Aurora United Church?

 

                                                                    Photos by Barry Wallace

I was  on a bus passing the new Aurora United Church still under construction on  Yonge Street, in the centre of town recently.   I mentioned the unfinished construction, which has been idle for a month or so, and the bus driver said to me the the church had "run out of money".

I was surprised by his comment.   I knew money for a new church had been an issue since the old church burned down 12 years ago.   But it now seemed very close to completion and yet nothing seemed to be happening recently.   I thought the completion delay was perhaps because of the very, very cold winter weather and snow we had received so far.

Mercifully, whatever has prompted the recent construction activity delay, will be resolved quickly, and the Aurora United Church, with its impressive new  towering spire and steeple will once again be the landmark that identified Aurora for 200 years. 

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Radial Railway - Bond Lake - Oak Ridges

The Toronto and York Radial Railway (T&YRR) Metropolitan line ran along Yonge Street through Oak Ridges, featuring a major power-generating station, repair bard, and recreational Park at Bond Lake.  Operating from the late1890s to 1930, this electric railway powered the local area, as well as hosting a popular amusement park, and connected Toronto to Lake Simcoe.

The Bond Lake Powerhouse & Park: The Metropolitan Railway purchased a farm at Bond Lake for a power line to supply the line.   It became Ontario's first "electric park", featuring a picnic pavilion, a merry-go-round, as well as  boating, that drew thousands of visitors in the early 1900s.

A branch line, the Schomberg and Aurora Railway, often called "the Annie Rooney" (see my blog of Jan. 9th) connected with the main Radial line in the Bond Lake/Oak Ridges Area.

Infrastructure legacy: The remains of the old powerhouse foundation can still be found near Bond Lake.

      Photos by Barry Wallace

PLease comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Slabtown Armoury - new restaurant in Aurora

A gang of us from Delmanor Retirement Residence in Aurora made a first-time visit to the brand new Slabtown Armoury eatery at 89 Mosley Street in Aurora.   The large building housing the restaurant, adjoining the town park in the centre of town, was long ago the historic Aurora Armoury.

The new Slabtown Armoury is a second location of a well-known Slabtown Cidery, orchard and and eating establishment in Uxbridge, Ontario.

I had two of the six cider offerings; the Founder's Dry and the Oak Chardonnay.  Both were delicious and refreshing.   My lunch was the Mushroom Risotto, which was made up of Shitake, Oyster, Portobello Mushroom, and Parmigiano Reggiano.   It was very, very good.   I always order Risotto when I try a new restaurant, so that I can compare the same dish that I have tried at other  restaurants.    The risotto I had was as good, if not better, as any I have had elsewhere.

My partner Pat ordered the 'Bison Smash Burger', which was about 6" high, but which she said was okay.

The menu has lots of interesting selections and the entrees are very attractively presented.   Our lunch was a bit pricey, with our risotto and burger costing $28 each.    Our total lunch bill, including gratuity was $119.33.

As intimidating as the prices are, Pat and I thought we would go back for a  dinner sometime in the future.

Our server Stacy was charming and really knew her stuff.   

The premises are huge and there is lots of seating, but the interior decoration is grey and brown and white in colouring, and the overall decoration is rather drab, giving the setting an almost warehouse or factory feeling.   Some flowers or greenery might help!

Please comment 

if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Happy Valley Forest revisited...

Two days ago, in this space, I received a comment from Warren Goodman of King Township, in which he mentioned that the favourite spaces of his and his wife, in King Township, were the Happy Valley Trails, north-west of King City.  Herewith is a review of a few of my many photos of the Happy Valley Forest Trails, taken over the last several years.

All photos by Barry Wallace

 Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

'AN ACT OF GRACE' now on at Richmond Hill Curtain Club Theatre...

 

Pat and I just attended a performance of 'AN ACT OF GRACE' at the Richmond Hill Curtain Club Theatre, with a gang of  Aurora Delamanor Retirement Residence neighbours.   Pat and I are regulars at both the Curtain Club Theatre in Richmond Hill and Theatre Aurora.

I have seen many, many local theatre productions over the last 60 years, but I must say that the Curtain Club Theatre's production of 'AN ACT OF GRACE' was one of the best local community theatre productions I have seen in all those years.

'AN ACT OF GRACE' is a suspenseful thriller and runs until February 7th.   The box office phone number is 905-773-3434.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Into my 15th year of publishing this blog each day!

 

                                                                                 Self-photo by Barry Wallace

I am now into my 15th year of publishing this blog each day.   I began writing it on October 20th of 2011.   I try to publish one or more photographs in the blog every day,  that I have taken over the years, as well as old, old photographs from family collections as well as from many other historical sources.   I hope you have enjoyed my endeavours.

I am now in my 85th year.   I no longer have a driver's licence or an automobile, and I'm not as spry as I once was, so getting around is more of challenge as time goes by.   I figure I can keep it up for maybe another 5 years; at least that's my intention.   We shall see, God willing.

Hope you've enjoyed the trip as much as I have.

Barry Wallace

King City Cemetery Deadhouse

Photos by Barry Wallace

                                                          

                                              Nearby Aurora Cemetery Deadhouse

The King City Cemetery Deadhouse (vault building) was built in 1887 by William J. Irwin at a cost of $227.00   It is one of eight remaining octagonal deadhouses and is unique to Ontario.

Old Ontario cemetery 'dead houses", also known as winter vaults or receiving tombs, were unique 19th-century vault structures built to temporarily store coffins and bodies during harsh winters when the ground was too frozen for burial, with octagonal designs being a distinctive Southern Ontario feature, often found in cemeteries like King City Cemetery and the one in nearby Aurora.

These Gothic-style brick structures, designed for dignifies temporary housing of human remains, are rare survivors of a unique historical necessity, with few still surviving today as heritage sites or repurposed  equipment sheds.

Please

comment

if you wish.

Delmanor Retirement Residence...

'Raju' Dining Room artworks

                                                                                        Photos by Barry Wallace

 

                                                                                                   Photo by 'Tiz'

The photo above of me taking photos of the Delmanor artwork pictured at the top of this blog entry, was taken, unbeknownst to me, by 'Tiz', one of the Delmanor dining room managers.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Gerhard Wilhelm Kohnen passes...

Gerhard Wilhelm Kohnen

May 19, 1935 - January 11, 2026

Gerhard Wilhem Kohnen, owner and proprietor of Black Forest Garden Centre on Keele Street, north of King City, passed away on January 11th of this year.  Gerhard, along with his wife Katharina and their four sons, operated Black Forest Garden Centre for almost 50 years.

My late wife Linda and I were customers of Black Forest Garden Centre since its early years and we always found the Kohnen family helpful and hospitable. 

At a visitation for Gerhard, after his passing, I mentioned to his wife and sons that I had always felt that the charming Gerhardt was 'larger than life', and would live forever.   One of the sons replied that his father thought the same!

In his Notice of Passing, Gerhardt was described as a dreamer, a storyteller, a philosopher, a lover of song and choir, and an artist who embodied the proverb: "The one who plants trees knowing he will never sit in their shade, has at least started to understand the meaning of life".

Remembering him fondly...

Barry Wallace

Mr. President...

                CROSS OUR BORDER...

     ...AT YOUR PERIL

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Vancouver Island...

Photos by Dave Kemp

Comox Marina - under a fog alert

I have a bird-watching friend named Dave Kemp, who lives on Vancouver Island.  Dave regularly sends me photos he has taken of birds which I include frequenty in my other blogsite: "BarrytheBirder", but he occasionally includes scenic photos of his home territory.   I thought I would include a few such photos in this space. 

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Laskay Women's Institute

(Date unknown)

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

King Township farm cat...

Photo by Barry Wallace

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Lilies at Concierge Desk - Delmanor, Aurora

                                                                            Photo by Pat Cromie

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Hogan's Inn - King City

Photos by Barry Wallace

Hogan's Inn (now known as Hogan's Restaurant), on the southwest corner of Keele Street and the King Road in King City, is a historic landmark, built in 1851 by Isaac Dennis for his daughter and her husband John Hogan.   After 175 years, many of the original parts of the building remain.

I first discovered Hogan's Inn in the mid 1950s as a young teenager.   It was operated as a variety store by 'Nip' Armstrong and had a barbershop and a pool hall in the basement.

Hogan's was the 'village centre' for me and my friends and the rest of King City's residents.

Please comment if you wish.  Barry Wallace  

At least he's not demented yet.

Right?

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

New Year's Gibberish...

Sumtymes thyngs rknott az they seam.

Anyweigh, I hope we-awl have a grate 

nude year in twenty-twenty-6, 

and Eye wysh us all verry good hellth.

Berry Wallish

Frank's Organic Garden - Aurora

                               Art walls completely surrounding the dining room

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Barred Owl

Photo by Barry Wallace

16th Sideroad / King Township

Please comment if you wish

Barry Wallace

Trump - revisited...

 

Setting things back 250 years

in America.

Please comment in you wish. 

Barry Wallace

Virginia Opossum revisited...

 
(Internet photo - photographer unknown)

On January 7th,  I wrote a blog entry about Virginia Opossums.   Warren Goodman of King added a comment to that blog that he had never seen an opossum anywhere in Ontario.

Many Ontarians could make a similar comment as Opossums have only become recent inhabitants to southern Ontario in the last couple of decades, mainly because of our warming climate.

The Opossum is also a mainly nocturnal creature, rarely seen during daytime.  They are also extremely vulnerable to roadway death.

I have taken only a few pictures of local opossums in the wild, but came across the charming online photo above, of an opossum with nine baby opossums clinging to its back.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace