stuck in the past
We didn't really get to do much in Welland (our hometown), but then there really isn't that much to do here. We're so used to Toronto that Welland seems like a barren wasteland—abandoned buildings, derelict houses, etc etc. I spent a few days dreaming about the past, and how it used to be a great factory town that I never got to experience. I feel like I was born at the wrong time—I think many people with a love of history do—would somebody please correctly place me in the industrial era?
We did get a chance to visit our museum, which has moved to the old library (which was my library not too long ago). It's a world of difference from what it looked like before, but what I found most charming was that it still looks like the old library. The shelves are there, the signage is even still there. It's like it was never left alone a day.
And who knew they had so much stuff crammed into their old schoolhouse of a museum. I haven't seen 90% of the items in the new museum, so it was really quite a shock to me. I miss the old museum a bit, we were walking by and saw it was flattened (the old school building it was in) and turned into a park (of all things). Like the world needs more parks. I'm really passionate about architecture of the past, and it makes me cry to see it go.
Toronto has done a few GREAT things with old buildings and mansions, which is build on top of them or keep the face of them, or even combine multiple houses with glass hallways. The only problem is that it's not only expensive to renovate old buildings, but to build condos on top of 1800s mansions is nearly impossible, and costs millions. In Welland, they can't afford to do this and they just tear everything down. Or just leave it there, for years and years. Then tear it down. WHY? Old architecture is the definition of beauty in my eyes.
See more photos here.
