Most underrated or underappreciated landmark in each city

[esquire]

Originally Posted by megadude

I think Fantasy Fair at Woodbine Mall could easily be an attraction for the whole area but it seems pretty much like the majority of visitors are those that live in Northern Etobicoke and neighbouring Malton.

Winter is long. Canada's Wonderland ain't open during that time. You would think this an indoor amusement park would be very popular. Problem is that it's in Rexdale, a somewhat ghetto neighbourhood.

I would bet that more suburban and metro Toronto people go to Centreville on the TO islands during the summer than Fantasy Fair despite having to trek downtown and then deal with the fairy, though the fairy itself is quite exciting for a kid.


https://www.groupon.com/deals/fantasy-fair-1

I have heard the name Fantasy Fair before but I am totally unfamiliar with it... I just assumed it was some kind of long-gone 80s relic, I didn't realize it still existed. It looks like small-sized version of Galaxyland (formerly Fantasyland) at West Edmonton Mall, which is still a regionally well known and pretty busy attraction.

[megadude]

Yes, I would have guessed that WEM's indoor attractions would be widely known around the region, province and most of Western Canada? People east of Manitoba might not realize just how much entertainment value there is in that mall.

The mall itself is probably the most recognized by name if you did a country-wide survey. Eaton Centre 2nd.

If posting an interior pic of both malls, I think they'd be pretty close together in terms of people being able to name what the mall is or what city that mall is located in.

[J.OT13]

Conservatoire de Musique in the Hull sector of Gatineau. The picture doesn't do it justice. Built as a private residence in 1860-1865, it was a night club for a few years after WWI. It became an orphanage from 1927-1972. The Conservatoire has been housed in the building since 1975.

Not sure when the boxy addition was added.


https://www.museedelhistoire.ca/cmc/...ll/rw_64f.html

Another one in Hull is the Manège Millitaire Salaberry, completed in 1938.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salaberry_Armoury

In Ottawa, the 1879 Cartier Square Drill Hall between City Hall and the Rideau Canal.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartier_Square_Drill_Hall

[shappy]

Originally Posted by davee930

SAIT's Heritage Hall - One of my favourite buildings in Calgary. Doesn't get much recognition

First time I'm seeing this and it's a stunner. Thanks for posting it.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

Having a slightly hard time for Halifax--the city has obvious landmarks like Citadel Hill, the town clock, the Historic Properties waterfront district.

I would probably pick the Memorial Tower in Fleming Park or the North Park Armoury.

The park was donated to the people of Halifax by Sir Sandford Fleming. The centrepiece of the park is an impressive tower that commemorates Nova Scotia's achievement of representative government in 1758. Constructed between 1908 and 1912, the Memorial Tower was erected during the same period of building other commemorative towers in the British Commonwealth, notably Cabot Tower in Bristol, England (1898) and Cabot Tower in St. John's (1900).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Sandford_Fleming_Park


Source

The tower has an observation deck and is filled with plaques donated from around the British Empire in 1910 or so. There are the 2 Trafalgar lions out front too. It is not downtown so it is less well known.

An example inside:


Source

[kool maudit]

I loved Woodbine Mall when I was a kid. Going was always an occasion.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by megadude

Yes, I would have guessed that WEM's indoor attractions would be widely known around the region, province and most of Western Canada? People east of Manitoba might not realize just how much entertainment value there is in that mall.

Yeah, it is certainly well known out west. Back in the late 80s my mom and some aunts took me and my cousins to spend an entire week during spring break in the mall. Literally the entire week we never left the mall except to go downtown to catch the train home. It was 80s Western Canada nirvana... waterpark, amusement park, riding submarines, watching Gretzky and the Oilers practice on the rink, eating McDonald's, shopping, movies, the Fantasyland Hotel, it was an epic experience for 8 year old me.

I wouldn't necessarily want to repeat that but last spring I took my family to Edmonton and while we were there, we spent a day at the waterpark and a day at the amusement park... it was as big a hit as anything I've ever done with my kids.

[trueviking]

Winnipeg's definitely has to be Union Bank Tower, Canada's first skyscraper.
If it was in Toronto it would be celebrated on postcards (do they still make post cards?)




also...this is why it is Canada's first skyscraper

https://www.numberten.com/blog/26-ur...ower-the-crown

[Andy6]

That was a great article, Trueviking. I was having this discussion yet again recently and meant to refer the person in question (who works in the heritage buildings area in Winnipeg) to this piece.

To be honest, the poor old Traders Bank in Toronto gets no attention at all. For the most part, people here just don't care about that kind of thing ... so few Torontonians have any real historical connection, via family or otherwise, with the city. Through the good fortune of its limited economic growth over the past century, Winnipeg is thankfully different in that respect.

[KnoxfordGuy]

That old Winnipeg station is stunning! I had no idea!

[kevinbottawa]

Originally Posted by megadude

What landmarks for your city do you think are surprisingly little known or not given the respect they deserve? A landmark that locals might recognize as being in their city but couldn't tell you the name of it. Or one that if outsiders saw a pic of it, they wouldn't know what city it's in but could be impressive enough to have some recognition of that level.


For example, Toronto's Prince's Gate.


https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/504895808203788285/


image by ashtontekno

NAV and The Weeknd featured the Prince's Gate in their music video for "Prince On My Head" at the 1:56 and 2:05 marks. It's my favourite part of the video. Stunning shots. There's another landmark Toronto building at 0:24 that I can't make out.

• Video Link

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

NAV and The Weeknd featured the Prince's Gate in their music video for "Prince On My Head" at the 1:56 and 2:05 marks. It's my favourite part of the video. Stunning shots. There's another landmark Toronto building at 0:24 that I can't make out.

That's Prince's Gate.

You can see the statue in this picture: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ga_%281%29.JPG

[megadude]

I would like to see the equivalent of a Bethesda Terrace in our cities. Walked through a couple of times a few years ago as my cousin was living on the UWS, a few minutes walk from Central Park. Neither time was it busy and people weren't loitering. And that was late May in gorgeous weather. Didn't see any cop around either. You would think you might find some greasy people hanging out there or vagrants. I wonder how often it gets vandalized.

Anyway, must be a bitch to maintain.


https://www.eazywallz.com/products/b...ace-wall-mural

[megadude]

If this fountain in Gore Park, Hamilton were a little bit bigger and a little more ornate, I think it could higher up on the list of things to see in the Hammer. It's not Buckingham Fountain in Chicago but it's still a nice fountain. Montreal probably has the most nice fountains.


https://mapio.net/pic/p-17696102/

[MonkeyRonin]

Good call on Prince's Gate for Toronto. I wish that area were more built up so it could function as a bit more of a Brandenburg-gate type place.

The imposing RC Harris Treatment Plant on the opposite end of town is another one:



https://www.flickr.com/photos/etherflyer/18326898155/


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._C._...reatment_Plant


RC Harris Harvest Moon by Frank Lemire, on Flickr

[MonkeyRonin]

The mentions of malls and attractions brought another one to mind: the Downsview Merchant's Market.

It's a sprawling market of food, clothing, antiques, bootleg goods, and all manner of esoterica. It's a diverse and authentic sensory overload - evocative of some sort of smokey, modern-day indoor souk. Maybe I'm hyping up what is essentially just a flea market a bit too much, but if this were downtown I guarantee that it'd be as much of a tourist destination as Kensington or St. Lawrence markets are:


https://www.blogto.com/eat_drink/201...arket-toronto/


https://www.blogto.com/eat_drink/201...arket-toronto/


https://www.blogto.com/eat_drink/201...arket-toronto/


https://www.blogto.com/eat_drink/201...arket-toronto/


https://canada247.info/explore/ontar...ts_market.html


https://canada247.info/explore/ontar...ts_market.html

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin

Good call on Prince's Gate for Toronto. I wish that area were more built up so it could function as a bit more of a Brandenburg-gate type place.

The imposing RC Harris Treatment Plant on the opposite end of town is another one:



https://www.flickr.com/photos/etherflyer/18326898155/


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._C._...reatment_Plant


RC Harris Harvest Moon by Frank Lemire, on Flickr

That's a beautiful building. Again, gives out a European vibe (maybe more Mediterranean this time). Water treatment plants in those days (well, everything in those days honestly) were given the same attention design wise as any other public buildings.

Here's Ottawa's water treatment plant on Lemieux Island. Construction 1928-1932. Not as impressive as Toronto's, but far nicer than any utilitarian plant you would expect nowadays. Always on the Doors Open Ottawa schedule in June.








https://blogs.northcountrypublicradi...ication-plant/

[ScreamingViking]

Hamilton's first waterworks, adjacent to the current complex, built between 1856 and 1859.

It's now the Museum of Steam and Technology, but there are probably people in the city who have no idea about it because of its location (an industrial street in the north-east end) and aside from the stack it is not easily visible from the QEW or nearby roads.


Source


Source

[J.OT13]

On the subject of waterworks, the Fleet Street pumping station in LeBreton flats is a hidden gem. Built in 1875, it is still operational today.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleet_...umping_Station

A Hull landmark is the BDT, which has come full circle from a brewer, to a water pumping station and a brewer once again today. Originally built in 1813.


https://www.museedelhistoire.ca/cmc/...t%20br%C3%A8ve.

[GreatTallNorth2]

London's Normal School (now YMCA administration office) or St. Peter's Seminary