November 6, 2014 - On the Edge
Today I went for a drive around the edge of the St. John's CMA to photograph its various borders, the edges of the urban area. Some are in commonly-photographed areas, others are areas I've never photographed before. I've included a map with the photos from each location.
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Goulds is the southernmost neighbourhood of St. John's proper - a mix of few surviving farms and subdivisions that range in age from about 25 years old to brand new. And, of course, you can even see Signal Hill from here.
Then I went to Cape Spear, billed as the most easterly point in North America. It, too, offers spectacular views of Signal Hill. The entrance to St. John's Harbour, the Narrows, is far too small to see much of the city from this angle.
Then it's off to Shea Heights, formerly a slum that has slowly become a proper residential neighbourhood since the early 1950s. It still has a horrible reputation overall, although these days it's largely undeserved. Still, though, no shortage of wrecked cars and building scraps in people's yards. However, the views of the city from this neighbourhood are spectacular.
Torbay is the northernmost community of any significant size within the St. John's CMA, though its borders actually include the entirety of the Northeast Avalon Peninsula. It's a 450-year-old village surrounded by new subdivisions.
Next up is Portugal Cove-St. Phillip's, including the view across to the suburban town of Wabana on Bell Island. Although these communities are old, they are probably among the most dependent on St. John's for everything. Almost everyone who lives in this area works in the city.
And then it was back to the Outer Ring Road, which is the main highway surrounding St. John's and its suburban municipalities. It's at the crest of a rolling hill and so offers wonderful views across the cities of St. John's and Mount Pearl and, even when you can't see much, suburban sprawl is never far.
Then it's Paradise. This town's name is a bit of a lie. It's one of the fastest-growing municipalities in Canada and has grown from fewer than 3,000 to more than 17,000 in just a couple of decades. It is the absolute worst of suburbia - no urban planning whatsoever, just a subdivision cash grab.
And, finally, Conception Bay South. Now officially the second-largest community in the province, eclipsing Mount Pearl by several hundred residents (both are approximately 25,000). Conception Bay South is an amalgamation of a half dozen or more former towns and extends from Topsail to Holyrood.
