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St George Club - Bloor

B

buildup

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I can't find the Bloor St re-vitalization thread so I'll pick it up here.

The following highlight the Avenue - Spadina stretch: Park Plaza, ROM, Conservatory of Music, Bata Museum, Bedford Condo coming, new Varsity Stadium, Medical Building, Myles Nidal etc. What had been a dreary stretch is taking on a fine Boulevard effect.

The shame is that the finest building - the St George's Club - is behind a brick wall. Obviously this barrier pre-dates applicable codes; but do you think any institution should be allowed to maintain an ambience-killing 100-yard wall along such a promenade?

Would the city gain by having the wall removed? I presume the club would object vigourously.
 
I understand your objection to the wall but what is the alternative given that the land behind it is private not public space? If it is the owner's intention to maintain the privacy of the land the only way is with a wall otherwise everyone would just assume it was a park. Perhaps the owners could be approached to donate the exterior surface of the wall for art exhibitions or something.
 
Perhaps Bar Mercurio could set up a concession stand; I don't think they've hit that corner yet.
 
It's an impressive wall though, and walled gardens are quite rare here too. Maybe some ivy would improve the pedestrian experience, but like the old gate around Osgoode along Queen, it may not add to the vitality of the street but I think we'd miss it if it were gone. A little mystery and romance is a good thing I think.
 
There was an Osgoode style Victorian iron fence around the Metropolitan United Church until the '60s. The city made a deal with the church that they would maintain the grounds as a public park if the church would remove the fence to allow people in. Compare that now to the gardens at Osgoode, and you'll see why taking down fences in not a good idea.
 
There's another gated garden across the street at the Observatory (admissions and awards building). OISE and the stupid parkette next to it still kill this strip, and, as far as I know, Varsity's brick wall on Bloor is staying.
 
Varsity's brick wall is in dire need of either repair, or better yet, destruction. Its a shame that the Varisity proposals which proposed acknowledging Bloor with more than a brick wall, fell through.
 
For anybody who may be looking for an interesting Sunday drive, there is a beautiful old heritage home in Hamilton called "Whitehern" that is open to the public as a museum and that is surrounded by what is supposedly one of the few remaining Victorian walled gardens in Ontario. It's a lovely house that was bequeathed to the city, contents and all and so still contains all furnishings and artifacts original to the place. Combine with a tour of Dundern Castle, lunch in Hess Village, and a drive around the surrounding villages of Dundas and Ancaster and you have a nice day out in Steel Town!!
 
Good walls are hard to find in our city. The trend to openness, access, and transparency in all things - privately owned space as well as public - has cast them in the "bad guy" role. Thus, when found, they are of significance.

The crinkly crankly wall is my favourite design. If I had the space, and the money, I'd ring my humble abode with one.
 
Walls and fences make for good public spaces sometimes. It is a beast of a wall though. If it was just a little shorter, and allowed glimpses, it could tease more with it's "mystery" and work a bit better. Though I suppose the St. George Club doesn't/didn't want to bother with teasing the rabble walking by.
 
I am with those who contend that a little mystery can add a fair bit to a street. The wall, with its obvious age, adds some history to a city with little of it left. Glimpses over the wall to the mansion behind also add an ambiance that says something special happens in there, hidden from, but so close to such a busy street.

I don't think every main street in the city needs to have 100% of its sidewalks programmed. Without the special details here and there, even if they are "dead" strips, every street would look the same, and then we're what, Brasilia maybe?

42
 
Agree, sometimes it is the little oddities and follies of the city that make it interesting to get about on foot.
 
I wish the wall was on a different less-important street, like Harbord. Can't change that though.
 
Even NY/London/Paris have their formidable walled-compound incidences, you know. And they're better for it...
 
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