Memories of the "Rape of King City"

                                                                                                                                          Photo by Barry Wallace

The scene pictured above shows towering trees being cut down on private property on the southeast corner of Keele Street and King Road, in the centre of King City, on Friday. It reminded me of the "Rape of King City", as John Belknap called it, at the end of the 1960s, when Keele Street lost many of its ancient and beautiful trees to make way for the widening of Keele Street from two to four lanes.   Because the trees above were on private property, the owner(s) had the right to remove them.   It leaves me with a sickening angst, however, as I believe the intersection, as a whole, will never as be as environmentally and ecologically elegant again.

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Barry Wallace    

Bathurst Street to reopen July 31st

                                                                                                   Photos by Barry Wallace

Repairs to the new Bathurst Street between Green Lane and Millar Sideroad are to be finished by July 31.   A severe rain storm in May caused erosion which washed out part of the street and repairs have been extensive and lengthy.   

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Barry Wallace

Bandshell to be erected at cultural centre

 Photos by Barry Wallace

A bandshell is to be erected at the northeast corner of the King Heritage and Cultural Centre property, on the King Road just east of Jane Street, in the hamlet of Kinghorn (see photo above).   The bandshell will be erected at the same time as the relocation of the Laskay Hall takes place on the site (see yesterday's blog entry).   The photo below was taken from the northeast corner of the property and looks southwest toward the existing buildings.   Red stakes, in both photos, show the approximate location of the bandshell.

King Museum Curator, Kathleen Fry has told me that the bandshell will be ideal for musical concerts and other performance events during the warm months of the year, while Laskay Hall will be available for similar uses, indoors, year-round.   My thanks to Chris Fasciano, King's Director of Parks, Recreation and Culture, for the info update on these exciting developments.

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Barry Wallace

Laskay Hall moves to Kinghorn ~ end of August

Photos by Barry Wallace

The 156-year-old Laskay Hall (1859) is scheduled to be moved to its new home in Kinghorn at the end of August.   Its new location will be between the new King Heritage & Cultural Centre and the 166-year-old King Immanuel Baptist Church (1851) See photos below.

In the photo above, taken from the King Road, the space for the Laskay Hall is seen between the King Heritage & Cultural Centre, on the left, and the old Baptist Church on the right.   The photo below was taken from behind the two buildings mentioned and looks south towards the King Road and the fields beyond.

Surveyors were spotted (photo right) on the grounds of the King Heritage and Cultural Centre on Wednesday of this week, preparing for the siting of the Laskay Hall and the siting of a bandshell to be erected on the northeast corner of the property.   

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Barry Wallace

What the heck is this?

Photo by Barry Wallace

I spotted this contraption in a garden in the Holland Marsh recently.   I know it has two wheels and a seat, but beyond that I have no idea what it is.   I'm sure a Holland Marsh native would know.

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Barry Wallace

Keele Street ~ north of Kettleby

Photo by Barry Wallace

WINDY HILL FARM

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Barry Wallace

Big Birds in the Marsh

    Photos by Barry Wallace

I spotted all three of these big birds on and about the Pumphouse Road in the Holland Marsh on Thursday of last week.   At top is a Wild Turkey.   Below it (left) is a Peahen and at the bottom is a chicken rooster.

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Barry Wallace

Coppa's parking lot...

Photo by Barry Wallace

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

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Barry Wallace

King Park is one of best in Canada

 Photos by Barry Wallace

Tasca Community Park, on Parkheights Trail in northeast Nobleton, has a new claim to fame.   The park has already been named the winner of Parks & Recreation Ontario's PRO Award of Excellence, for design for a community under 30,000.   Now, a group of playground writers has created a list of the top 150 playgrounds in Canada, to celebrate Canada's 150 birthday.   Tasca Park has made that list.   The park has lots of wide open spaces plus numerous interactive features, like the splash pad and full-size basketball court, pictured here.   

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Barry
Wallace

Dufferin Street ~ south of Hwy. 9

Photo by Barry Wallace

TRUMPETER SWAN

at the Glenville ponds

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Barry Wallace

19th Sideroad ~ near Jokers HIll

Photo by Barry Wallace

DRY-STACKED STONEWORK

Simple design ~ masterfully wrought

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Barry Wallace

Keele Street South - King City

                                                                                                                              Photo by Barry Wallace

BLUE CHAIR

at the Roost Cafe

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Barry Wallace

Last Raspberry Social at Laskay location

Tuesday's sellout crowd a perennial feature

Longtime ticketmaster ~ 'Amiable' Al Henderson

Perfect combination: fresh raspberries, raspberry pie, ice cream

The Laskay Raspberry Social will be held next year in the Laskay Hall after it is transported to its new location in Kinghorn, at the King Historial & Cultural Centre.   The hall will be situated between the museum/cultural centre building and the old Baptist church.   For the first time, it will have a full basement, plus many other upgrades, including new kitchen and washroom facilities.   The move is to take place later this year.

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Barry Wallace   

Staying cool and contented...

Photo by Barry Wallace

7th Concession & 15th Sideroad

Talk about making the best of what's given to you.   These cattle spent at least two hours milling about in this pond at the same time as rain showers were passing over this King farm on Sunday afternoon.   It's the full size-cattle that are in the pond, while calves are nestled in the pond-side grass.   I passed the scene twice while on the Nobleton/King City Garden Tour and the herd seemed entirely content.

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Barry Wallace 

Nobleton & King City 2017 Garden Tour

Photos by Barry Wallace

Two bees collect pollen from a pretty pink poppy in the small but amazing, street-front garden of Margaret Langford on Alex Campbell Crescent in King City.

King City's charming and indubitable Blair Day greets a visitor at his Fisher Street garden which featured many new and unusual flowers and other plants.

This quaint and charming potting shed was found in the garden of Hilda Baumgard on Old Church Road Road in Laskay.   Hilda's home was once the Laskay United Church where my wife and I were married 50 years ago.

The rain kept us from seeing Helen Lucas's gardens on the 7th of King but that meant we were able to view Helen's painting studio where we saw an incredible assortment of floral paintings, representative of the work that has made her and her art world-famous.

A Weeping Spruce was a fascinating poolside feature in one of the gardens of Pam Brown on the 17th Sideroad of King, near Hwy. 27.

Pictured above is the entrance to the immaculate and inspiring planting presentation that greeted visitors to the Home of Emily Bifolchi, on MacTaggart Drive in Nobleton. 

Above is a remarkably inviting feature of the gardens of Theresa Sherwood's Sherwood Farm property.   Like several other properties on the tour, the views surrounding Sherwood Farm are soul-enriching.

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Barry Wallace 

Part of the buttercup family...

Photos by Barry Wallace

This Clematis vine is

an old and reliable standby in our garden, stretching up from ground-level to just under the eavestroughs.   It makes a charming back-drop for the herb garden below.

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Barry Wallace

Bob and Nancy's first white squirrel

 Photos: Bob & Nancy Wallace

My brother Bob and his wife Nancy live a few kilometres north of Parry Sound.   They sent these photos on Monday saying this is the first white squirrel they have ever had up there.   This sweet-looking creature is a 'white morph' of the Eastern Grey Squirrel...not an albino.   Albino Grey Squirrels have red eyes.   Unofficial statistics seem to show that 'white morphs' out-number albinos by quite a margin.   It has been reported that Exeter, Ontario, is one of five hot spots in Canada for white squirrels.   White squirrels in the countryside are reportedly preyed upon significantly by raptors, because of their easy-to-spot white colour, while white squirrels in more protected urban areas are less vulnerable.   Love these photos.
    

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Barry Wallace

One of summer's highlights ~ next Tuesday

Photo by Barry Wallace

Tickets ~ Call: 905-833-0222

This will be the last Raspberry Social to be held in Laskay, as the Laskay Hall is to be moved to Kinghorn later this year, where it will join other historic King Township buildings that now make up the King Heritage & Cultural Centre.

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Barry Wallace

Nobleton/King City Garden Tour - Sun., July 16

Photos by Barry Wallace

Herewith are some of my photos from previous Nobleton/King City Garden Tours in 2012 and 2015. This Sunday's tour is from 10 am. to 4 pm.   Tickets are available at Black Forest Garden Centre, King Heritage & Cultural Centre, Nobleton Phamacy, Barb Downey at (416) 347-8482 and at LUCILLEKING149@GMAIL.COM.

Photos 

by 

Barry 

Wallace

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Barry Wallace