Kingsway Park Ratepayers Fall 2009 newsletter

The Kingsway Park Ratepayers newsletters are always full of useful reporting of what is happening in many areas of their community, from development to historical efforts and all sorts of other issues and noticesy.

The fall 2009 newsletter has informative article about the original lighting on the Humber bridge, reproduced below. to read the complete newsletter click the link.

Click image to enlarge for better readability

Enlarged text from above Bridge Lanterns –  Anna Traer asked me (Madeleine McDowell) about the possibility of restoring the original 1916 lighting on the Old Mill Bridge. This is a photo of the old Mill Bridge the morning after Hurricane Hazel struck. It shows clearly the original lantern lighting on the Bridge. Since the Humewood Ratepayers took on a similar project for the Connaught Gates at Vaughn and Bathurst, just north of St Clair about five years ago, I asked them “WHO DID IT?” It turned out to be a local company just off the Queensway. They did the job working from 1912 promotion drawings and photographs of Sir Henry Pellat’s Connaught Gates, which were of similar age to Frank Barber’s iconic Old Mill Bridge. Heritage Toronto provided the community with a segregated account and issued tax receipts for donations. The results were beautiful and spectacular. The “Lighting” ceremony, which I attended, was on the 24th of May with fireworks and a street party. The project won an award for the quality of its restoration of an important architectural feature. Chris Nelson, who did the Lanterns for the Gates, is looking at the Photographs. We also have a piece of one of the original lanterns in the Swansea Historical Society’s collection, which eliminates measured calculations and guesswork for reproduction. I am prying a cost estimate out of Mr. Nelson. , I expect a jolt for my blood pressure when I receive it. But the Lanterns would properly light the Bridge – And it would be a beautiful piece of restoration. Any assistance to make this happen would be greatly appreciated! Madeleine McDowell

Bridge Lanterns

Anna Traer asked me about the possibility of restoring the

original 1916 lighting on the Old Mill Bridge. This is a photo of

the old Mill Bridge the morning after Hurricane Hazel struck. It

shows clearly the original lantern lighting on the Bridge.

Since the Humewood Ratepayers took on a similar project for

the Connaught Gates at Vaughn and Bathurst, just north of St

Clair about five years ago, I asked them “WHO DID IT?” It

turned out to be a local company just off the Queensway.

They did the job working from 1912 promotion drawings and

photographs of Sir Henry Pellat’s Connaught Gates, which

were of similar age to Frank Barber’s iconic Old Mill Bridge.

Heritage Toronto provided the community with a segregated

account and issued tax receipts for donations.

The results were beautiful and spectacular. The “Lighting”

ceremony, which I attended, was on the 24th of May with

fireworks and a street party. The project won an award for the

quality of its restoration of an important architectural feature.

Chris Nelson, who did the Lanterns for the Gates, is looking at

the Photographs. We also have a piece of one of the original

lanterns in the Swansea Historical Society’s collection, which

eliminates measured calculations and guesswork for

reproduction. I am prying a cost estimate out of Mr. Nelson. ,

I expect a jolt for my blood pressure when I receive it. But the

Lanterns would properly light the Bridge – And it would be a

beautiful piece of restoration. Any assistance to make this

happen would be greatly appreciated!

Madeleine McDowell

10 Comments

I'm concerned as well. I miss the low-down. Looking forward to some dirt on the handyman shop… or maybe he dug too far!

Strangely I am missing the blog. Never thought I would say that. We need some updates on what is going on in Junction life and the mystery of what is happening at the handyman store location!

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