The Halifax Regional "WTF?" thread
 

I am starting this thread as a venue to bring attention to odd architectural, civic, or design-related blunders that are never really acknowledged despite seeming glaringly obvious. I don't really know how else to explain it so I'll just post my first few WTFs:

Missing statues and windows, part 1

One of our most important civic landmarks. A very important symbol of democracy in North America. Apparently one of the best Palladian-style buildings on the continent. So why does it seem perpetually incomplete? More specifically, does anyone know if there were ever statues in those alcoves, and why they were removed? Or if not, why the alcoves were built into the building like that in the first place? And what's up with those bricked-over windows? Seems like a huge waste of sandstone to me.

Click to view

Missing statues and windows, part 2

Ok, so no statues this time. But the two "what used to be windows" in the Aliant building make it look a lot worse than it would if all of the windows were, well, windows. Also, does anyone know how they decide which random 5 nights of the year to project ads onto the blank wall facing Blowers? It sure looks cool when they do, but they sure don't do it very often for some reason.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...n/6c7a1113.jpg
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http://blog.cossetteeast.com/wp-cont...nter_fixed.jpg
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Welcome to Historic Properties

Not much to say here, except has anyone noticed the very poor condition of the sign and its lighting fixtures? I'm assuming this is maybe a victim of Hurricane Juan that just never got fixed. In any case, it's in much worse shape than whenever this photo was taken.

http://c.suite101.com/files/styles/a.../000124901.jpg
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Street view of the site in a more current state

York Redoubt

A National Historic Site, and a fort on a similar scale (and of similar strategic importance) to the Citadel. While the Citadel is obviously kept in very, very good condition, York Redoubt was essentially left to ruin. In many ways, this was an interesting approach, as the alternative would have been essentially a second Citadel Hill National Historic Site located in a less convenient place for almost anyone who wanted to visit it. Leaving it to ruin allowed the landscape to change over time, and it has the LOOK of a fort that was abandoned generations ago. People go there for hikes or to pick blueberries or to watch yachts race in the harbour, not to see the noon gun being fired or be given history lessons by an undergrad in a kilt.

However, it is still a historic fort and being able to go and check out all the old defence instalments is part of the fun. There are many technologies that were installed at York Redoubt that either weren't installed at the Citadel or aren't there now. My point here, I guess, is that after a certain point, at least some maintenance is required. I'll let the pictures do the talking:

http://lubke.net/files/gimgs/36_p1020361-copy.jpg
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http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3287/4...6cac922e_z.jpg
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Click to view

I guess a little bit of context is necessary for that last one. You know the Martello Tower in Point Pleasant Park, which is considered a civic landmark and has all kinds of things named after it? Little known fact: Halifax has two martello towers... that was the other one in its current state. I'm not asking for a restoration to mint condition, but why did they patch it up with concrete and plywood??

For sake of comparison, here is the better-known one:

http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/p...m/19859849.jpg
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Back to YR. A couple of years ago, a chain-link fence was put up around a large area with some unique watchtowers and bunkers, because they are in such bad repair that they're a legitimate safety liability. The fact that this area is essentially condemned is what I mean when I say that this park needs at least minimal upkeep. You can't really go in there at all now, and if you manage to get past the fence, you risk being crushed to death by falling concrete, for which the Government of Canada would assume no responsibility. There's a huge sign (like, 4'x5' or so) attached to the fence explaining this in great detail. The sign is not visible in this photo, but the fence is:

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...fYLBdwcnO50twQ
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The condition or YR is a joke honestly.

It could be a beautiful spot with amazing harbour views (well, it has the views, just not beautiful in its current state).

Now its just a hangout for drunks and junkies. And they are not discrete about it either. A few times last summer I wished I hadn't taken the kids due to the drunks in one of the buildings by the main path/road that goes across the front of the fort near the water. They were cursing and urinating outside the building in broad daylight.

It could be another PPP.

I certainly dont want the area closed or sold to developers, but its a waste in its current condition.

Interesting thread! :)

Don't have much to contribute, other than to say according to this photo from the NS archives site, the empty alcoves and blocked up windows go back at least to 1890:
http://gov.ns.ca/nsarm/virtual/Notma...ves.asp?ID=102

http://i47.tinypic.com/a3ldp3.jpg

http://i48.tinypic.com/b64ikp.jpg

The Historic Properties sign? Yeah, something should be done about that. Heck, the Morse's Tea sign was whitewashed over quick enough. (I know... different entities, but :koko:)

YR, definitely something should be done before it becomes a missed opportunity. That said, with all the budget cuts from the feds for National Parks, I won't hold my breath... :rolleyes:

interesting thread
there never were statues in the 'window' openings, and they were no doubt bricked over when it was built due to the chimneys behind
http://www.blupete.com/Hist/NovaScot...vinceHouse.htm
the windows are there for symmetry, similar to the 'black' window on this Halifax house
http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-...u.aspx?id=5326

Is it possible the two "what used to be windows" in the Aliant building are where air is exchanged?

Thanks for using one of my York Redoubt photos! :haha:

I agree about the state that it's in. If maintained it would be a great spot.

Halifax has centuries of history and as a result there are many historic properties in the area that need to be maintained. I think funding for these projects is pretty much nil resulting in the appearance that you see. Government cutbacks are hitting areas like national parks and historic properties hard so there simply is no money to get the much needed work completed. Public outreach and fundraising can only go so far and could not cover all the costs needed. Just my 2c.

I have a hunch that the alcoves at Province House were always empty - the building was designed that way and the empty alcoves are there to "balance" proportions esthetically. They probably also have a philosophical root in a) suggesting that the common citizen (nameless and faceless) is worthy of celebration, and b) suggesting that in the "future" our heroes have places reserved for them. I seem to remember vacant niches in the legislature building in Manitoba (also Palladian, if I'm correct). I think they're common for public buildings of this type and style.

As for the filled-in windows, I suspect that they have always been like that as well. Probably for reasons of proportion.

I think that, in general, Palladian buildings had their lower levels finished in rough dressed stone, and they were supposed to look like mere supports for the important upper floors... I think in the traditional Palladian villas this had more to do with servant and served spaces and the idea of the Piano Nobile, lifted above the ground plane, providing desirable views to the distance.

I bet the Aliant "missing windows" are ventilation louvers. Their locations would be decided based on the mechanical design of the building.

Here's on of my favourite WTF locations:

http://goo.gl/maps/T3d8A

This intersection must have been built way before the thought of motorized vehicles ever occurred to anyone.

WTF are you supposed to do when coming along Windsor to turn left either onto Cunard or Chebucto when there is somebody else wanting to turn left coming the other direction? :haha:

Edit: fixed up the link a little...

We have discussed this intersection before in one of the traffic threads. It's amazing there isn't more accidents here. Left turns are fine as long as everyone realizes that they have to pull out about 5 car lengths more than a usual left turn. This is a fun intersection during a yellow light though at peak times.

The problem is when you are approaching in the left turn lane you are in the direct path of the other car approaching in the left turn lane from the other direction, that is if you are leaving room for cars going straight to pass you on the right...

sorry for the duplicate item, by the way. Mods, feel free to delete my post or place it in the appropriate forum. :tup:

The city could have alleviated this intersection somewhat if they had a mind to. The lot containing the Needs store used to be a gas station. The parking lot area should have been expropriated after the gas station shut down. That would have at least allowed some of the misalignment to be eradicated. But the real problem cannot be fixed unless the church and Olympic Gardens go away, which is unlikely.

It would be interesting to know the history of how this came to be.

In its current state, some type of alignment would definitely help.

I can't help but wonder if a simple rethinking of the traffic signals (like alternating flashing green arrows for left turns) could alleviate the issue, but it would likely have an effect on traffic flow rate during peak times- a job for someone with more expertise than myself (which would be any expertise as I have none :P) to figure out.

I honestly do a "WTF" every time I go through that intersection (which makes it appropriate for this thread, I guess :koko:) and I too would like to know the history of how it came about. Likely had something to do with property lines of existing lands or something like that.

:cheers:

This is probably the case, but I'm sure they had an air exchange system back when those were still actual windows.

My guess would be, indeed they were windows back then, and they probably did have an air exchange system in place... but then they added the additional 7 floors to the building and they probably had to have a middle floor to use as some mechanical for the lower part of the building and they toss all the new stuff up on the roof for the new section.

They seem to be much more recent than that:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...arking_Lot.JPG
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The Windsor/Chebucto/Cunard intersection is weird, but I think Cogswell and North Park etc. is much worse. I'd been driving for several years before I was confident that I knew how to get from North Park to Rainnie correctly, and didn't realize that you can access Summer Street directly via Trolloppe Street at this intersection until even more recently.

What is and isn't ok on and around Citadel Hill

This is more of a conceptual WTF, but does anyone else find it odd that so much time and money and effort and news time goes towards aesthetic concerns relating to Citadel Hill, yet no one seems to have a problem with, well, what it's used for at night?

I'm not necessarily saying that people should stop having anonymous sex on Citadel Hill (I think it contributes to a fun local sense of irony), I'm just fascinated that potentially being able to see rooftops from inside the Citadel is considered that much bigger an issue than actually being able to see people having sex on it pretty often. Again, fun local irony, I guess.

That's the opposite side of the building (photographed from Metropark.)

I'm used to the Commons intersections but they are confusing for people new to the area. Twice I've seen someone go up Cunard on the wrong side of the median, and once on Cogswell. Usually there's no other traffic around so it was more funny than scary. If there was traffic it's doubtful they'd make those mistakes.

Twice I've seen someone go up Cunard on the wrong side of the median

Halifax isn't the only city with the problem of cars going the wrong way. The 4th and 5th Street subways in Calgary are notorious for drivers thinking they are two-way streets when they are not.

5th Street Subway