Public on Urbanism
WHAT THE PUBLIC IS SAYING:
"One of the great spectacles of the annual Warrior's Day Parade at the CNE is the finale, as proud veterans march in from the West Entrance of the Stadium and past the reviewing stand, to the strains of military music and the applause of thousands in the stands...Another tradition would become a casualty of progress."
Frank Betts, East York (Source: Letters to Editor/Toronto Star)
"Christopher Hume, in his Saturday Star article on the CNE Grandstand, says it might be demolished in three months and that its demise won't provoke any "outpouring of emotion". The seats are hard, the pissoirs dingy, and the roof unretractable, he says. Ony diehard sports fans want to suffer under those conditions.
I am fat, fifty, and female. I don't suppose anyone would call me the sporty type. But I'm definitely the wonderful-family-entertainment-on-a-budget type. I remember so many happy starry summer nights when my best friends and I would run up the ramp to the Grandstand after work with a picnic basket and a baby carrier. We saved up our Dominion store coupons and got in to the Jays' game for $2 each (baby Ben for free). The cheap seats were the good seats, because they were shaded from the sun, under the non-retractable roof, but also open to the fresh air. The seats are blue plastic fold-down seats, rather like the ones at Skydome, only double digits cheaper to sit in.
Baby Ben's carrier fitted nicely under the seats while he was sleeping. Then when he awoke, he was pleased to hear all the neighbours cheering and clappimg, and especially pleased when someone nearby rang a big cowbell every time George Bell came up to bat.
Now that I have looked at the Urbanism Website Mr. Hume mentioned, I'm going to take Ben to the old ballpark in honour of his birthday. Not only to show him a wonderful part of his own history, but a part of our province's history. The Website shows a picture of a fossil actually embedded in the limestone on the Grandsatnd facade. Apparently, the limestone is full of these fossils. We're going to go down and search for traces of that archaeology and we're going to take a new look at the architecture too.
Outpouring of emotion? You bet, and the emotion is anger. My next letter is to Mayor Lastman to ask him to find a more creative way to redevelop our wonderful park, one that doesn't involve tearing down any more historic buildings at the CNE. Before the July 29th deadline for a decision, let the city councillors look to the four Rs - Reduce, reuse, recycle...and RESPECT."
Elissa Pane, Toronto Star Aug. 1, 1998.
"Little do you know that your panoramic shot of the Ex (c. 1970) is so powerfull for me. George Robb, Architect not only was the architect for the Shell Tower, but his first employment out of University was with Marani & Morris. I can recall George talking about those early days (I believe 1948-1950) when, as a draftsmam, he was responsible for the documentation for the freight elevators at the Grandstand.This was the only "employment" in his career; from then on he was self-employed, occassionally in partnership, but never again an employee.
I gave up my Blue Jay season tickets after one year in the Dome. The initial interest in the structure wore thin for me. The Blue Jays and, especially the Argos, should play in the elements as God Himself intended. Gate receipts are not part of God's Plan.
We struggle now to preserve our heritage structures; those that are 150 to 200 years old. If we percieve that our more contemporary built environment has an economical life expectancy of only 40 to 50 years, what will we leave for future generations. If this building is lost, future generations will be less likely to create an accurate interpretation of the significance of that event. Let me know what I can do! "
Peter Stewart b.arch OAA MRAIC
"Thank God someone else is out there that is as concerned as I am about the terrible record the Toronto Heritage Board has in saving our heritage. I thought the demolition of the Anglo Canada InsuranceBuilding and the Primrose Club, both on St. Clair Avenue West were bad enough. I've been pulling my hair out over the last two years trying to keep the Union Carbide Building from being demolished. This building should not have been torn down. I felt helpless to do anything but write letters that I know are ignored by development oriented city councillors.
Now I hear that the MacKenzie building has been sold, I'll give you even odds that it will be torn down to make way for another overpriced,hulking condominium, MY BLOOD IS BOILING!! What can I do, other than writing letters to make these people and the public listen. We need a strategy, we need political action, we need militancy, we need mass picketing, we need to educate the public. I hereby offer myself to you in any way you need me to help get this preservation movement off the ground and in peoples' faces. If New York City can have a law that protects buildings, why can't we? THANK-YOU for what you are doing and as I have said let me know what more I can do".
Scott Burgess, 1999, Toronto
"Hello: I've been in you web site going through you views on Toronto heritage buildings. I've lived on Toronto for 25 years and I enjoy the city because of its forward-looking approach. I'm also a 7th generation Canadian. Build for the future, look forward, don't live in the pass, build, grow, and expand. I feel this is what makes Toronto the powerhouse of the Canadian economy as will as the Canadian arts and culture center.
I feel your organization is a setback to this city. You want to live in the past. If you like to live that way, that's OK but do not expect everyone else to be that way. If a building is no longer functional it is time to remove it so our future is not destroyed. The people who built these buildings did what they felt was right for the time. These people are now dead so why should our future be sacrifice for their pass. Someday what we do will be destroyed for the growth of future societies, that's fine. I don't want to do anything today that will cause pain and grief to future generations, and I'm sure people from the pass didn't want to restrict my/our life.
The only people who live in the pass are people who feel they don't have a future. Toronto has a future, please don't try to destroy it. I understand your point of view, please try to understand mine. I do however resent you imposing you values on myself and others that want to move forward and live for now and the future. Thank You".
Terry Card, 2000
..........................................
URBANISM
Urbanism is dedicated to Canadian Modern Architecture & Design, and to the Preservation of Architecture across the Dominion of Canada. Urbanism was launched in mid-1998 in a campaign to save Toronto's CNE Grandstand Stadium from demolition. Urbanism is a resourse for the public to utilise and act if they so choose. These will include demolition alerts, new construction, databases on Modern Architecture, General Canadian Architecture, Architects, Industry, and Canadian Industrial Design.
Copyright 1998-2004, Art and Industry/20th Century Limited