CAMERA ON KING

Thursday, October 19, 2017

BEFORE THE FLOOD shown in King

It's been just over a week since the National Geographic film 'BEFORE THE FLOOD' was shown to an almost full house at The Country Day School Performing Arts Centre, on Dufferin Street. The film presentation was a joint effort by The Oak Ridges Moraine Land Trust, Arts Society King and Country Day School. Special guest was Chris Ballard, Ontario's Environment Minister, and former King City resident, who made an address and answered many questions from those in attendance, including Country Day students. Moderator Susan Walmer, ORMLT Executive Director, suggested viewers take a day or two to digest the ominous message of the film before deciding what a single person can or cannot do to mitigate the effects of global warming. Meanwhile, if you haven't seen it yet, maybe you should.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Eaton Hall barn ~ 50 years after the fire

April 18, 1966 ~ destroyed a second time

I happened across this photo in my files recently and thought it must be almost 50 years since the Eaton Hall farm cattle and horse barn, a King Township landmark, was destroyed in a fire, the second in its history. I did a quick check on the date and learned it was 50 years and six months ago, today, that it burned to the ground. Kelly Mathews in her 2015 book about Eaton Hall, described the barn as a "...formidable structure". It was built originally in the 1920s and was destroyed by fire in 1937. It was rebuilt that same year, but succumbed to a second inferno 30 years later. The barn is now gone but some of the working farm's ancillary buildings still exist, included the one pictured below. The second fire caused $250,000 damage, but 100 head of prize cattle survived. Some of buildings, such as what is now seen in these pictures, survived and today are used as the Farm and Faculty Offices.

Photo by Barry Wallace

Having mentioned Kelly Matthews' Eaton Hall book, I would be remiss if I did not mention her 2nd book: "The Road to Marylake". Her history book on Marylake is to be launched on November 1st at the Marylake Shrine on Keele Street, just north of King City. I intend to purchase the book and hopefully have it signed by the author. I also intend to tell Kelly that a third book should be in the works, by her. The subject? Jokers Hill. That would be an interesting trilogy.
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace