The Great Canadian Towns and Villages Thread

[MonctonRad]

The oldest surviving basketball court in the world is located in St. Stephen NB. It is going to be preserved and venerated. This is the proposal:



The court dates from 1893, and was built by a fellow who played the first ever basketball game in Massachusetts with James Naismith only two years earlier.

Here is the link for the CTV news article:
https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/world-s-...seum-1.6617167

The historic spot will soon be transformed into the Canadian National Basketball Experience Museum.

The project will be undertaken by architecture and exhibit design firm CambridgeSeven out of Cambridge, MA. The company has been the leader in a number of projects, including the Canada Sports Hall of Fame in Calgary. The firm most recently completed a multi-million dollar renovation of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield MA.

This is the room, with the original hardwood floor. You can see a peach basket mounted on the wall.



This is a tremendous project for St. Stephen, and is almost next door to the Ganong Chocolate Museum (a great facility in it's own right). Ganong invented the concept of the chocolate bar. Both these museums are also almost directly across from the international bridge to Calais ME.

[Tone]

Rimouski

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

You can't "build it" when there isn't the political will. And there isn't the political will because of the general apathy of the population. Meanwhile we have to settle for a completely unsustainable and awful suburban landscape (which is were most Canadians live) dominated by stroads, F-150s, and Timmy drive thrus. Awful places (maybe not to those who are always in their vehicles).

Maybe it’s not apathy. Maybe urban planners and the impressionable young students they pontificate to in university just can’t get it through their skulls a majority of the population would rather live in a house with a yard than be stuffed into some cramped skybox where they can hear their neighbours take a dump.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Maybe it’s not apathy. Maybe urban planners and the impressionable young students they pontificate to in university just can’t get it through their skulls a majority of the population would rather live in a house with a yard than be stuffed into some cramped skybox where they can hear their neighbours take a dump.

Very coincidentally, yesterday I had a mason come to my house to look at doing some repointing work, and he mentioned how much he loved the neighbourhood and was looking at buying either a small house like mine, or getting into one of the condos going up nearby. He specifically mentioned not having to drive everywhere as a huge plus, and said that he had an opportunity to buy into the neighbourhood years ago when it was cheaper, and regretted not doing so.

Sample size of one, but this was a blue-collar, middle-aged guy, not some urbanist aesthete.

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[megadude]

Daughter went on a field trip to Halton Safety Village, which is in Oakville. First time I'm hearing of this place. It's decades old apparently. I guess it's not open to the public. Just for schools. You get to dress up as cops, firefighters, doctors and see some demonstrations, etc.

While it is a mini village, it's not as mini as Cullen Garden and Miniature Village in Whitby from back in the day. I read the city of Oshawa bought all the fixtures for 234 grand in 2007 with no plan on what to do with them. In 2011 they tried to sell it but got no takers. It was estimated that it would cost $2.5m to restore and display.


















https://vitacollections.ca/whitbynews/3222720/data


https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/the...aa81dc89c.html

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by megadude

Daughter went on a field trip to Halton Safety Village, which is in Oakville. First time I'm hearing of this place. It's decades old apparently. I guess it's not open to the public. Just for schools. You get to dress up as cops, firefighters, doctors and see some demonstrations, etc.

In Hamilton there used to be a "safety village" in the back parking lot of the Centre Mall. It wasn't as elaborate and the buildings were much smaller, but as a kid in the 1970s I used to wish my parents would take me there so I could drive through. Sadly they never did, but when I learned to drive the first car I owned, which had a manual transmission, my girlfriend at the time taught me how not far from that area! (yeah, I bought my first car without being able to test-drive it myself. A friend did, then said girlfriend drove it from the dealer, and I learned... I loved that car and it was wonderful, a 1990 Honda Prelude)

Elmer was the mascot: https://elmer.ca/elmers-story

[megadude]

They had the same Elmer logo in the pics from inside.

My dad had an '86 and '95 Prelude. First one was stick. He let me steer the first one when I was a kid. The second one I would drive occasionally and impress my friends. And my friends would be excited to get in only to be disappointed when they had to squeeze into the back and sit with their knees in their face.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by megadude

And my friends would be excited to get in only to be disappointed when they had to squeeze into the back and sit with their knees in their face.

Lol. Yes, the Preludes weren't known for their passenger space.

But I recall many great times in that section of mine...

[megadude]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

Lol. Yes, the Preludes weren't known for their passenger space.

But I recall many great times in that section of mine...

https://tenor.com/view/borat-borat-v...p-gif-25080066

[davidivivid]

Saint-André-de-Kamouraska, founded in 1791.

Pic by Mélanie Jean




https://www.facebook.com/melaniejean...926304/?type=3

[megadude]

Toronto Islands has about 250 homes. But you'd never know if you're just taking the main ferry to Centre Island. I only once took my bike and rode to go explore Ward's and Algonquin Islands. That was close to 15 years ago.

Interestingly, the only streetview done was in 2011. Maybe the residents somehow prevented Google from doing it again.

There's so much foliage that you can't really see the homes on streetview, which is why I could only find a few pics worth posting. That's good for the residents.

I met a guy who lives there and he worked at a Ford dealership in North York! Heck of a commute. Walk to terminal, take ferry to Jack Layton Terminal, walk to your car in whatever lot it's in, fight Downtown traffic and then fight the rest of the traffic to get to Weston Ford.

[MonkeyRonin]

Interestingly, the Islands used to be a lot more developed, and had an actual functioning town on Centre Island. In the 1950s though, the City began to demolish the residences & businesses for parkland and an amusement park; and by 1963 everything except for the surviving 250 cottages on Ward's Island and Algonquin Island had disappeared.












There were also cottages on other islands & now-uninhabited places like Hanlan's Point:






As well as hotels and other since-demolished buildings:

[Docere]

Just checked, the Toronto Islands had a population of 2,750 in the 1951 census.

[Metro-One]

Two things on this page made me smile: The oldest surviving basketball court and the mini town for kids.

One thing made me frown: The loss of those interesting villages and homes on the islands around Toronto.

[megadude]

Damn, I had no idea it was a proper village like that. Could have been like a Mackinac Island in Michigan? What other island communities are car-less?

It goes to show how little area residents know about the islands. I'm 99% sure no one I know would know that either, except maybe one. A coworker who lives in the city and is interested in stuff like that. About 10 years ago he said he was there and saw Steelers SB winning coach Bill Cowher chilling at a patio or bar with a woman. He's a football guy (Argos STH) to he knows for sure it was him and he nodded and Cowher nodded back.

I myself have only been to the islands maybe six times? And one was to fly Porter to Montreal. Where I've been working the past couple of years overlooks the islands. I can walk to the ferry in about 7 minutes. I really should go one day after work and bring the retractable fishing rod. If you're wearing polarized sunglasses, you can see pike, bass and carp, lakeside or in the lagoons. Sometimes bowfin, which is rare, but for some reason is most abundant around the islands only not along the shores of the city proper.

Seriously though, like nobody I know even goes to the islands. And if they do, it's pretty rare like me. Actually, a coworker from Vancouver came over a year and a half ago for the first time in 17 years (she was 11 last time). She's a serious walker. Walks to work everyday and will go on 2-3 hour walks in her spare time. I asked her what she planned on doing over the few days. She hadn't planned anything yet other than going to a Jays game with a couple other coworkers. I said you should go to the islands and walk around, for the novelty of it. She did not end up doing that. I thought it might be a cool comparison to the time she said she lived in Victoria. You know, taking the ferry and all.

I've met several coworkers or business partners from other locations and they sometimes asked me what I recommend. Not a single one took me up on the island suggestion. Islands are cool! I've been to Ile Notre Dame and Ile St Helene countless times, even when it wasn't for the Grand Prix. Been to islands in Miami and NY too. Just too hard to resist.

I've also met tonnes of people visiting the GTA for days or weeks and had no intention of a side trip to Niagara, even when they had kids with them. Anywhere I go, I look for unique experiences within reasonable distances. Everyone is different. Like my coworker from Newmarket who hosted his wife's extended family from Kentucky. It was for a long weekend and for most if not all, it was their first time in the area. They completely bypassed DT Toronto. The closest they got was seeing the CN Tower from the 401 on the way to the 404. All they did was chill in his tiki bar and pool.

[Kilgore Trout]

For me, the islands encapsulate everything that is good but also mystifying about Toronto: here's a place that is absolutely enchanting and yet it's not a must-see tourist attraction, and even a lot of locals never visit. A bit like the ravines, which are gorgeous but weirdly overlooked.

Toronto is a city with a lot of amazing qualities that are somehow ignored both by visitors and many people who actually live there.

[urbandreamer]

I spent Family Day exploring Schomberg/Lloydtown and especially the rural routes S/W of there, teaching a friend's daughter stick shift driving. This girl doesn't know anything about Ontario aside from Toronto, Vaughan and the 400 highways, and had no idea how beautiful and quiet it can be 30 minutes from Bloor Street. She was confused by rural folk walking in the middle of gravel roads, the lack of sidewalks and how Tim Hortons actually functions like a community centre. It's very hilly here, with real farmers driving tractors and beat up pick-up trucks.

[niwell]

The Islands can definitely seem forgotten at times but the business of the ferries (and water taxis) in Summer indicate they are still pretty well used. It definitely feels like more of a day trip which makes it harder for people to find time though.

One of the better hidden Island secrets is the Upper Deck Bar and Grill part of the publicly accessible marina. Feels like you are in a coastal setting complete with "boat people" and a fascinating graveyard of abandoned vessels if you want to take a walk around. Affordable prices and decent quality drinks/food compared to some of the more touristy establishments too.

[ssiguy]

megadude................I don't think Google streetview is allowed because the roads are not public and more just like wide sidewalks and the homes not freehold.

When you buy a house on the Islands you are not actually buying it but leasing it although possibly for life. It's kind of like Googling for a townhouse, the complex may be massive but as soon as you enter the boundaries of the complex, Google stops as it is considered private property and the Islands are akin to that.