison light

I hear thunder bumping boxcars in the valley
the wind is laughing up my sleeve
the cars have turned their headlights on
It's way past time-- I should be gone

We've turned our towns into a filthy joke
like a theme park built for swine
We bulldoze farms, fields turn them into strip malls
Nobody seems to mind
Who elected these cheap hustlers anyway?
This worthless pack of pimps and whores
The developers come smiling with their pockets jingling full of change
We get down on all fours

And I don't want your Black Hills gold
Not at any price
we built a trail of tears and broken trees through here
then swarmed the earth like lice
Townhouses, casinos and trailer parks
Cheap neon light up the falling night
I saw the Four Horsemen ride through here about an hour ago
They were sickened at the sight

These highway signs are full of bullet holes
Burnt rubber cross the road
Someone's angry about something somewhere here
They're just waiting to unload
We're putting bombs in buildings
Bombs in letters, bombs in trucks
We're drowning kids in the backs of cars
We're dressing killers in Armani suits
We turn them into TV stars
We become a race of leering voyeurs
We're big on progress sex and death
Something evil is lurking in the darkness here with me
and I can smell its stinking breath
It's in the blankness of our children's stares
It's in a courtroom in a suit
It's in the hand that holds gun that made these bullet holes
It's a secret pocket filled with loot

It's the soft white faces
of these soft white men
with their soft white grasping hand
who laugh and sneer at those who have to stand and wait in line
and never got their chance


*giggles*...kinda says it all....
Phantom403


The problem with the world is dumb people. I'm not advocating capital punishment for dumb people. I'm just suggesting we remove all the warning labels and let the problem solve itself.
yokes 


Location: Toronto
Gender: Male


I aim to misbehave

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Re: What have we lost in Ontario?
<Reply # 12 on 3/8/2006 7:41 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
The two brickworks in Mississauga (one in Erindale and one in Mississauga).

"Great architecture has only two natural enemies: water and stupid men." - Richard Nickel
mortimer 


Location: teronno




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Re: What have we lost in Ontario?
<Reply # 13 on 3/8/2006 7:52 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
The Brewer's Retail warehouse at the corner of Leslie and Lakeshore was torn down last year, it wasn't super special, but I believe there were efforts to save it before Crappy Tire decided to just level it and build a new big-box store (coming soon). I was told that there were some very nice art deco-ish details inside the offices of the place, but it took less than a week to flatten it, so I guess I'll never know.

If you want to follow one in action, Bridgepoint (the former Riverdale Hospital - the 'half round' building) is in danger because Bridgepoint Health, the private company that's contracted to run health services in the hospital, has decided to tear it down to build a new hospital - beside the current one's location. So why tear down the old one? Because Bridgepoint Health, the private company that's contracted to run health services in the hospital, wants to build three condo towers. On public, city-owned parkland. Because that's what hospitals do, apparently, is build condos. They'd probably tear down the old Don Jail too, if they could get away with it.

Anyway, the ongoing fight to save the building is being documented here:

http://www.torarchcons.org/

Incidentally, Ninjalicious was the director of the Toronto Architectural Conservancy for a couple years, so he would have been actively involved in the early stages of fighting this planned development and destruction. Not that that makes it any more or less legitimate, just thought it was worth mentioning.

yep.
IndianaTeach 




Im lovin' those knobs!

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Re: What have we lost in Ontario?
<Reply # 14 on 3/8/2006 10:50 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Out in Courtice I must include the following homes:

Captain John Trull home-standing but being vandalized currently...loyalist connection to our area...impressive building too with a lookout tower. Lydia Trull's homestead whom was a lady doctor to many of the area's first pioneers.

Southview Villa-about as good as it gets for late 1800s architectural brickwork. Gutted inside unfortunately.

In Newcastle there is a really cool Queen Anne mansion on Hwy 2 thats apparently being demolished for an expanding old folks home.

Asher Archive 

Pikachu


Gender: Female




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Re: What have we lost in Ontario?
<Reply # 15 on 3/8/2006 11:28 PM >
Posted on Forum: Infiltration Forums
 
Don't forget the Thane Aluminum Smelter Plant: http://uecanada.ca/b-uec/smelter.html


This place actually was a waste land that needed to be cleaned up. We found out about it through some guys at YO Media from Sutton. The grounds were very interesting, but very very polluted. I can't say that I miss it, who goes to Keswick anyway? ;p
[last edit 3/8/2006 11:30 PM by Asher Archive - edited 1 times]

oddspot 


Location: Small Town Alberta
Gender: Male




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Re: What have we lost in Ontario?
<Reply # 16 on 3/9/2006 12:14 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
in GUelph

Mitchell Farmhouse - destroyed despite a ton of noise and a Heritage designation



Even A Genius Has Questions!?!
I do things because I choose to, not because I have to. My Life, My Rules - No Exceptions!
Rust 

I am a rustbucket






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Re: What have we lost in Ontario?
<Reply # 17 on 3/9/2006 12:41 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by Crossfire
Yes, I believe that the church was documented by an explorer here before it was destroyed. I remember that story. I used to live down at the end of Indian Road (on Parkdale Road) and I know that church well. It was disgusting how the situation was handled. That's basically what the city of Kitchener tried to do here - rip it down before anybody could do anything about it. As far as I'm concerned, the people in charge of the downtown development of this city are morally and ethically bankrupt.

Hmmm... don't know if there is an LDB entry for it, but I definitely saw pictures of it around the time this happened.

C.


So where abouts is this exactly? I live right in the same area but I just can't think of anywhere that new townhouses have came up...

Posted by oddspot
in GUelph

Mitchell Farmhouse - destroyed despite a ton of noise and a Heritage designation




Was that the farmhouse that was infront of that big trucking company's headquarters?

rainman8889 


Location: H.T.S.F.C. Time to gain and a time to lose.


Bye for now.

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Re: What have we lost in Ontario?
<Reply # 18 on 3/9/2006 2:17 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by bandi

Hopefully Ringwood manor can be saved, that's always been one of my favourite buildings.


I'm hoping the same thing too bandi but time is running out.

We are also in danger of losing the Regent Theatre with its restoration project bogged down. It is currently designated and the City owns it but...

Here's some of the buildings I know about that are gone :

Fothergill house. Was designated but very conveniently the paperwork filed by the owner to have the designation removed was delayed at city hall and the city had no choice but to issue a demolition permit since they didn't say 'no'

Oshawa Gas and Steam Fittings plant: Demolished in 1990 after a second fire. Was a really neat looking foundry building.

Marks Theatre in Oshawa: Just up the street from the Regent theatre (was the oldest theatre in Oshawa and had a way cool balcony) demolished in 1991 after a fire when it sat derelict for about a year. Now a parking lot. Look at the building next to the lot and you will see the outlines of stairs.

Mc Cleese (sp?) block in Oshawa next to the armouries. Now a parking lot this was burnt down in January or February 1989. Possible electrical fire. Nice brickwork and really nice looking building even though it was starting to look run down. The block next to it was demolished in 1987. It had stood empty for about 4 years with the roof torn off when the owner started renovations. Water got in, the place rotted badly and was subsequently condemned and torn down.

Sad to see a lot of these places gone and others going.




[last edit 3/9/2006 2:18 AM by rainman8889 - edited 1 times]

Gone for a while. Be back when I'm back.
M. Fuzzy 


Location: GTA
Gender: Male


Machine Gun Bunnies!

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Re: What have we lost in Ontario?
<Reply # 19 on 3/9/2006 6:02 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
CN Rail Spadina Roundhouse, demolished around 1986/7 for the Skydome, (yea, the "SKYDOME" eh, Ted?)

Keep it fuzzy.
UER Forum > Archived Canada: Ontario > What have we lost in Ontario? (Viewed 2799 times)
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