Doors Open Toronto 2014

I hit Doors Open Toronto again this year. I try to go every year if I can. This year I could only go on Saturday because I had the boarding home visit on Sunday afternoon. Though I did manage to sneak in one place after church on Sunday before I went to volunteer.

I chose places I hadn't been to in previous years. Many of the buildings/places have been open to the public to visit for many years already. It's getting hard to find news ones.

The first place I went to was the Toronto Necropolis (which is just a cemetery). Run by the Mount Pleasant Group of Cemeteries it's located east off Parliament, north of Carlton right beside the Riverdale Zoo/Farm.

I thought I'd visit it because the picture of the chapel there on the Doors Open website looked nice. All cemeteries are generally nice. They have lovely landscaping and are peaceful and quiet. This one was no different. As far as cemeteries go this one was pretty small. It only had one road that looped through it.

A number of notable Canadians are buried here such as George Brown (founding publisher of The Globe and Father of Confederation); Ned Hanlan (World Champion Oarsman); William Lyon Mackenzie (first Mayor of Toronto); and Jack Layton (whose real name was John Gilbert Layton, leader of the Federal NDP).

Next I went to the Russell Carhouse on Queen Street by Greenwood. It's where the TTC stores its streetcars. I went here mostly because it was on my way to another building I wanted to visit.

They had some historical streetcars there on display. You could even take a free ride around the building in one of them. They also had the new extra-long street cars on display there. I didn't take the time to go on any of them. I was just there to take pictures.

After that I went further east on Queen Street all the way out to Victoria Park. The R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant was there. It's a really neat looking Art Deco building. I took a number of pictures here.

My last stop on Saturday was the Munk School of Global Affairs on Bloor, west of the Royal Ontario Museum. Originally constructed in 1909 the building served as a meteorological observation centre and home to the Dominion Meteorological Service. I've always admired this building whenever I walked by it. I was happy they opened it up.

On Sunday I rushed over to the Arcadian after church. I only had about an hour or so before I had to leave for my boarding home visit. The Arcadian is an event centre located on the 8th floor of the Hudson's Bay building on the southeast corner of Queen and Bay.

It was originally opened in 1929, and, in 2011-2012, the 8,086 sq. ft. historical and cultural gem was restored to its original Art deco glory.

Interestingly enough I bumped into my floormate/former classmate, Anne-Marie, there. She was checking the place out with her friend. We live two doors down from each other in the same condo. As well, we were classmates in the graphic design program at George Brown College.

Doors Open Toronto - 2013

Spadina Museum.

I went to Doors Open Toronto this past weekend. After helping my sister and mother set up their garage sale in the morning I headed downtown.

My first stop was the Elephant & Castle bar on Yonge and Gerrard. I arrived there at around 11:00 a.m. Built in 1929 it used to be The Dominion Bank in a former life. John Lyle, the architect, also designed Union Station.

My next stop was the Mattamy Athletic Centre. It occupies the top few floors at the repurposed Maple Leaf Gardens. The athletic centre is used by the students of Ryerson University. Also calling the former Gardens home is Loblaws grocery store which uses the lower levels of the building.

Now I had intended in going to four places in total. The Elephant & Castle, the Mattamy Athletic Centre (at Maple Leaf Gardens), MaRS Discovery District and the Spadina Museum. But, after finishing The Elephant & Castle and Mattamy Athletic Centre so early (by 12:30) I thought I'd tack on some more buildings. So I decided to head down to the Distillery District. That was a bad idea.

I visited the Stone Distillery in the Distillery District. It was so-so. Unfortunately most of the old buildings there have already been repurposed. Not much of the original equipment and other things remain. So that was pretty disappointing.

To make matters worse, the trek down there took longer than I anticipated. I pretty much ran out of time to see anything else after because I had planned on meeting one of my friends to go to a barbeque later in the day. So that ended up being my last stop of the day.

Luckily for me I was able to visit the Spadina Museum just before closing on Sunday after my boarding homes visit. It's a nice building. It was built by Toronto financier James Austin and his wife, Susan, in 1866. It's located on Spadina Road right by Casa Loma.

2012 Doors Open Toronto Part II

Thomas Fisher Rare Book Libary (part of Robarts Libary at U of T)

After visiting One King West I headed over to the Canada Life building at 330 University Avenue (at Queen Street West). It's another building I was looking forward to seeing. I have to say I was a bit disappointed with it too.

There were only two areas open to the public - the lobby, which was lovely, and the 17th floor observation room that provides a panoramic view of downtown Toronto. At 276 feet, it was the tallest building on University Avenue when completed on March 16, 1931.

Following the Canada Life building I headed up St. George Street to the Robarts Library in the heart of University of Toronto downtown campus. The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library is located there.

The Library holds 700,000 volumes and 3000 linear metres of manuscripts and reflects the wide diversity of research conducted at the University of Toronto.

Just up the street at 111 Queens Park is the Gardiner Museum. It showcases ceramic arts from around the world. It was originally designed by Keith Wagland in 1984. In 2006 a third floor was added. I had come here before, but this was the first time photography was permitted inside. So I was pleased about that.

Finally I ended the day with the Church of the Redeemer at 162 Bloor Street West. It was another place I had visited previously, only at Nuit Blanche. It's nearby the Gardiner Museum. That's the main reason I revisited it.

Built in 1878 the exterior of Church of the Redeemer is clad in rough stone while the interior features polychrome yellow brick with a banding of orange brick in geometric patterns. The stained glass windows depict Biblical scenes.

All in all the day was fine. There were some disappointments, yes. But, I also saw some really neat architecture. And that's what I really love about Doors Open. It gives you the opportunity to see a part of Toronto you might not otherwise get to see.

2012 Doors Open Toronto Part I

John Street Roundhouse

On Saturday, May 26th I made my annual pilgrimage to see the various buildings open for Doors Open Toronto. It's something I like to do every year if I have the time. This year I had eight buildings on my list.

I started with the Princess of Wales Theatre at 300 King Street West (a few blocks west of University Avenue). It's a building I'm sure many Torontonians have gone to before. Since I'm not one to see plays or musicals I have to say, I'm not one of them. The only opportunity I get to see the insides of most theatres is during events like this.

Unfortunately, they had the same ridiculous policy as the Canadian Opera Company at the Four Season Centre for the Performing arts - you could take pictures anywhere in the facility, but the auditorium (where the performances are held).

That's pretty much the only area in the building worth shooting. So I was quite disappointed in that. When they mentioned photography was permitted, they forgot to say everywhere, but the auditorium.

Next I headed to the John Street Roundhouse at 255 Bremner Boulevard, just south of Rogers Centre. That was another big disappointment. I had gone there in previous years, but the place was a mess. I believe I heard it was restored, so I was looking forward to getting some better shots.

Well, what I forgot, this time, was that they turned most of the roundhouse into a Leons Furniture store. There was only one small section for the railway museum squeezed in between that and the Steamwhistle Brewery facilities.

After that I headed south to 60 Harbour Street to see the Toronto Harbor Commission (located west of Bay Street and just north of Lakeshore Boulevard. It's a Beaux-Arts style building, built in 1917. It's been the headquarters of the Toronto Harbour Commission (now Toronto Port Authority) since 1918.

It's a really neat building. The lobby is small, but elegant looking. And the boardroom on the second floor looks wonderful finished in rich, warm wood. But, they ruined the front of it by putting up an awning for the restaurant occupying the main floor and basement. It definitely looks out of place.

My next destination was One King West Hotel & Residence (which is located appropriately enough at 1 King Street West). Before I made it there I decided I'd go into the Hotel Victoria located at 56 Yonge Street, right next door. It was built in 1909, and constructed as Toronto's first fireproof building after the Great Fire of 1904.

I had gone into the Hotel Victoria before and it was pretty much the same this time. You could access the lobby and room 302. Though I think I got some better shots of the lobby.

Built in 1914 the Dominion Bank called 1 King West it's home. In 2006 redevelopment was completed and a modern hotel and condo complex was added atop the original 12-storey structure.

While some areas of the former bank have been repurposed the original 40-ton steel door to the bank vault still remains. The Grand Banking Hall has been turned into a dining hall as well.

To be continuted...

2011 Doors Open Toronto Pt. II

Since St. James Cathedral was less than five minutes away from the King Eddie. I made an unscheduled stop there. It may seem odd, but it was the first time I've ever gone in to take pictures there.

(From the 2011 Doors Open Toronto site) Built of local brick and Ohio limestone in the Gothic Revival style. this is the fourth church to be built on the site. The former Cathedral was destroyed in the fire that destroyed much of the Old Town in 1849, and Cumberland's design was the winning entry an international competition. It features the highest church tower in Canada, higher than the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa, and houses the only peal of 12 bells in the country. There are only two towers higher in England - those of Norwich and Salisbury Cathedrals. Wooden features within the Cathedral are the work of Jacques and Hay furniture manufacturers in Toronto in the mid 19th Century who worked in close cooperation with the architect. While the stained glass windows are largely English, there are also those of German, American and Canadian manufacture. The most recent of these by Stuart Reid of Toronto was unveiled by The Queen in 1997 to mark our 200th anniversary. This church dates back to the founding of the city and was also the site of this city's first hospital. The rectory is the site of the first publicly funded school, now Jarvis Collegiate.

Time was getting short now. It was 3:45 p.m. and I had a few places I still wanted to see. I quickly went to the Metropolitan United Church on 56 Queen Street East (beside St. Michael's Hospital).

(From the 2011 Doors Open Toronto site) Metropolitan United Church began in 1818 in what is now the commercial heart of Toronto. The first building was a small Methodist chapel located on nearby King Street. The population of the city and membership in the church grew, so in 1831 it moved into the Newgate Methodist Episcopal Church, to accommodate 1,000 people.In 1868 the Methodist Church constructed Metropolitan Wesleyan Methodist Church, which was dedicated in 1872. The building seated 2,300 and was described as Canada's "cathedral of Methodism." The United Church of Canada was formed in 1925 by the union of Methodist and Congregational and two-thirds of the Presbyterian churches in Canada. Metropolitan Wesleyan Methodist became Metropolitan United and was chosen as the site of the first General Council of the United Church. In 1928 when fire destroyed the church building the congregation commissioned a redesigned structure. The largest organ in Canada, built by Casavant Freres in Quebec, was installed and first played in 1930. The organ has 8,233 pipes.

Next was the Toronto Hydro Corporation at 14 Carlton Street East (just east of Yonge). It was pretty disappointing. It's a beautiful looking building, but they only opened the lobby to visitors. On the bright side it gave me time to try and see Canada's National Ballet School.

(From the 2011 Doors Open Toronto site) Toronto Hydro’s Head Office Building at 14 Carlton Street was constructed from 1931 - 1933 by A.W. Robertson Company with designs by architects Chapman and Oxley with associate Albert E. Salisbury. At the time, its neighbours were Maple Leaf Gardens and Eaton’s College Park. The building features an Art Deco style and displays a linear composition, with gargoyles peering down at pedestrians walking by. The structure consists of steel and concrete and is faced with Queenston limestone and trimmed with marble copper. In 1991, the building was designated as a historic site.

As stated before my last stop was Canada's National Ballet School at 400 Jarvis Street (just north of Carlton Street). It almost never happened. I got there at a little after 4:30 p.m. I didn't realize the last time of admittance was at 4:30. I thought it might have been 5:00 p.m. But, that's actually when they're supposed to close to visitors probably. There were a few people standing in line to go in. The security guards said they were sorry, but they wouldn't let any more people in. Luckily one of the volunteers giving the tours came by and let us in. This is another site I was interested in seeing. But, in previous years cameras weren't allowed in. This year they changed their tune. I was really happy about that.

(From the 2011 Doors Open Toronto site) Canada's National Ballet School graces Jarvis Street with a landmark, glass-fronted suite of studios. Formerly the CBC radio headquarters, NBS' campus now mixes historical & contemporary architecture in a multi-award winning campus. Visitors will tour the Celia Franca Centre - the contemporary building - and see how the historical and modern buildings are respectfully amalgamated.

2011 Doors Open Toronto Pt. I

I went to Door Open Toronto again this past Saturday. I enjoy going. There are a lot of neat buildings here to take photos of. I wish I had a bit more time, but, unfortunately, I could only go one out of the two days it was on.

It took me a little while to plan my route. I took the subway to Union Station and started there. From there I went across the street to the Fairmount Royal York. It wasn't actually one of the Doors Open sites, but it was nearby, so I dropped by anyway.

The next stop, 401 Wellington Street West, Stantec Architecture (which was formerly the McGregor Socks Factory) was my first official Doors Open stop. This was one place I've been interested in seeing in previous years, but never got around to it.

(From the 2011 Doors Open Toronto site) Formerly the McGregor Sock Factory, the Stantec Toronto Studio is located in the historic Garment District at the corner of Spadina Avenue and Wellington Street West. Originally constructed in 1905, the timber post and beam building offers the perfect opportunity to reclaim, transform and recycle a piece of the city’s industrial heritage.

Stantec's architects and engineers designed a flexible, high-quality workspace that fosters collaboration, innovation, sustainable design excellence and our commitment to city building. The retrofit gives back to the city; economically, environmentally and culturally. With that in mind, the original retail entrance is reconceived as a public contemporary art gallery, in support of public art in the city.

The LEED®-CI Gold environmental agenda was achieved through a variety of methods including: indirect and low wattage task lighting, daylight and occupancy sensors, low flow showers, solar powered faucets, dual flush toilets, efficient underfloor air distribution and a number of green materials including the use of reclaimed 400-year old pine from Toronto’s Queen’s Wharf to create a feature screen.

Next stop on my route was Hotel Victoria on 56 Yonge Street (at Wellington).

(From the 2011 Doors Open Toronto site) The Hotel Victoria constructed in 1909 during the Edwardian period began its illustrious life as the Hotel Mossop. It was the first completely fireproof building ever in Toronto erected after the great fire of 1904 that levelled most of the surrounding landmarks.

The hotel's charm and intimate embellishments make it a welcome respite for the weary traveler; having gone through a complete renovation. The hotel has maintained its delineation as a heritage property but, with an enhanced contemporary look. The new sleek and elegant lobby and warm updated rooms feature a mix of classic and designed furnishings.

I went to the nearby King Edward Hotel at 37 King Street East (just east of Yonge) after. I should have read the description in the paper before I went. The website surely didn't shed any light on what they offered for people to view. It was just the 17th floor of the hotel which is currently under renovation. It's the former grand ballroom I believe. I didn't think it was that interesting. Certainly not worth waiting in line for (which I did).

(From the 2011 Doors Open Toronto site) Built in the French Renaissance style in 1903, Le Méridien King Edward is the first luxury hotel in Toronto and has played host to past kings and modern royalty. Step through the door and you will be returned to old world traditions and comforts with the lobby’s large marble columns, bright skylight and warm artful décor.

My Toronto - Flatiron Building

The Gooderham/Flatiron Building down at Front and Church Streets. Comissioned by George Gooderham, owner of Gooderham & Worts Distillery, construction was started in 1891. It was completed in 1892, ten years before the more famous "Flatiron Building" in New York City was finished. It cost $18,000, a huge amount of money at that time.

I took this shot back in May of 2009 as part of the Doors Open Toronto. It's an annual event where many public and private buildings, both historical and newer, open their doors to the public so we may get the chance to glimpse at sights we otherwise might not get the opportunity to see. I'd highly recommend going the next time it comes around.

To see more photos click here or here.