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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.”

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.