Coffee with a smile at The Roost

Not only do I get life-altering coffee at The Roost, on Keele Street, just south of the King Road, in the village of King City,
but I'm often served by barista Sam who seems to have her own understated flamboyance,(pictured at left) to go along with her charm and friendliness.   Thanks Sam and to the Roost's 'Big Bird' Allison, and her other team members.   You're all a great addition to King City.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace 

Concept drawings for new King City Library

The images here, of the proposed expansion of the King City Library and addition of a Seniors Centre, are architect's concept drawings only and not necessarily final drawings.   A green light for the project has already been given by township council in December of last year.   The expansion will see the existing building increase from 7,839 square feet to 20,000 square feet, at a cost of $9.05 million which would be financed through development charge reserves, debentures and tax-supported capital.   Goals and benefits of an updated and larger library, plus seniors centre, would include service areas upgraded to provincial standards (including accessibility), having the two facilities in one place, reduced operating costs and shared resources.   Completion of the new facility will occur in 2018.   

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Barry Wallace

Nobleton United Church ~ Stained Glass No. 5

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Nobleton United Church now shares its church and facilities with the congregation of Emmanuel Reformed Church. 

Photos by 

Barry Wallace

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 if you wish.

Barry Wallace

More activity at King City Keele Street site

 Photos by Barry Wallace

A large excavator has been moving earth around again just south of the Keele Street and King Road intersection, in the centre of the village.   Nearby neighbours have speculated that the site will be occupied by a commercial/residential development of stores at street level and three or four levels above for condominium residential construction.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Belize Birds by Phyllis Vernon

Photos by Phyllis Vernon

Phyllis Vernon (pictured at right) of King Township recently returned from several days in Belize where she photographed many birds on a long list of species spotted, including the two pictured here.   At top is a Collared Aracari Toucan and below that is a Slaty-tailed Trogon.   Thanks Phyllis for letting me share your neat shots, here, and on my BarrytheBirder blogsite.

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Barry Wallace

Pottageville

Photo by Barry Wallace

LOST IN THE WOODS

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Barry Wallace

York Region population booming

Photo by Barry Wallace

One in 30 Canadians lives in York Region

I photographed this Region of York road sign, on Hwy. 27 in Schomberg this past Sunday.   It occurred to me that the region's population made up a big chunk of Canada's total population.   Using the most recent figures I could find, the actual proportion was one in every 30.5 Canadians, but half a person doesn't count, does it?

Anyway, no wonder the traffic on regional roads is so gawd-awful!

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Barry Wallace

   

January Thaw

Keele Street ~ 16th Sideroad

West Pottageville Creek

East Humber River

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Barry Wallace

Marylake gatehouse

 Photo: Cairns Family Archives

The Marylake stone gatehouse on the north-west corner of Keele Street and the 15th Sideroad, on the edge of King City, is between 75 and 80 years of age, I think.   Like some of the other Marylake structures from the time Sir Henry Mill Pellatt, the now apparently empty gatehouse is starting to fall apart.   In the photo above, Harold Westbrook, a butcher shop owner in Nobleton, back in the first half of the 1900s, and his wife Eva (Cairns) Westbrook are seen on a visit to Marylake.

 Photos above and below by Barry Wallace

The Marylake gatehouse is pictured today (above and below) showing the robust construction of fieldstone, which was likely sourced locally in King Township in the 1930s.   The broad expanse of the attractive, greenish-blue slate roof was constructed of materials imported from England.  The stonework of the rest of the gatehouse, along with the slate roof and impressive overall scale of the design, makes almost as big an impression as the great barn, also in structural decline, elsewhere on the property.

Above, fieldstone detail

Aemon Burchill, researcher and writer of a "History of Marylake" wrote: "In the early 1940s, Archbishop McGuigan decided to have established a shrine to Mary to be a spiritual centre and place of pilgrimage for the Archdiocese of Toronto. On August 25, 1942, negotiations were opened for the purchase of Marylake by the Augustinian Order.   The Reverend Athanasius Pape acted for the Order, and on September 17 the first Augustinians arrived".

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Barry Wallace

Stained Glass - No. 4

Photos by Barry Wallace

SACRED HEART PARISH ~ Jane Street

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Barry Wallace

Changes for King Heritage & Cultural Centre

 Photos by Barry Wallace

It is now known that the venerable Laskay Hall (pictured at right) will be moved this year to the grounds of the King Heritage & Cultural Centre in Kinghorn.   The historic hall will be placed between the heritage and cultural centre on the west side of the grounds and the former King Christian Church in the centre of the property (see large photos above and immediately below).   The placement will further the notion of a streetscape, featuring the three buildings mentioned here plus the old King Railway Station, on the east side of the property.   If a basement was put under the Laskay Hall (which it does not have in its current location, its functionality could be doubled.  

The Township of King has also approved a new parking lot at the heritage and cultural centre, at the rear of the main building, on the west side of the property.   Total capacity of the parking lot has not been announced but speculation says 20 to 50 spaces could be available.   The surface of the parking lot would be a permeable material to direct rainwater down and away.   The photo above shows the space between the western property line, on the left, and the west side of the main building. The photo below looks north, from the porch at the rear of the main building, to back of the property, which now is adjacent to a new subdivision under construction.   Given the size of the facilities space, with the addition of the Laskay Hall, 20 parking spaces seems woefully inadequate.   Many events in the future could easily fill 50 parking spaces.   Perhaps access to the future Magna headquarters on the south side of the King Road could feature an entrance with traffic lights immediately opposite the heritage and cultural centre, on the north side of the King Road.   

Hwy.9 & West Canal Bank Rd. ~ Holland Marsh

Photo by Barry Wallace

Last Friday the 13th ~ sun rising ~ minus 15C

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Barry Wallace

The future of Humber Trails?

 Photos by Barry Wallace

HAVE YOU HAD ANY INPUT YET?

I spoke with Adam Dembe a week ago about the future of Humber Trails.   Adam is the contact person and planner at Toronto and Region Conservation, in connection with a new trail plan for Humber Trails Forest and Wildlife Conservation Area.   Public input is being reviewed and consultations with King Township on sharing future development  for passive recreation purposes on the site are underway.   Nothing seems imminent, but the future looks quite positive.

The tiny vulnerable stream pictured above is one of several at Cold Creek.   Several feet further on (photo below), the little waterway has been breached by the passage an all-terrain 4-wheel recreational vehicle that has diverted off the walking trail.

The catalyst for a new trail plan for Humber Trails appears to have been, in part, the partially washed-out bridge over the East Humber River (photo below).   Although the site has been posted due to hazardous conditions, many hikers still use the crippled bridge to cross the river.   The footing on the damaged bridge is even more hazardous, and hence dangerous, in winter conditions.   Whatever transpires in re-purposing Humber Trails, this bridge is the number one priority, from both an access perspective and safety concern.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Orange Amaryllis reverts to pink Amaryllis

Photos by Barry Wallace

Photo by Barry Wallace

Amaryllis (Amaryllis belladonna)

A year ago, the Amaryllis pictured above bloomed a yellowish-orange colour between Christmas and mid-January.   This past Christmas, my wife Linda got it to bloom again, except this time it blossomed as you see it above, with distinct pinkish-white markings.   Amaryllises are normally a bright red colour, but they have been forced into many other colours and markings.   I can't help but wonder, that if with Linda's help, this Amaryllis lives another year or two, will it revert to a pure red colour?   We shall see what we shall see.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Local bands at Laskay Hall in the 1970s

Bob Wallace ~ Russ DeCarle ~ Keith Glass

A week or so ago, Robert Campbell commented in this space that The King City Slickers played one of their first concerts in the Laskay Hall, back in the mid-70's.   In fact, the King City Slickers opened for The Good Brothers in the Laskay Hall way back then.   My younger brother Bob was one of the King City Slickers, before they became the renowned country-swing band, Prairie Oyster.   And before they became the King City Slickers, Russ DeCarle, Keith Glass and my brother Bob, were known as the Humber Creek Boys. 

King City Slickers (above and below) 

James & The Good Brothers ~ 1970s

Photo by Barry Wallace

The Good Brothers ~ 2015
King City United Church

And if one goes way, way back...

Laskay Union Cornet Band

1905 - 1910

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Barry Wallace

Sunday afternoon coffee at Dog Tales Sanctuary

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if you wish.

Barry Wallace