Doors Open 2014

[rusty_armour]

On Sunday, my mom, sister and I decided to visit some of the buildings being featured in this year's Doors Open Toronto. Given the popularity of the Old Don Jail last year, I suggested that we hit the Elgin & Winter Garden Theatre first as it was the place we all wanted to see most.

Just some really quick facts about the Elgin & Winter Garden Theatre. It was built in 1913 and is one of the only surviving Edwardian double decker (or stacked) theatres in the world. The purpose of the theatres was to host vaudeville acts and short silent films. The upper theatre (Winter Garden Theatre) was closed down in 1928 and remained closed for about sixty years. The building was closed in 1987, fully restored, and then re-opened in 1989.




Two charming Edwardian ladies outside the Elgin & Winter Garden Theatre




Interior of the Elgin Theatre lobby/main doors




Another shot of the lobby area




One of the gorgeous mirrors in the lobby (with my sister and the photographer in the reflection)




Close up detail on mirror







I'm always a sucker for stained glass and fell in love with this door




Love the elegant sconce




Wonderful period elevator, complete with birdcage and operator




The Elgin Theatre

(While the theatre looks like it's dripping with gold, it's actually gold paint over aluminum and plaster)




Better shot of the theatre (facing away from stage)




Everything about this theatre is beautiful, even the EXIT signs!




Balconies and box seats on the one side of the theatre




Close up on one of the balconies




Close up on balcony decoration.




Mom sitting very comfortably in one of the box seats with my sister posing outside




Closer look at interior of the box seats







Incredible domed ceiling




Ceiling of the Winter Garden Theatre

(Yes, those are leaves you're seeing -- real leaves, believe it or not.
They were treated with chemicals I can't remember to preserve them.)




Another look at the ceiling




I instantly fell in love with this dreamy, romantic stage backdrop




And took several pictures of it...







The ceiling just over the stage is just as beautiful




Check out the balconies!




I want to live in the Winter Garden Theatre




Old City Hall as seen from Nathan Phillips Square


After the Elgin & Winter Garden Theatre, we decided to head west on Queen to take in Campbell House and Osgoode Hall -- with a stop at a pub for lunch first. I lead my mom and sister on a slightly scenic route, cutting across Nathan Phillips Square and then the grounds of Osgoode Hall on the journey to the pub. Lunch was good but Campbell House was a disappointment. However, here's some quick history. Campbell House was built in 1822 by Upper Canada Chief Justice Sir William Campbell and his wife Hannah and is one of the few remaining Georgian buildings left in the city. It is an example of Palladian architecture. Campbell House was nearly demolished and only saved when the Advocates Society started a campaign to save it. In 1972, it was moved from its original location (at the intersection of Adelaide and Frederick Street) to its current location at Queen and University.




Campbell House


After waiting in line for at least 45 minutes, we were only allowed access to four rooms and provided with no history of the building (other than some quick factoids from volunteers as we stood in line) because there was a photography exhibit on. As we stepped into each room, we were invited to gaze at stereoscopic images using stereoscopes, etc. I didn't even feel like taking photos because stereoscopes, viewmasters and other photography paraphernalia were strewn across every available surface. In the end, I only took one picture inside the building:





The Kalloscop was sitting in their porn room (e.g. a room with Victorian pornography) and I just had to snap a picture. By depositing a penny in the Kalloscope, you could get quite the eyeful (e.g. topless Victorian ladies, Victorian ladies with bare bums, etc.).


As some of you may know, Osgoode Hall is an old stomping ground of mine as I go to the law library in order to do research for work -- or did. Tomorrow will probably be the last day I make that particular excursion as the new job finally starts on Monday. Anywaaaaaaay, I thought my mom and sister might like the building. I think my mom was curious for the simple reason that I'd been going there for so many years and she'd never seen inside. Of course, the only part of the building I'm really familiar with is the library, which might be why I neglected to take any pictures of it. However, I took shots of some other parts of the building -- some of which I'd never seen before. Before I start the photographic tour, I'll just throw some quick info at you. Osgoode Hall was constructed between 1829 and 1832 and, like Campbell House, it is Georgian, built in the Palladian and Neoclassical styles. It is named after Ontario's first chief justice, William Osgoode, and housed the Osgoode Hall Law School until 1969. Now, it houses the Ontario Divisional Court, the Ontario Court of Appeal, and the Law Society of Upper Canada.







The rotunda




Painting of Queen Victoria (in case you hadn't worked that out on your own)




Courtroom No. 2




Not sure...


Did I mention how much I love stained glass? I went a bit crazy in Convocation Hall.



















My mom loved the wall sconces, so I made sure to get a close up

---

Here ends the tour. Brain hurts and I'm tired. Going to read some fic and then head to bed. *g*

Comments

[boobamiaow.livejournal.com]

Those photos are delicious. I really want to visit them both. The theatre looks stunning :)

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much, boobamiaow! I'm happy you like the pictures! :-D I think you'd probably enjoy visiting both the Elgin & Winter Garden Theatre and Osgoode Hall, especially if you have an interest in older architecture. Of course, they're both worth visiting for aesthetic reasons alone.

[crew4.livejournal.com]

The photo's are awesome. And theatre is so gorgeous! Everything about it is so beautiful. Definitely a place I would love to visit. Oh, and I'm with you, I love stain glassed windows! Thanks for sharing :-)

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

The photo's are awesome.

Oh, thank you, crew4! I'm so glad you like them! :-D

And theatre is so gorgeous! Everything about it is so beautiful.

I don't think my pictures did it justice, so I'm sure it's even more impressive up close. :-) I'm very grateful that such a beautiful building has been restored. This is the kind of history that should be preserved.

Definitely a place I would love to visit.

If you love the photos then you'd love the actual place even more. If you ever make it to Toronto, you'll have to book a tour or take in a concert or theatre production.

Oh, and I'm with you, I love stain glassed windows!

Yay! Another aficionado! :-D Well, I'm glad I could provide so much stained glass in this post. I'll be sure to include more in future. ;-)

Thanks for sharing :-)

Absolutely no problem! I'm happy you enjoyed the post! :-D

[karen9.livejournal.com]

The Winter Garden Theatre is beautiful (apart from the Exit signs!) Thanks for the lovely photos. I love the domed ceiling, the boxes and the leaf ceiling. My favourite photo is the one you captioned "I want to live in the Winter Garden Theatre." It's great that the theatre has been so wonderfully restored.

Re the Campbell House - the whole building was taken apart and put together again on another site?

I'm glad the theatre and the Osgoode Hall have lots of stained glass for you to enjoy. I like the stained glass door in the theatre.

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

The Winter Garden Theatre is beautiful (apart from the Exit signs!) Thanks for the lovely photos.

I thought you'd probably like the Winter Garden Theatre. And I'm glad you liked the photos. I was more than happy to share them. :-)

I love the domed ceiling, the boxes and the leaf ceiling.

I'm still impressed by the amount of work and sheer craftsmanship that must have gone into that domed ceiling, though I'm sure the leaf ceiling was no picnic either! *g* I'm a sucker for theatre boxes. I feel like I'm being transported to the past whenever I see one. :-)

My favourite photo is the one you captioned "I want to live in the Winter Garden Theatre."

Oh, thank you! It's one of my favourite photos in the collection and turned out better than I'd hoped. I know it doesn't do the Winter Garden Theatre justice, but it at least gives you some idea of what it's like. :-)

Re the Campbell House - the whole building was taken apart and put together again on another site?

Yes, indeedy. Believe it or not, it was. Actually, that's not terribly unusual in this city when it comes to heritage buildings. We have a place here called Black Creek Pioneer Village (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Creek_Pioneer_Village) and most of the buildings there were moved from other sites across Southern Ontario. In the case of Campbell House, it would have been completely demolished if it hadn't been moved. The Coutts-Hallmark Greeting Cards Company owned the land and wanted to expand the parking lot, which meant bye-bye Campbell House if it wasn't moved to another location.

I'm glad the theatre and the Osgoode Hall have lots of stained glass for you to enjoy. I like the stained glass door in the theatre.

I think the stained glass was probably a result of the Art Nouveau movement. I'd have to check the date of construction for Convocation Hall, but I have a feeling it would fit. Of course, does stained glass ever really go out of fashion? Well, not in churches, certainly. *g*

[alysscarlet.livejournal.com]

I love the stained glass and real leaves in the theatre. And that tiled floor in the rotunda at Osgoode House is magnificent!

Looks like a lovely day.

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

I love the stained glass and real leaves in the theatre.

I'm sure my pictures didn't do either the stained glass or real leaves justice, but I'm glad they gave you some idea of how beautiful both features are. :-)

And that tiled floor in the rotunda at Osgoode House is magnificent!

It is, isn't it? There's tiled floor upstairs as well, so I've often found myself admiring it while waiting for the law library to open.

Looks like a lovely day.

It definitely was. I think we all had a lot of fun. :-)