Paris: The Canadian Version

flar · #1 Posted **Jan 19, 2008, 5:42 AM**

On the Grand River: Paris, Ontario
(also look at the bottom of the pics for examples of Paris' famous cobblestone houses! I forgot them earlier)

Austinlee · #2 Posted **Jan 19, 2008, 5:49 AM**

Cool town.
This is really neat:

Evergrey · #3 Posted **Jan 19, 2008, 6:00 AM**

this is your greatest thread yet... oh my god, this town has so much soul...

this is AMAZING

Austinlee · #4 Posted **Jan 19, 2008, 6:08 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evergrey

this is your greatest thread yet... oh my god, this town has so much soul...

this is AMAZING

^it makes you wonder how they installed all those AC units?!?!?

denveraztec · #5 Posted **Jan 19, 2008, 6:04 AM**

Wow! Very cool structures! Thanks for the tour!

FREKI · #6 Posted **Jan 19, 2008, 6:16 AM**

Hmmm... I think I prefer the original.. but thanks nevertheless

KevinFromTexas · #7 Posted **Jan 19, 2008, 6:26 AM**

Wonderful! Love the Paris and London sign.

al2six · #8 Posted **Jan 19, 2008, 6:33 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Wonderful! Love the Paris and London sign.

reminds me of a sign in indiana... pointing to the left it says mexico and pointing to the right it says peru

boden · #9 Posted **Jan 20, 2008, 3:40 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by al2six

reminds me of a sign in indiana... pointing to the left it says mexico and pointing to the right it says peru

Just past Rumford in central maine there is a similar sign. Mexico and Peru are small towns in the middle of nowhere.................
good post flar.

Sekkle · #10 Posted **Jan 19, 2008, 6:38 AM**

Great photos as always. I thought this one was interesting...

skip the satellite tv - how about a fresh coat of paint?

Nouvellecosse · #11 Posted **Jan 20, 2008, 12:38 AM**

To my eyes it is indeed beautiful - almost perfect in fact. I grew up near a town called Oxford that had buildings constructed rght on a river like that. It's something I've always found interesting.

I could, however, go for less parking in front of the commerical buildings, but the fact that it's there is probably a big part of why the downtown is still vibrant. After all, without major transit usage (pretty much impossible in a small town) most people would start going to malls and big box stores for convenience.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForAteOh

Great photos as always. I thought this one was interesting...
skip the satellite tv - how about a fresh coat of paint?

Hmm, I actually think I prefer their priorities; I mean, paint is realy just a superficial aesthetics issue, while TV is related to quality of life - although too much certainly isn't good lol.

flar · #12 Posted **Jan 20, 2008, 1:29 AM**

^^I actually saw a couple bus stops in downtown Paris, I didn't see any buses though.

I should also mention that nothing looks good during the Winter, everything is dirty and grey.
Here are a couple pics from last fall:

Another cobblestone house (look closely):

hkskyline · #13 Posted **Jan 19, 2008, 6:51 AM**

Lovely sign!

raggedy13 · #14 Posted **Jan 19, 2008, 9:13 AM**

Great thread! Seems Paris has seen better days. And it's got to be one of the most random towns I've ever seen.

This TD signage seems so out of place... I love it.

DC83 · #15 Posted **Jan 19, 2008, 1:42 PM**

Thanks for sharing, Flar. Great Shots!
I've never been to or seen Paris, ON.
But I HAVE seen that Cdn Tire before.

flar · #16 Posted **Jan 19, 2008, 2:19 PM**

^^Surprised you haven't been, it's only 20 minutes west of Hamilton. That London/Paris sign is on the road from Dundas to Paris so I see it all the time.

raggedy, I imagine it could look rundown to western eyes, but it's just really old. Paris is a growing town of 11,000 with one of the most intact and thriving downtowns in Ontario. It started out with some mills and textiles but now is a bedroom community popular for it beautiful old homes and smalltown charm. It's only 5 minutes north of Brantford and 10 minutes south of Cambridge.

miketoronto · #17 Posted **Jan 19, 2008, 2:37 PM**

Great photos. Looks like Downtown Paris is still a functioning centre for the community. Nice to see.

clynnog · #18 Posted **Jan 21, 2008, 6:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by miketoronto

Great photos. Looks like Downtown Paris is still a functioning centre for the community. Nice to see.

Downtown Paris has much more activity in its small CBD than nearby (and much larger), Brantford. Brantford, in many ways, has turned its back on its CBD and let King George Road sprawl its ugly tentacles.

flar · #19 Posted **Jan 22, 2008, 2:46 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by boden

Just past Rumford in central maine there is a similar sign. Mexico and Peru are small towns in the middle of nowhere.................
good post flar.

Coincidentally there is a Paris, ME 15 or 20 miles from Mexico and Peru!

Quote:

Originally Posted by FloridaChicago

I understand people who grow up and live in clean sterile suburbs might see something old as ugly. I think it's beautiful, especially the cobblestone construction. I've never seen anything like that.

Apparently the mason responsible for the cobblestone houses in Paris came from Rochester, NY where there are supposedly other examples of his work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by clynnog

Downtown Paris has much more activity in its small CBD than nearby (and much larger), Brantford. Brantford, in many ways, has turned its back on its CBD and let King George Road sprawl its ugly tentacles.

All the towns on the Grand River are interesting. Brantford and Galt are Paris' nearest neighbours and both have dead downtowns but great architecture:

Galt: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=126650
Brantford: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=123197

staff · #20 Posted **Jan 19, 2008, 2:56 PM**

What an awful looking place - but thanks for sharing.

Nice photography too.