Water is beautiful when frozen in time, but now and then I like opening my camera’s shutter for a while and waiting for the magic to happen.
Galt
Beginnings and endings.
No more pencils, no more books.
While most schools are buzzing with kids this time of year, this particular educational institution sits, silent, on a hilltop in Cambridge, Ontario.
Dickson Public School closed in 2014 due to its age and a dwindling student population. It had served the community for nearly 140 years.
The building is beautiful, constructed of local cut limestone in a simple but pleasing design. It’s situated on the west side of the Grand River, a focal point in a neighbourhood of historic homes and architecture.
Apologies for the harsh shadows in these photos. The weather was definitely agreeable for a visit, but I wasn’t able to capture the front of the building without some interference from the sun.
I’d been hoping for some grand front doors to go along with the rest of the design. The arched front porch is lovely, but the bland, industrial entrance was a bit of a disappointment.
The building has been empty for three years, but fortunately there are plans to redevelop the site into modern office space, along with the addition of a new 10-unit townhouse complex on the property. The developer intends to preserve both the exterior of the school and many of the unique and historic interior features.
I get a little dreamy when I wander around old buildings, wondering about times gone by. The generations of schoolkids who once roamed these empty halls, their laughter echoing over this deserted playground. Sadly, round the back, there are reminders of some of the harsh realities of today.
Time will tell what changes are to come.
P.S.
If you’d like to look at more interesting entryways, be sure to visit Norm 2.0 for his weekly feature, Thursday Doors.
Renewal?
This pier was once the foundation of a railway bridge, built in 1912, primarily to support the industries on the west side of the Grand River in Galt, Ontario. I made this photo earlier this week.
Here’s a photo, made in August of 2016, of the opposite side of the same pier:
The bridge has been gone since the 1960’s, and the piers have stood here since, quiet and stoic, serving as canvas for optimistic graffiti artists (“PILLAR OF HOPE”, reads the message in the bottom photo).
A controversial plan to build a $1 million pedestrian bridge using this foundation is in the works.
If the view ends up changing, I’ll let you know. 🙂
P.S.
I read this piece on the Idea Exchange website to get the brief scoop on the history of this bridge.
Do What You Wish 