Living in Aurora, Town of Aurora, Ontario » Safety

Wells Street School Neo-Class-ical Architecture, Structurally Sound

Anna Lozyk Romeo — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 03:19:59 +0000

In addition to its dominant and class presence in Aurora, former Wells Street School (Wells Street Schoolhouse Lofts) is also an example of the neo-classical architecture.

Wells Street Public School, Neo-Classical Architecture

‘In its purest form it is a style principally derived from the architecture of Classical Greece and the architecture of the Italian architect Andrea Palladio.‘ Source: Wiki

Sounds good to me, I always knew that there was something ‘Greek’ or ‘Italiain’ looking about the exteriors of the school. But then what’s inside the school, that is a different story.

Wells Street Public School, Auditorium

Couple more interior elements of historical value are the auditorium with stage and wood floor (above) and the glazed wood doors with tilting wood transoms (below).

Wells Street Public School, Doors

School was closed because of structural issues and the potential safety issues. As I toured the school inside it wasn’t hard to noticed that detailed structural assessment was performed on the school.

After the assessment it was determined that it would take millions of dollars to fix the school and too make it safe and operational again. Eventually school was closed.

Well Street Public School, Inspection

As of today the building is structurally sound, however, it would not be structurally sound if it continued to be educational institution with a everyday dynamic load of moving children and teachers. Everything has a life and the life of the educational institution is now over.

The idea to convert the school into residential units or lofts is a structurally sound idea. Exterior walls will be reinforced and more internal walls will be added that will add more support points making the building much stronger and probably to last in our community another 200 years or more.

Note, above is a photo of the stripped wall where the structural issue originated. When the wall was taken down for inspection, a window and door that was brick filled was uncovered. It will be interesting to find out what else the school is hiding and what else will be uncovered once the re-construction will take place.

Are you curious like me?

Thinking About Safety, An Accident On St. John’s Sideroad, Not First Probably Not Last

Anna Lozyk Romeo — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 03:56:37 +0000

Many times it crossed my mind. The ‘it’ is that the St. John’s sideroad is a busy road not just for the motorized vehicles but as well for parents/caregivers walking with their children, walkers, dog walkers, runners and bikers.

St. John's sideroad, Boardwalk

Over 15 years living in the area St. John’s sideroad undergone major transformation – residential development along, schools, addition of major supermarket, water treatment facility, road widening, Community Arboretum and addition of the boardwalk.

Not to mention, all this happened between Yonge Street and Bayview. The transformation was definitely to accommodate increased population and preferably the drivers.

GO Train, St. John's sideroad

Going down the memory lane, I remember this small dead end street right across the St. Andrew’s golf course where we used to go and watch the Canada Day fireworks. Many used that area as dumping ground as well. It was the bare land then.

Atkinson Park, St. John's sideroad, Boardwalk

The nice thing about my neighborhood is that parks, playgrounds, schools and shopping can be accessed via non-motorized means. When weather permits I take Matthew for long walks to the nearby playgrounds, boardwalk, the Arboretum and shopping to the Superstore.

I also have noticed that I am not the only one, especially the increased number of caregivers in our neighborhood taking children to playgrounds or schools in the strollers or just walking with them (they can’t drive, probably not allowed). There is really no point to drive where everything is under your nose.

So I went off on a tangent. Yes, yes, the ‘it’ continuation. St. John’s sideroad has history of accidents. We don’t have to see the accident, but we can see the aftermath results – damaged curbs, damaged guardrails, damaged speed signs, damaged posts, damaged grass, or broken car body parts. Over the few years I have seen it all.

Walking along the busy St. John’s sideroad do I watch my back? Of course. How can you not, knowing that accidents happened there. This confirms my fear.

Knocked Guards, Boardwalk, St. John's sideroad

Last weekend there was accident on the St. John’s sideroad.

A Honda car drove towards the boardwalk knocking couple of guarding posts. Probably a combination of black ice, slopped road and speeding car. To be exact the accident happened near the entrance of the Nokiida Trail boardwalk, a second observation deck on the North side of the road.

Knocked Guards, Boardwalk, St. John's sideroad

So I said above to ‘accommodate increased population and preferably the drivers’. Well when Superstore rose from the ground the driving customers definitely were given the preferential treatment.

I wrote about my request to the town to install a sidewalk on the side of the Earl Stewart Drive so parents pushing strollers will not use the road to access or leave the property. Many months passed and I have not seen any activity from the town. I would have thought that if there is a safety concern then such item would have been flagged immediately – I guess not. I will check with them in the spring.

Perhaps I will talk my five cents on safety. Drivers need to be more responsible and obey the rules. We got to stop designing roads and considering safety last. Pedestrians and moving vehicles should be as far as possible from each other.

Cost effective band-aid solution such as more safety signs don’t work anymore. I prefer more law enforcement people. But then even with police traps drivers do speed along St. John’s sideroad. It all boils down to the driver’s responsibility behind the wheel – Be Responsible Be Aware Around You.

Black Widow Spider Found In A Bag Full Of Grapes, And Free To Good Home, Dahhh

Anna Lozyk Romeo — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 02:45:03 +0000

Few nights ago I was watching the CP24 news about the Black Widow spider that was found in a bag of grapes. This is not a first time I heard that. So they talked about this and that about the spider.

Fall Spiders, Tim Taylor Trail

In the concluding remark of this breaking news it was implied by the news anchor that the owner is looking to find a good home.

What the Wack! A home for the Black Widow spider! Give me a break. Just put them to rest as stated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency: ‘If a spider falls into the sink it is recommended that the spider be killed rather than captured.‘

I don’t care what kind of spider it is, I don’t like spiders. I like photographing them though. This Black-and-yellow argiope (Argiope aurantia) I found right across the Case Woodlot on Henderson Drive sometimes in August. That was a good size spider too. This alerts me also may be I should be more careful going into the high grass area, something I often do.

Black-and-yellow argiope, Case Woodlot, Aurora

When they are small like this one on the rusty bridge railing, they don’t bother me as much. It is the web. Few times I got my self tangled in the spider web, and it creeps me out. Have I ever been bitten? I think so. Once in the neck when we hiked in Cape Breton about 5 years ago. I got small reaction but nothing serious.

Jumping Spider, Nokiidaa Trail Link, Connecting Bridge

And this little creature below I shook off Matthew’s jacket on the Nokiidaa Trail link boardwalk back in November. Not sure what it is but hopefully was harmless.

Spider, Nokiidaa Trail Link, Boardwalk, Aurora

So winter is coming. Days are colder and getting shorter and that means less time outside for us with camera. I took lot of images this spring, summer and fall so I am sure there will be plenty stuff for me to write about living in Aurora.

Reading, Talking And Driving, She Must Be BlackBerry CrackBerry

Anna Lozyk Romeo — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 02:29:13 +0000

I just wish I could do this – read messages, talk to the passenger and drive, all at the same time. I wish I could go trick-or-treat with my child and text at the same time, but I chose not to own this cool toy blackberry often called crackberry for such reasons.

Yesterday, I was driving along the St. John’s sideroad. I glanced in my mirror to see what Matthew was doing on the back. However, before I was able to look at him I saw white Mazda car driving behind me with two young ladies. Or even better I young lady driving the Mazda car with her friend in the passenger seat. But sometimes it does feel like that car is driving by itself.

I was slowing down as few cars in front slowed down and were flashing to make a left turn. I was slowing down but not the driver in the Mazda car.

The driver had her head down for most of the time. At the same time she was conversing with her passenger friend. When they came close to me they stopped. I must say the driver was good. Oh I wish I could have such multitasking skill. She almost gave me a heart attack though because I wasn’t in the mood for another fender bender incident.

The driver continued to text and chat with her friend. I turned left on Yonge Street and they drove straight on St. John’s sideroad.

Quack

I may not sound too angry. Let just say that I have no hope in the drivers or the law enforcers, both need some good wacky wack qack on the head.

Road Kill or Road Kill Not

Anna Lozyk Romeo — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 20:17:05 +0000

I consider Canada Geese to be very lucky not to be the ‘road kill’ on the St. John sideroad. They move freely from one side of the street to the other, and cars honk their horns and actually stop for them to pass. Why not the same privelage for the poor muskrat or poor rabbit lying there flattened to the ground? Drivers know that McKenzie Marsh is abundant in wildlife and must drive with caution.

Canada Geese Crossing St. John's sideroad in Aurora

Now, about the openings in the railing along the boardwalk. Last summer when I was walking along the boardwalk, one day out of blue posts were taken out from the railing. It seemed unusual due to the regular pattern, every so many meters. I suspected that this was a ‘relief valve’ for the geese to go back to the pond. However, if you think about it, it is actually a safety issue for the parents walking with their children. Children like to look at the pond, and they try to push themselves through the railing no matter how small opening is, their feet and hands, and throw stones or sticks.

McKenzie Marsh Boardwalk in Aurora

What happened next? Well, in the fall a yellow caution tape finally showed up. Don’t you think, it is kind of too late for that? Yes, it is – I said then. With lots of hope, seeing the yellow tape, I thought that the railing will be soon fixed. Waited the winter out. Spring is here, and all we get is just another band-aid – a wooden fence on each opening. I am now very convinced that the posts were taken out deliberately for the geese to go back to the pond. Result – I will be very p@#$ed if they remove the temporarily fencing for the geese this summer.

Just A Snail in Aurora (before)

We worry about the geese, but to me it is a serious safety issue. I am sure that the geese will eventually find their way back to the pond. If it is a nesting issue, then instead of creating an inviting garden, put some stones around – or something to keep them away.

Now you can see the preferential treatment for Canada Geese – a road kill not; for a muskrat, a rabbit, a snail killed recently on the St. John’s sideroad – a road kill; for citizens – I rather not talk about it.