I went into Victoria today specifically to take pictures of a few of my favorite old derelict buildings. They have sat empty for over 40 years or more and have had quite the history...
This is one of two twin buildings which housed the Northern Junk Company...they were a company which dealt with international ocean shipping and I believe the buildings were built in 1864.
A developer has recently purchased them and although he is very limited to what he can do to them, (they are designated heritage buildings) I wanted to photograph them 'as is'.
Seems like there weren't much in the way of building codes back then and everything is hodgepodge with brick, sandstone and jumbles of rock and cement pieced together...
Time has allowed wonderful hanging gardens of ferns, sedum and moss of all kinds to flourish here...
Then it was over to the Janion building which has been empty and boarded up for over 50 years. This has always been a gem to me.
It was built in 1891 as a Canadian Pacific Railway Hotel.
She was grand in her day...
...with cast iron pillars...
...hitching rings still stand waiting...
Now she sits and the sandstone washes away. The back has been a hangout for druggies and drunkards for years but they leave behind bits of beauty as well...
...perhaps even a Cinderella or two.
So for now I will see which way these old relics will go and hope that one day someone will enjoy their beauty in new ways.
1 comment:
I love this post. The two old building and what you have written. Very nice.., and I would hope that the important business of "preservation" continues so that we don't loose these priceless old buildings.
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