Canadian skylines of the past - Page 46

Barnes · #**901** Posted **May 7, 2014, 5:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

The once beautiful Cecil Hotel. Now plagued by a history of untold numbers of murders, attempted murders, —, and seediness. It's been closed since 2009, once the city bought the land and had it closed down. In 2008, the police received 1700 calls to the hotel because of stabbings or unprovoked attacks, fights, etc. It is to be redeveloped as part of the East Village. I really hope they restore it to its former beauty.

This is unfortunately what it looks like today...

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/10/26/...er-of-a-time-of-evil-death-and-darkness/

Cecil Hotels were a chain spread across western Canada. They were cheap hotels built in less desirable neighbourhoods to house travellers and labourers but it was still nicer then the King Eddy (IMO). It's probably always had somewhat of a seedy history. I read an article awhile back about its history as a lesbian bar during the '60s and the brawls that happened even then. The owner was quoted as saying the women were worse then the men and there was a back room labeled Ladies and Escorts.

There was a fire in 1982 that ruined the interior and I think the entire third floor was rebuilt. While it's an interesting building, I doubt there's much to save inside.

Now that the blue paint is peeling, it looks like it was the only thing holding some of the brickwork together but you are able to see a little more about what it could look like. It's going to take a lot of work. Cecil, York, St. Louis, St. Regis, King Eddy… probably can't save them all.

Also, it was also completely flooded last year during the flood and never cleaned up.

Dr Awesomesauce · #**902** Posted **May 8, 2014, 1:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

And three of St-Pierre, France - on an island just off Newfoundland's south coast.

Palais de Justice, 1903:

Cafe du Midi, 1900:

Square Joffre, Place du Lieutenant Colonel Pigeaud, 1894:

Gorgeous. Not really a skyline shot, nor is it Canada but a nice contribution just the same.

When is NL going to annex SPeM anyway? ;-) They're begging for it.

SignalHillHiker · #**903** Posted **May 8, 2014, 12:26 PM**

Can you imagine? We'd probably lose the war and end up handing over half of Newfoundland back to France.

\

MolsonExport · #**904** Posted **May 8, 2014, 1:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barnes

Cecil Hotels were a chain spread across western Canada. They were cheap hotels built in less desirable neighbourhoods to house travellers and labourers but it was still nicer then the King Eddy (IMO). It's probably always had somewhat of a seedy history. I read an article awhile back about its history as a lesbian bar during the '60s and the brawls that happened even then. The owner was quoted as saying the women were worse then the men and there was a back room labeled Ladies and Escorts.

There was a fire in 1982 that ruined the interior and I think the entire third floor was rebuilt. While it's an interesting building, I doubt there's much to save inside.

Now that the blue paint is peeling, it looks like it was the only thing holding some of the brickwork together but you are able to see a little more about what it could look like. It's going to take a lot of work. Cecil, York, St. Louis, St. Regis, King Eddy… probably can't save them all.

Also, it was also completely flooded last year during the flood and never cleaned up.

Any relation to the famous, erstwhile Cecil Hotel in Vancouver? It had a girly bar in the basement, which featured a rotating schedule Penthouse Pets.

kool maudit · #**905** Posted **May 8, 2014, 4:34 PM**

those two buildings are almost certainly related. they have the exact same feel, the exact same smoking-player's-lights-at-6:30-in-the-morning-with-a-woman-named-lorraine élan.

Barnes · #**906** Posted **May 8, 2014, 5:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Any relation to the famous, erstwhile Cecil Hotel in Vancouver? It had a girly bar in the basement, which featured a rotating schedule Penthouse Pets.

It's possible. Not much history out there on the chain of hotels. They are all pretty infamous though.

Hardisty, AB (Probably some of my family in this one somewhere

)

Edmonton

Lac La Biche

Moose Jaw 4th from the left.

Medicine Hat

But back on topic... Calgary 1911

This would be the area north of the river now looking at probably Edmonton Trail.

SignalHillHiker · #**907** Posted **May 8, 2014, 6:33 PM**

The beauty of St. John's before the Great Fire of 1892. Following the fire, the capital was rebuilt according to the latest design trends of the time - principally the Mansard roof - and never regained its famous blue hue.

And one following the construction of the Confederation Building in the 1950s. That's Rennie's River - I walk the trail there quite often.

Pavlov · #**908** Posted **May 8, 2014, 8:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

The beauty of St. John's before the Great Fire of 1892. Following the fire, the capital was rebuilt according to the latest design trends of the time - principally the Mansard roof - and never regained its famous blue hue.

Best part of that view: no Rooms.

SignalHillHiker · #**909** Posted **May 8, 2014, 9:26 PM**

It really is our Meg.

franktko · #**910** Posted **May 8, 2014, 9:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

Can you imagine? We'd probably lose the war and end up handing over half of Newfoundland back to France.

\

Hilarious!!

and true! Don't — with France - they'll react like the British in Argentina

Dr Awesomesauce · #**911** Posted **May 11, 2014, 7:53 AM**

^Does that print not say St John or do my eyes deceive me?

Chadillaccc · #**912** Posted **May 21, 2014, 7:31 PM**

Unknown date, but certainly a lovely photo...

1943 - this photo may have been posted before, but not in this detail...

1988 - the year of the Olympics

Unknown date

Unknown date - before the addition to the Fairmont Palliser (3 storeys)

All photos from: http://news.buzzbuzzhome.com/2014/01/historic-calgary-skyline.html

Coldrsx · #**913** Posted **May 21, 2014, 10:29 PM**

Love the streetcar shot!

SignalHillHiker · #**914** Posted **May 21, 2014, 10:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr Awesomesauce

^Does that print not say St John or do my eyes deceive me?

Yes, it does. My assumption is it was made by a foreign company - probably American.

Also, it was quite common to refer to the city as "St. John's Harbour" back in the day, in the same way it's still very common for people to say "I'm from Placentia Bay" or "I'm from Notre Dame Bay" as opposed to the specific name of their community.

This is starting to fade in some other areas because they're connected by highways now instead of ferries. The communities in any given bay aren't necessarily linked by shared experience anymore.

Take this example. Harbour Breton and Grand Bank used to be almost as neighbourly as Halifax and Dartmouth. Ferries back and forth all the time, lots of inter-marriage, moving between the two was common, etc.

Back then, people in both would say they're from Fortune Bay.

Today, there are no ferries between the two and it's a 9 hour drive. There's no connection. There's an occasional ferry out of Grand Le Pierre sometimes, I think, but that's just as inconvenient. People my age in one don't even know the other exists.

As far as I know, they'd be unlikely to still say they're from Fortune Bay. There's no shared Fortune Bay identity anymore.

It's only natural that foreigners might assume the city was therefore St. John.