Some long gone greats

[Holden West]

At first I thought it was the little service station on Fernwood but I saw the word "Arena" in the sign and knew it could only be the audio/alarm installation place on Caledonia and Blanshard across from the arena:

http://g.co/maps/pn4fc

The building is still there so it is not "long gone" and although I'm sure the Hallmark Society would disagree but I say it is not truly "great" so I would recommend moving this question to another subforum.

[sebberry]

I looked at that then ruled it out, but now I look at the manhole covers, I tend to agree with you.

If so, that building has undergone major changes.

[VictoriaExplorer]

Originally Posted by Holden West

At first I thought it was the little service station on Fernwood but I saw the word "Arena" in the sign and knew it could only be the audio/alarm installation place on Caledonia and Blanshard across from the arena:

http://g.co/maps/pn4fc

Correct! 1930 Blanshard.

[aastra]

Funny thing, we identified so many different jurisdictions that were preserving their historic bascule bridges, but I don't remember anyone mentioning this one:

The bridge was designed by Joseph Strauss, who among other things also constructed the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, USA. In 2006 the bridge was conserved by the Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage, since Skansen Bridge is unique in Norway and only one of a few of its kind left in the world.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skansen_Bridge

[History Buff]

There is one even closer than that.
3 hours south of Port Angeles on the 101 this one was restored and named a National Site Years ago. It is located in Aberdeen WA.
Been over it many times on trips to Seaside and Cannon Beach on Oregon Coast

http://bridgehunter.com/wa/grays-harbor/2311A0000000/

https://www.google.ca/search?q=Wishk...w=1366&bih=627

[aastra]

Oh, I know, there are many. We identified so many of them during the whole bridge saga. But I don't recall anyone mentioning that one in Norway.

[History Buff]

Wonder how many others are not in North America.
Was looking at a book yesterday published in 1905 on how to build bridges and there are 4 pages on Bascule Bridges.
I watched some of the hoe-ramming of the counter weight on the rail portion and it seemed to be more solid than hollow. Any one know anything about the counter weights?

[Ms. B. Havin]

Seeing the Johnson Street Bridge in the "Some long gone greats" thread makes me sad.

[aastra]

You know what? The Skansen Bridge and the Wishkah River Bridge are both missing from Wikipedia's list of bascule bridges. I'll never count on Wikipedia again:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bascule_bridges

[LJ]

Originally Posted by aastra

Oh, I know, there are many. .

Really? The quote you posted said it was one of a few in the world.

[aastra]

If you're trying to keep track of them all in your head, there will seem to be many. That translates into an average of about one per US state or Canadian province.

If you're celebrating them as extant examples of a particular technology from the early 20th century, there will seem to be very few. A country the size of Norway has one. A province the size of BC has one, soon to have none.

[aastra]

And if you're talking about the twin-span variant, you had only one in a country the size of Canada. And now you have none.

[History Buff]

Originally Posted by aastra

I'll never count on Wikipedia again:

How could you count on Wikipedia to start with. It is made from contributions from anyone with internet.
Hell I could post that there is a bascule bridge connecting Victoria to Port Angeles and someone in Namibia reading it wouldnt know any different.

I think it is good for gathering vague info then going to a different site for the real info.

[Phil McAvity]

Originally Posted by History Buff

How could you count on Wikipedia to start with. It is made from contributions from anyone with internet.

I think it is good for gathering vague info......

So it should be perfect for you then.

Like a lot of people you're beaking off about something you know very little about. All you've heard is that anyone can write wikipedia articles so you decided to pass that nuggest of ill-informed wisdom on, however not only is that not true (anyone can edit wikipedia articles, but not write them), but wikipedia has a team of over 1500 administrators that oversee the integrity of the content. I've heard that wikipedia is more accurate than the encyclopedia britannica and as a person that has spent hundreds of hours at the site (it's my favourite non-pornographic website), I believe that. On top of that, wikipedia's information can be up to the minute whereas traditional encyclopedia's info can be months or even years behind. The quality of the writing on the other hand.....

[aastra]

...how could you count on Wikipedia to start with.

In fact, I've spent a fair bit of time trying to correct egregious factual errors in Wikipedia articles (I say "trying" because Wikipedia's editors can be very diligent about uncorrecting corrections, regardless of how well referenced the correction is or how inexplicable the original B.S. was).

Thus, I was being ironic. I don't count on Wikipedia, and nobody should count on it. We immediately recognize errors if the article deals with a subject that we know very well, but for the other 98% of the articles on there...

[History Buff]

Well isn't that utterly amazing that is a fact that goes largely unknown.

"but wikipedia has a team of over 1500 administrators that oversee the integrity of the content"

So 1500 people see over the integrity of 3 907 574 articles

Welcome to Wikipedia,
the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.
3,907,574 articles in English


Heavens...where do they find the time?


I need to run now... I am heading over to Wikipedia to edit the Johnson St Bridge entry to say that it bridges the Juan De Fuca Straight from Victoria to Port Angeles

[aastra]

Built in 1909 by Queen Victoria.

[History Buff]

Originally Posted by aastra

Built in 1909 by Queen Victoria.

Sorry aastra I need to edit your post Wikipedia style

The Johnson st bridge blah blah blah is Blue and it blah it has rivets blah blah that blue counterweight etc etc etc blah blah

[Holden West]

This thread has been going since 2006 and has presented some amazing examples.

I'd like to present my nomination for the most regretted loss. It's the old Victoria Brewery on Government Street. My reasons are:

1. A unique building. There was really nothing else like it.
2. It was not sacrificed for a greater good--the building that replaced it was a generic 2-storey commercial structure.
3. It was demolished on the eve of the rebirth of Victoria's craft breweries and would have been a fine home to VIB, Lighthouse, Phillips or other outfit.
4. It had been newly renovated and was in good shape.

Bottom two images are details from photos posted on http://vintageairphotos.com

What building do you think was the most tragic loss?

[Nparker]

Originally Posted by Holden West

What building do you think was the most tragic loss?

The Willows Exhibition Building at the race track. Bar none, this was the region's greatest loss, IMHO.

[Holden West]

^Architecturally yes. It was a jewel. But what purpose would it serve today? It's a bit of a white elephant like the Crystal Garden.


http://bowlsoakbay.ca/clubhist/AClubHistory.htm

It could have become some sort of hotel or conference centre perhaps. Makes you wonder, if it had been kept, would an urban centre have developed around it?

[Bingo]

I have friends in the area of the old Willows Exhibition building who are continually digging up fragments of broken frosted glass. Their neighbour once had a collection of old horseshoes from an area where the barns were.

That wood building burned down in 1948.


http://www.willowsparkgrocery.com/pr03.htm

[Dylan Leblanc]

Would never get built nowadays - to tall.

[Fairbanks]

Originally Posted by Holden West

^Architecturally yes. It was a jewel. But what purpose would it serve today? It's a bit of a white elephant like the Crystal Garden.


http://bowlsoakbay.ca/clubhist/AClubHistory.htm

It could have become some sort of hotel or conference centre perhaps. Makes you wonder, if it had been kept, would an urban centre have developed around it?

This pavilion would be great for hosting weddings, receptions and other rental gigs.

[aastra]

I didn't realize the old wing at the Jubilee was already toast. I'm obviously out of the loop. I've said it before, I'll say it again: Victorians are way too casual about knocking old stuff down.

I'm reading that "Unbuilt Victoria" book right now.