Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Fountain may be new addition























Clearly, Stratford has a story to tell. Walking down residential streets in the core of the small, southwestern Ontario city, one comes across a lot of impressive, historical buildings. This one on Water Street is just one of a number. My friend told me the fountain wasn't all that old. I found this home on Streetviews and, sure enough, no fountain.

Is this place a single family home? A bed and breakfast? A small inn? I don't know. When I learn more I will update this post.

Monday, June 29, 2020

A delightful southwest Ontario town




























I need to take a walk every day. Doctors orders. I'm bad. I often fail to take my stroll. But visiting Stratford, a small town to the northeast of London made walking easy. It is simply a delightful town, especially in the the core. The downtown business district, the residential area and the theatre and the parks all work together to make one fine, urban package.

I saw this home and had to grab a quick shot. What a wonderful looking home.

Sunday, June 28, 2020

Expanded patio-dining is coming




























Restaurants are in trouble. Cash flow is important for these small, independent businesses and for some months there has been, in some cases, absolutely no cash flow. This weekend the province announced the easing of covid-19 based restrictions on businesses like restaurants.

Late last week when my wife and I were in Stratford, there were signs everywhere that folk were preparing to open and to operate in the new coronavirus-tainted world. These two people in my photo were measuring the sidewalk in front of their restaurant. They were preparing to locate an umbrella-covered patio on the sidewalk in front of their place.

Saturday, June 27, 2020

Stratford and its citizens openly fighting covid-19


























Stratford, Ontario, is a fine little Southwestern Ontario town. One of the finest. For well over half a century it has been home to the Stratford Festival—a world class festival attracting theatre goers from both Canada and the States. The visitors arrive by the busload, or at least they did until covid-19.

Driving into downtown Stratford, a sign reminds drivers to stay aware of the danger presented by covid-19 and to react appropriately. People are being encouraged to keep a safe distance between themselves and others others when out on the street and most folk are wearing face masks.

With the festival theatres closed, the fine restaurants struggling to reopen and hotels, inns and B&Bs with many empty beds, the town and the people of Stratford are setting an example on how to fight the coronavirus. While other towns are waffling, Stratford and its citizens are in full fight mode.

Friday, June 26, 2020

Watch your step


Some folk like the geese that can be found in almost all Southwestern Ontario parks. Lots of us are not so fond of these big, numerous birds. We find them lazy, dirty and sometimes even dangerous. They have been known to get quite aggressive.

But, for me, the biggest problem is the filthy droppings littering pathways and roadways. The filth gets into the pattern on one's soft-soled shoes and then gets tracked everywhere. Ugh!

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Pandemic hard on Stratford Theatre




















From this angle one doesn't see a lot of this building but one does see enough to identify it as the Festival Theatre in Stratford. The unique multi-pointed, roof-edge treatment is a clear identifier.

The Stratford Festival even gets coverage in distant Chicago.
Designed by Robert Fairfield, the theatre was built in 1957. Inside it has a thrust stage, called this because it extends into the seating space with theatre goers positioned on three sides. And there are lots of theatre goers. There's seating for 1,838 people.

As you might expect, the theatre is closed at the moment as a result of covid-19. The fear is that the theatre, and all the other venues which are part of the annual festival, will remain closed until sometime next year. This is a heartbreaker. The festival has posted the following on their online page:

While the creation of a vaccine and anti-viral drugs will cure this pandemic, ultimately what will cure society in its aftermath is art. We look forward to the time when we can come together again to “live, and pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh.”

Tuesday, June 23, 2020

A dam that can't hold back water. Oops!

For years the Springbank Dam held back the water of the Thames River creating a reservoir backing up for miles from the edge of town right to the core of the city.

Then the aging dam was left damaged by a severe summer rainstorm. A replacement dam was designed and installed. It was a fancy design with hugh pistons lifting and lowering the massive water blocking gates into position.

Sadly, in use, the gates can trap debris and jam. The design was, to be honest, always questionable. Many were not surprised when the dam gates failed while being tested. The new dam was never put into operation and today it sits idle facing possible demolition.

The river is healthier without a functioning dam. The city has recouped its expenses after winning a lawsuit against the firm that built the poorly engineered structure. The gates are sitting flat on the river bottom and will remain there indefinitely.

Oh well, it is a successful conversation starter.

Monday, June 22, 2020

Dental offices are reopening




























Three things to mention here. One, dental offices are reopening in Ontario. Today I saw my dental hygienist.

Two, the charge for a cleaning has gone up by about twenty dollars because of all the costs related to the covid-19 pandemic.

And third and last item, many think all medical procedures in Canada are "free." Not true. In Ontario, dental costs are not covered by our government plan and dental fees can be substantial. Today's cleaning cost me, a retired senior, $163. I put the fee on my credit card as neither my wife nor I have insurance.

Going to the dentist has changed. On arriving at the dental office, you don't entered but remain outside and use your cell phone to call the receptionist and let her know you have arrived. Before entering, your temperature is taken, on entering you answer about half a dozen questions. If you answer correctly, you are given a mask. The only time you do not wear a mask is while a dental procedure is being performed on you.

Room air is trapped by heavy plastic sheets hung over each doorway. To enter or leave a room, one parts the plastic. All staff wear masks, as do all patients. Hygienists and the dentist all wear large, face-covering clear plastic shields as well. And light, thin latex gloves seem to be out and heavier black gloves seem to be in. Rooms are cleaned between patient visits. From the loud, constant background fan noise I heard, I believe the office air was being exhausted at an increased rate.

Sunday, June 21, 2020

Don't feed the wildlife, please.





















Springbank Park is the largest park in London and it merges with at least one other park to the east. Both parks border on the Thames River flowing through London. The sign asks, "Why we should not feet wildlife." Having worked for the Ministry of Natural Resources in Ontario many years ago, I can retiterate the warning.

Do not feed the wildlife. It was good advice half a century ago and it is still good advice today.

Saturday, June 20, 2020

Jenny Jones playground sits idle






















Do you recall the talk show host Jenny Jones. She has been off the air for a few years now. Jones was originally from London, Ontario. London's fanciest children's playground was funded by Jones. She put in $200,000. Thank you, Jenny.

Though it’s theoretically possible, there is no evidence that physical money—or any inanimate surface, for that matter—helps the virus spread. -- MIT

Usually packed with kids, the imaginative playground has sat empty now for months as the covid-19 pandemic replaces fun with fear when it comes to stuff like shared playground equipment. Some question whether or not closure are necessary. MIT claims inanimate surfaces are not a serious source of covid-19 infection.

Friday, June 19, 2020

Strollers are not always six-feet apart























A visit to Costco during the early morning pre-opening for seniors, it was noticed that everyone was wearing a mask. There was not even one unmasked face to be seen. Seniors take the covid-19 pandemic seriously. Senior die.

A visit to Springbank Park later in the day showed lots of young people enjoying the park and enjoying it with others and maskless. Yes, they are outside and this does diminish the possibility of transmitting the virus. Yet, it is hard to believe that a group of seniors would be walking this close together and with no protection.

Thursday, June 18, 2020

Thanking Front Line Workers























The local chapter of the Lions Clubs International is raising money for the London Food Bank by going door to door selling signs for $20. The signs prominently display the Canadian flag and give a big thank you to our front line workers during this ongoing pandemic crisis. "You are loved and appreciated," the sign says.

With Canada Day just around the corner and the London Food Bank hook, the signs are going fast.

Tuesday, June 16, 2020

ActiveFit equipment sits idle thanks to covid-19






















The equipment is made by ActiveFit. Click the link and it will take you to the company's web page. Designed and made in Canada, there is a rather complete installation in London's largest park—Springbank Park. 

What does the equipment do? In a sense, very little. It just sits there. Yet, it offers a host of exercise possibilities to everyone except the very young. Each different installation encourages a different exercise and works a different set of muscles. I'm almost 73 but I can see even me working out successfully with some of these pieces of equipment.

Sadly the installation sits idle at the moment thanks to covid-19 and our over-protective parks department. According to MIT, stuff like this equipment does not support the covid-19 virus. Using it is safe. One does not risk picking up the coronavirus. I believe the folk at MIT over the bureaucrats at city hall. I hope the yellow caution tape comes down soon and my granddaughters and I can give the ActiveFit equipment a try.

Monday, June 15, 2020

Garden centres are open



























The province is slowly coming out of the covid-19 deep freeze. Restaurants are now open and the patios are doing  very good business. And our local garden centres are again selling plants. My wife calls the plants she buys "flowers for the garden." I call them flowers for the rabbits—expensive rabbit food. So far this spring, I'm right.

Sunday, June 14, 2020

Some new homes are truly spectacular.

I took a spin through the new neighbourhood just to the southeast of where I live. Wow!

I talked with the builder and he told me every home he builds for the next six months or so is already sold. Huh? What about the covid-19 slowdown. Isn't there supposed to be almost a recession at the moment?

My fence and gate are failing and when I stopped by the shop of the fellow who built both the fence and gate I learned it would not be until mid August when the repairs could be done and the new gate installed. He told me business was booming.

Strange days.

Friday, June 12, 2020

1st clue announcing a new subdivision: Poles

A new subdivision is going in south of the area in which I live. I've known it would eventually appear. The question was always when and not where.

Today I noticed the long line of new street lamps. Between the tall, brushed-aluminum poles catching the light and the shear number of the new addition to the country lane way, the clue to the arrival of a new subdivision was hard to miss.

Just the other day I had wondered about the cost of lighting a city. What does a city spend on street lights alone? How long do these monsters last?

I imagine operating them is less today than in the past. Those small lamps extending over the roadway are awfully shallow. I'll bet they are LEDs.

Tuesday, June 9, 2020

Social Distancing Allows Bubbles


Visiting the grandparents has strange limits today thanks to the coronavirus. No hugging. No kisses. Social distancing is the rule and it must be followed. Oh well, grandma figured out that bubbles are a covid-19 friendly activity.



Sunday, June 7, 2020

Fires during riots destroy more than structures

This is the area of Philadelphia in the Inquirer article. It's old elegance can still be seen in the decaying structures.





















Stan Wischnowski, a 20-year veteran of the Philadelphia Inquirer and the newspaper's top editor, has sepped down days after the publication of an article that led to a walkout by dozens of Inquirer journalists. Wischnowski was responsible for the tone-deaf headline that said "Buildings Matter."

As someone who worked at newspapers almost all my life, I can understand how this happened. Editors like to play with words when composing headlines. All too often editors are too cute by half and leave the journalists who wrote the story under the headline fuming. Appearing to equate the deaths of black men and women at the hands of police officers with the destruction of some building was totally wrong. The newspaper's apology was necessary.

But, read the article and the reporter, Inga Saffron, makes some valid points. She tells readers, there was a frenzy of destruction and by evening . . .

"hardly any building on Walnut and Chestnut Streets was left unscathed, and two mid-19th century structures just east of Rittenhouse Square were gutted by fire. Their chances of survival are slim, which means there could soon be a gaping hole in the heart of Philadelphia, in one of its most iconic and historic neighborhoods."

She goes on to say,

" 'People over property' is great as a rhetorical slogan. But as a practical matter, the destruction of downtown buildings in Philadelphia — and in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, and a dozen other American cities — is devastating for the future of cities. We know from the civil rights uprisings of the 1960s that the damage will ultimately end up hurting the very people the protests are meant to uplift.
Just look at the black neighborhoods surrounding Ridge Avenue in Sharswood or along the western end of Cecil B. Moore Avenue. An incredible 56 years have passed since the Columbia Avenue riots swept through North Philadelphia, and yet those former shopping streets are graveyards of abandoned buildings. Residents still can’t get a supermarket to take a chance on their neighborhood."
In the '60s I was in Detroit at a black friends's 1930s apartment on Chicago Blvd. when the rioting threatened to engulf the area. I was accompanied by my friends to my car and told to leave Detroit. Take Woodward, drive to the tunnel and return to Canada immediately. I did.

After the riot I was saddened to find that the half century plus ice cream parlour I used to take neighbourhood kids to was gone. Burned. In the suburbs white folk lined up to have an ice cream sundae at Farrell's. It was a tacky, ersatz copy of an old ice cream parlour. In the inner city, they had the real McCoy. It was wonderful. I hope those kids, now in their 60s, can still recall sitting at the counter enjoying a single scoop ice cream cone with a silly, white photographer fellow. I have the memories, and I also have one of the sidelights from the front of the store, I found it in the rubble.

The store, in any form, was never rebuilt. The kids disappeared as well. After the riots there were no kids and no ice cream. The neighbourhood was destroyed.

What was wrong? Why was it demolished?
















What was wrong? Why was this train station, built in the late '30s in the art deco style, demolished only a few decades later? Why? For the same reasons the station that replaced it is now no longer standing either.

To many of us have a disposable attitude toward or built heritage. Buildings are discarded and for the flimsiest of reasons. Demolishing a building is seen as "no big deal." But it is a big deal. It is wasteful⁠—of materials, of money. It is unimaginative.

Tearing down the old is seen by some as the price of progress. All too often it isn't. It may simply prove to be a way of marking time. A perfectly usable railway station disappears and an equally usable one replaces it. At worse, an irreplaceable building is lost and replaced with a truly disposable structure. And that is what happened in this case.

Today, less that a century after the art deco station was built, the city has a third station which does not appear to offer anymore than the station from the '30s. Which leaves one to wonder: What did the '30s station replace?

Possibly the money wasted building train stations could have been put to better use, and sweetened the pot for funding the design and quality of construction of other civic structures. Just a thought.

Saturday, June 6, 2020

The waiting areas in the '30s London railway station





























Some of London's finest built heritage has disappeared over the passing years.


On Sept 1st, 1936 London opened a new Art Deco train station with a formal opening by Sir Percy Vincent, Lord Mayor of London England. The station lasted less than 30 years before being demolished in 1963.
 
Located below the railway tracks, the concourse was entered down a ramp from the main floor lobby just inside the station entrance. The concourse was 117 ft. long by 36 ft. wide and sat under 3 platforms. At the far south end of the concourse was the entrance to the L&PS (London and Port Stanley) subway tunnel - 100 ft long by 9 ft wide.
 
 

Friday, June 5, 2020

Brilliant thinking increases productivity


It's hard to see but this is a bit of truly brilliant thinking. It only took one man to deliver a new gas water heater to our home. The steel dolly used to move the heater had a small motor and a sliding bottom platform that descended down a central track at the push of button. No need to bump the dolly down the stairs.

The platform, driven by the small motor, can be extended five feet to where it is stabilized on a lower step. Then the movement is reversed and the extended dolly collapsed. At this point the dolly is again slanted back and the platform descends again taking the heater to a new and much lower step. The operation as repeated until the water heater reaches the basement floor.

The old heater is removed the same way. No wear and tear on the home. No tearing of the carpeting. Very little strain on the installer. Brilliant.

When we think of urban life, we don't always consider the support staff. Folk like this hot water tank installer are important and if they are very productive all the better. This dolly clearly makes this man a far more productive worker. Unfortunately, it also puts one person out of a job. The last heater installation required two delivery folk.

Thursday, June 4, 2020

Back to the river is sunk





















The project at the Forks of theThames was known as Back-To-The-River. Supposedly Londoners has forgotten the river that runs through the city from east to west with a very large branch forking off in the core to head north.

Is this true? Have Londoners forgotten the river? I can't speak for others but I've always been very aware of the Thames River and the larger North Thames River. I live where I do because of the river. I didn't want to live on flood plain and that is one reason I live near the local ski hill.

I lived for years in a neighbourhood near the Forks of the Thames and each spring I lived with the fear of a flood. Before Fanshawe Dam and Pittock Dam floods were not common but they did happen and homes were lost and people died.

Note the depth of the water in the illustration of the curving walkway proposed for the Forks of the Thames. The height is a lie. A dam on the river in the southeast of the city washed out a few years ago. That dam held back the river creating a reservoir that extended all the way upstream to the core of the city. Without the dam, the water is lower, cleaner and one might say healthier.

Now, with the cost of covid-19 looming, the cost of the Back-To-The-River walkways seems out of the question. The folk behind the effort have withdrawn their funding and the project has been canceled. Many folk will not be sorry. A natural, free-running river with fish and osprey and even a few bald eagles is more to their liking.

Forget the river? I don't think so. But it may not take long for many Londoners to forget the winding walkway.

Tuesday, June 2, 2020

We share our cities























We think we are important when it comes to the scheme of things -- and we are. We are far more influencial when it comes to what happens on our planet than our numbers appear to warrant. For instance, insects make up the bulk of the world’s animal species, some 70% in fact.

Many of us don't give the other species on our planet enough credit. We need them. The linked article may overstate the problem. It is hard to extrapolate the way the author does. Yet . . .

It may feel more natural to fret about wolves, sea turtles, and white rhinos dying off than it is to feel remorse about vanishing bugs.

But the loss of insects is a dire threat — one that could trigger a "catastrophic collapse of Earth's ecosystems," according to a February 2019 study.

Source: Last year, 40% of honey-bee colonies in the US died. But bees aren't the only insects disappearing in unprecedented numbers. -- Business Insider.

Monday, June 1, 2020

The first of the month. Is this share a park day?






















London's parks are peaceful but across the States parks are in shambles after days of protest and rioting. Canada is not free of the taint of racism. There but for the grace of god as my dear departed mother would have said.

The unfolding story in the U.S. is a wake-up call for Canadians. We have racist issues and these issues have resulted in violence, very localized, but violence in the past nevertheless. These matters must be addressed, dealt with and dealt with successfully.

One thing that I have not seen discussed is that half way through this century whites will be the minority, at least in the States for sure. If we have not solved the race issue, we, or our children and grandchildren, may suffer the same fate we have inflicted on others for centuries. This game could flip.