Monday, 13 July 2009

Strolling Around Downtown

It's been a busier than usual spring and summer. That, combined with the fact that I don't live right in the heart of downtown anymore, means that I don't get a chance to wander aimlessly around as much as I used to. I thought I would spend some time Sunday checking things out.

Here are some observances from an afternoon of coffee sipping and picture taking:

Some things don't change much in 100 years ! (Security Storage / Kromar Building, Portage Ave).

The new WRHA Building on Portage is, well .... there. I guess the idea behind it is is "don''t get VD or you'll end up having to come here". I'm sort of hoping I have my Crowns mixed up and that's going to be a new MPI Claims Centre instead.
Despite that, there are some new buildings on the skyline that are really fabulous !

Greenheart Housing Co-op (Sherbrook Street)
McFeetors Hall (Langside)
Manitoba Hydro
I have to get out more. What happened to Albert Street Burgers ?!
I'll have to go try it out. I assume that to be ballsy enough to model your restaurant's name and logo around one of the world's worst disasters, you're confident in what you're serving up !
This is cheating a bit as this was taken last weekend. I hadn't been in the Convention Centre fro a long time but it looks very nice inside. I see that some of their original 70's artwork has been rediscovered and put in prominent locations. This is The Gathering. Nice job creating a great setting for it !
I noticed last weekend that Sudsy Fountain at Broadway and Donald was, well, sudsy. A couple of times in my downtown life I have lived next to Sudsy Fountain and took it for granted. For whatever reason, it would always make me smile when it was foaming away. I went this weekend to get some pics but, alas, it was behaving itself !

I wonder if these folks at the grand opening in 1970 had any idea.... As an FYI, the cost of Sudsy ? $35025.75

5 comments:

  1. Allan Lorde14 July 2009 at 04:26

    I love that Greenheart building. It has a cheerful color scheme.

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  2. Christian Cassidy14 July 2009 at 23:23

    Yes, it does. A really warm looking place.

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  3. Spugsley15 July 2009 at 02:02

    I gotta disagree about the new Hydro tower. I realize it is energy efficient and all, but it looks like the headquarters for the League of Supervillians. Truly horrid, brutalist architecture.

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  4. Christian Cassidy15 July 2009 at 13:21

    @ spugsley League of Supervillians HQ - how cool would that be ! It does look a bit deadish but I think that once there's life in the palce with the retail open and lighting of the interiro it will warm up.

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  5. JF Ratthé16 July 2009 at 14:39

    I like the McFeetors Hall design quite a bit. Nice to see this type or work in town.

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