HMS Nancy & the Lost Jesuit Gold
Our story begins in the fall of 1627 in the small French village of Fougeres north east of the olde Royal city of Rennes in Normandy. A French trapper by the name of Louis Sevard was dying at the age of 32 and in his estate papers was a map from his days a trapper working out of Montreal in New France. He was one of the original French explorers-voyageurs from the earlier days brought into the Saint Mary’s Falls region by Samuel de Champlain in 1617 and later explored by Etienne de Brule in 1623. One of the new breed of “courier de bois” that was to arise with various fur trading companys being developed as an off-shoot to find the route to China on the inland seas of north America. The trade in furs just being one of the many new economic benefits of exploring and trading with the indigenous peoples as they moved westward. Part of the commentary in his estate papers dealt with the “shinny metal” being worn by the northern people referred to as the Ojibwa and Cree from what later became known as the Manitoulin Islands and those just south of “la grande saulte” or what we now call Saulte Ste Marie. Lac de Huron was rapidly changing from La Mer Douce to La Mer D’Ore and had nothing to do with the sunsets on the bays.
In folowing spring of 1628, to make a long story short, this last will and testiment along with the map was given to Louis Dumont an olde close friend of his who in turn gave it to Andre Marie Daumont who again was to be the father to a Jesuit priest by the name of Simon Francis Daumont of the local Jesuit mission in Caen. This priest who was to join with the mission, was sent out to establish a mission among the Ojibwa and Cree at a place on the map refrred to as Baawitigong [place by the falls] and subsequently called Saulte Saint Marie in 1668. When they arrived at the falls they found numerous French trapper-adventurers still working in the area. To their delight they also found that this “shinny metal” turned out to be gold being extracted from a multitude of small mines in the area by the Indians and of course which turned out to be a useful source of minerals in aid of financing their mission amongst the natives. To a certain measure it was south America all over again but while it was on a much smaller scale it was “highly profitable” none the less. Over time the amount of gold that was accumulated and smelted into small “cing livres” bars turned out to be “plentifull” to such an extent that it began to attrack some unwanted attention due in large part to more trappers going home to die either in Quebec or back in France just like where our story starts with Louis Sevard.
As in all things, the agents of none other than Louis XIV began to get wind of this bounty in the hands of the church and in 1674 informed Sieur de LaSalle that he should form a company of adventurers and while he was to be obstenively looking for a trade route to China, that he should check out the stories of what was now being referred to as Jesuit gold from New France. So in 1677 under the provisional guidance of Count Sieur de La Frontenac in New France Sieur LaSalle and company shipped out to Quebec and set up their base camp at the new French village of Fort Frontenac (Kingston) in New France. Here in the spring of 1678 he built the little bargue Le Frontenac with over sized timbers and sailed to the Niagara River arriving on Christmas day. They made arrangements with the local Seneca to allow them to cut trees and on januray 17, 1679 they started work on Le Griffon which was essentially a revised version of Le Frontenac but twice the size. From here they knew from Jesuit records and from the maps obtained from French trappers that their way was clear to sail straight to the Lac du Huron and of their main objective, that being the Jesuit mission at Saulte Saint Marie as directed by the King of France. Since communication is a two way street, the Jesuits knew of Sieur de LaSsalles intentions and were busy “making al necessary arrangements” to bury their gold on one of three islands just south of their mission one of which was called Isle St Joseph with the main disposal point being two more small islands off the mouth of yet another “saulte where the river flows to the west into the Michigan [one of which was later renamed Drummond Island] and further to the south east into Matchdash Bay near the main Huron WendotteVillage [Coldwater - now lock 45 at the northern end of the Huron indian trail leading all the way up from Lac Iroquois – now Lake Ontario]. A locale we shall hear of more later in our story. The actual trail is along the valley’s and highlands starting with the Rouge valley along Lake Couchiching to Bass Lake to “Gissinausebing” now known as Coldwater.
Niagara River to Saginaw Bay
In July of 1679, La Salle directed 12 men to tow Le Griffon through the rapids of the Niagara River with long lines stretched from the bank. They moored in quiet water off Squaw Island 3 miles from Lake Erie waiting for favorable northeast winds. La Salle sent Tonti ahead on 22 July 1679 with a few selected men, canoes, and trading goods to secure furs and supplies. Le Griffon set off [rowed] on 7 August with unfurled sails, a 34-man crew, and a salute from her cannon and musketry. They were navigating Le Griffon through uncharted waters that only canoes had previously explored. They made their way around Long Point, constantly sounding as they went through the first moonless, fog-laden night to the sound of breaking waves and guided only by La Salle's knowledge of Galinee’s [Sevard’s old map] crude, 10-year-old chart. They sailed across the open water of Lake Erie whose shores were forested and "unbroken by the faintest signs of civilization". They reached the mouth of the Detroit River on 10 August 1679 where they were greeted by 3 columns of smoke signaling the location of Tonti's adavnce camp whom they received on board. They entered lake St Clair on 12 August, the feast day of Saint Clare of Assisi, and named the lake after her. They again sounded their way through the narrow channel of the St. Claire River to its mouth where they were delayed by contrary winds until 24 August. For the second time, they used a dozen men and ropes to tow Le Griffon over the rapids of the St. Clair River into lower Lake Huron. They made their way north and west into Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron where they were becalmed until noon of 25 August.
(*) La Salle took personal command at this point due to evidence that the pilot was negligent. He was working for the Jesuits who wanted LaSalle to sail north west rather than north east where both the French River and the Severn River emptied into Matchdash Bay which at that time referred to all of east Lake Huron as the name Georgian Bay was not used until much later.
Lake Huron Storm
On noon of 25 August 1679 they started out northwest with a favoring northerly wind. When the wind suddenly veered to the southeast they changed course to avoid Presque Isle. However, the ferocity of the gale forced them to retreat windward and lie-to until morning. By 26 August the violence of the gale caused them to "haul down their topmasts, to lash their yards to the deck, and drift at the mercy of storm. At noon the waves ran so high, and the lake became so rough, as to compel them to stand in for land." Father Hennepin wrote that during the fearful crisis of the storm, La Salle vowed that if God would deliver them, the first chapel they later erected in Lousiana would be dedicated to the memory of saint Anthony of Padua, the patron of the sailor. The wind did slightly decrease but they drifted slowly all night, unable to find anchorage or shelter. They were driven northwesterly until the evening of 27 August when under a light southerly breeze they finally rounded Point St. Ignace and anchored in the calm waters of the natural harbor at Mackinac Island [within eyesight of the Jesuit mission at Saulte Saint Marie] where there was a settlement of Hurons, Ottawas, Cree and “a few Frenchmen”. The Jesuits were not thrilled to see Sieur de LaSalle and his band of thieves [entrepeneurs] arrive. What to do?
Mackinac Island
Upon Le Griffon's safe arrival at Mackinac Island, the voyagers sent by the King fired a salute from her deck that the Hurons respnded on shore and volleyed three times with their firearms. More than 100 native American birchbark canoes gathered around Le Griffon to look at the "big wood canoe". La Salle dressed in a scarlet cloak bordered with lace and a highly plumed cap, laid aside his arms in charge of a sentinel and attended mass with his crew in the Jesuit chapel of the Ottawas and then made a visit to the local indians in a ceremony with the Chiefs. Big wampum was here somewhere and he meant to find it for the King who was financing his “trade mission” via Count Sieur de La Frontenac.
La Salle found some of the 15 men he had sent ahead from Fort Frontenac to trade with the Michigan Illinois but they had listened to La Salle's enemies who said he would never reach Mackinac Island. La Salle seized 2 of the deserters and sent Tonti with 6 men to arrest 2 more at Saulte saint Marie who had been threatened with all sorts of “religious torments by the priests”.
Prairie du Chien – Wisconsin River - Green Bay
The short open-water season of the upper Great Lakes compelled La Salle to depart for Green Bay on 12 September, 5 days before Tonti's return. They sailed from the Starits of Mackinac to an island (either Washington Island, Rock Island on Lac du Michigan) located at or near the entrance of Green Bay (Lake Michigan). They anchored on the south shore of the island and found it occupied by the friendly Pottawatomies and Salk indians and 15 of the missing fur traders that La Salle had sent ahead. The traders had collected 12,000 pounds (5,400 kg) of furs in anticipation of the arrival of the Le Griffon. La Salle decided to stay behind with 4 canoes to explore the head lands of Lake Michigan. La Salle gave instructions for Le Griffon to off-load merchandise for him at Mackinac Island that would be picked up on the return trip. Le Griffon rode out a violent storm for 4 days and then on 18 September, the pilot Luc and 5 crew sailed south east under a favorable wind via Matchdash Bay for the Niagara River with a parting salute from a single gun. She carried a cargo of furs valued at from 50,000 to 60,000 francs ($10,000 – $12,000) and the rigging and anchors for another vessel that La Salle intended to build to find passage to the West Indies via the Ohio valley river, and finally a detailed map for Matchdash Bay. La Salle never saw Le Griffon again.
Shipwreck of Le Griffon
Father Hennepin wrote that Le Griffon was lost in a violent storm. Some charged fur traders, and even Jesuits with her destruction. Some said that the Pottawatomies or the Ottawas boarded her, murdered her crew, and then burned her. La Salle was convinced that the pilot Luc and crew treacherously sank her at the explicit orders of the Jesuits and made off with the goods. They say that there is no conclusive evidence about any of the theories about Le Griffon's loss.
Le Griffon is reported to be the "Holy Grail" of Great Lakes shipwreck hunters. A number of sunken old sailing ships have been suggested to be Le Griffon but, except for the ones proven to be other ships, there has been no positive identification. One candidate is a wreck at the western end of Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron, with another wreck near Escanaba, Michigan, also proposed. Le Griffon was the second in a string of thousands of ships that found their last berth on the bottom of the Great Lakes.
Le Griffon may have been found by the Great Lakes Exploration Group but the potential remains were the subject of lawsuits involving the discoverers, the state of Michigan, the U.S. federal government and the government of France acting on behalf of the “Crown”.
Le Griffon is considered by some to have been the first ship lost on the Great Lakes. It was another vessel used by LaSalle and Tonti, however, that was the first loss on January 8, 1679. As noted above, sources give its size as either 20 tons or 40 tons. It dragged anchor and ran aground near Thirty Mile Point on Lake Ontario, where it broke apart. Some say that this vessel was named the Frontenac, while others say the other vessel used on LaSalle's expedition was the Frontenac. Some sources confuse the two vessels.
In July, 2010 the Great Lakes Exploration Group issued a press release stating that they, the state of Michigan and France had reached agreement to co-operate in the next phase of an archaeological site assessment for identifying the shipwreck. Little do they realize just how far off the trail theyreally are.
Jesuit Gold
In looking for the Jesuit gold from the shinning seas of La Mer D’Ore long extracted by both Indian and trader alike from a multitude of small workings in what became the Algoma district one must first of all look at the entrance to Matchdash Bay and the charts extant from Father Hennepin a Recollet priest. Both he and the enterprising “fur” traders were reviled by the Jesuits with Hennepin nearly killed by accidentally “falling” into the falls at St Mary’s. His estate, which was, filed many years later in Calais France was also, along with another estate filed in 1705 by the family of one Jean de La Lande from the Landes estates in southern France in the Bordeaux region east of the Gironde River estuary and now called the Lande de Pomeral region and famous for its dry Bordeaux wines provided some interesting details as to the fate of the Jesuit gold. The olde estate is now a popular Chateau and tourist resort. Jean de La Lande has a stature dedicated to him at the Saint Marie Among the Hurons in Midland Ontario. The de La Lande family was also prominent in the later religious wars in France and where commanders for the Huguenot army of the south under Coligny during the reign of Louis XIV.
In 1765 Clan MacKintosh [Clan Chattan] of Inverness at the request of Richardson Forsythe of Aberdeen Scotland were requested to set up a trading enterprise in the Canadas from Montreal to re-organize the “courier de bois” of Montreal into a trading company and expand it westward into the Assinaboine Country west of the great lakes obsessively for the beaver furs that were now so popular in Europe, ‘along with anything else they could find” …. a standard caveat. As a result the Richardson Forsythe Company set up their business in Montreal along with a joint venture called the XY Company which was the financing wing of the fur trade enterprise out of Montreal. From here they set up trading posts or took over olde French trading posts from the Detroit River to the Wisconsin River all the way out to Fort William established in 1796 to replace the original trading post established twenty years earlier. To supply these forts and sundry trading posts Richardson Forsythe build a number of schooners and brigs to supply and carry the heavy freight on the lakes with the bateaux and canoe d’Maitre to run the river systems.
In 1769 the North West Company built the executive express schooner for John Richardson and named her after his eldest daughter, Nancy Richardson – the Nancy. John Forsythe named another schooner after his daughter, the Ellen. The Nancy interestingly enough operated from Fort Erie to Saint Mary’s Falls [Saulte Sainte Marie] and covered the olde trading posts in Saginaw Bay and both Michilimacquinac on the mains land and Fort Mackinaw just opposite that on Mackinaw Island. And of course the North West Company being from Montreal operated with the “courier de bois” and the voyageur families dating back to the days of Sieur de Champlain and Count Sieur de La Frontenac and of course Sieur de la Salle and a few sundry contacts with religious orders of various “bents”.
The NANCY & Jesuit Gold
As in all things, there is the ever-present “six degrees of separation”. The crew of the NANCY now under the command of one Alexander MacIntosh included a cadre of French voyageurs and adventurers from France and Montreal and around the lakes with a long heritage of being “Canadienne”. In amongst these men were three individuals of particular interest being Joseph LaMotte and Joseph Paquette and Joseph L’Tromp. They were from Montreal of course with friends and relatives in Saulte Ste Marie. Of specific interest is Joseph LaMotte who was cousin of Jean LaMonte who was related on his mother’s side to one Louis Dumont cousin to the Jesuit founder of the mission to Saulte Saint Marie, Simon Francis Daumont. On occasion there was a Henri Dumont that sailed on the Nancy as well in the later 1790’s.
It was Louis Dumont who gave a certain map obtained from Simon Daumont to Henri Dumont as a family heirloom and then who gave it to Jean LaMonte who in turn gave it to Joseph LaMotte who as we have said sailed onboard the NANCY and who was a friend and confident of Alexander MacKintosh. While the main based of operations for the NANCY were from “Moy” a place called Sandwich later called Windsor to either Fort Erie or to Saulte Saint Marie her “mid-point” was the provisioning base in Matchdash Bay between the Severn and French River for incoming supplies from Montreal up the Ottawa River valley.
In referring back to the loss of the “Le Griffon” one must keep in mind that as a marine archaeologist one is familiar with the use by the French use of nickel-plating to keep their guns barrels and fittings from rusting in New France. The Charleville muskets of the period found at Fortress Louisburg were all nickel-plated. From French records many of the fittings sent out for the ships in New France were also nickel-platted including those designed for both Le Frontenac and Le Griffon used by Sieur de La Salle. There is only one wreck on the south eastern side of Manitoulin Island in Meldrum Bay that has a wreck with French artefacts that are nickel plated and this is the wreck of the Le Griffon, including small traces of “L’Ore” .. gold. It is approximately half way between the French and Severn River in the opposite direction to that of Lake Michigan.
Both the Logs by Alexander MacIntosh and Masters Logs by Jacob Hammond of the schooner Nancy, later HMS Nancy, while Joseph LaMotte was present, clearly indicate that she visited Meldrum Bay on numerous occasions and “brought off 3000 livres d’ore”. As to what happened to this gold, one can only guess. Most of it was sent onto Montreal and to Aberdeen where the MacIntosh Clan suddenly experienced a period of wealth in building their new castle [now gone] and to the fortunes of the North West Company. Without a doubt some of that gold financed the founding of McGill University.
But of the nearly 1 ton of the ton and half of gold, which took some 50 years to accumulate by the Jesuits in 5 livre bars made in granite moulds, some remained reburied on one of three islands named above and more importantly in Matchdash Bay north to Meldrum bay. This body of water was easily navigated by the Nancy before her commissioning days with the royal navy as HMS NANCY, and somewhere between Port McNicoll and Christies Mills at Lock 45. It is estimated that at least half remains to be found underwater in a small inlet easily spotted from the mainland. One final note and that is Simon MacGillivray liked come all the way from Montreal to fish in Matchdash Bay shortly after the war of 1812 and when he was donating numerous canoes to Indian Chiefs “who honourably maintained his assets” during the war. Why here?
So then, I leave it up to you the intrepid reader, who by happenstance reads this, to go find the long lost 1000 livres of gold bars of the Jesuits confiscated by de LaSalle and now belonging to the Crown. [Subsequent to the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 the Crown is now the British Crown - and with the new Canada Repatriation Act to the Canadian Government] and reburied by the crew of the NANCY somewhere in Matchdash Bay for safe-keeping. All you need now is an olde map, binoculars, a pair of fins, a shovel and a strong back.
In today’s terms a 1000 pounds of gold at $980 an ounce is about $15.7 million. Well worth a peak.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Friday, September 3, 2010
Fall Interim Meetings and Heritage Canada
This is just a short Post to let you know what is currently going on with the Foundation's activities around the Nancy Project.
While the Foundation has been busy of late and is currently awaiting the decision from the Honourable James Moore Minister of Canadian Heritage in regards to our request for a small ship building subsidy of anywhere from 5% to 15% of the cost [to cover the architectural and engineering fees] to build the new NANCY and more importantly in order to "unlock" the private funding for the actual construction costs at the shipyard, that we have decided to open a Facebook page to allow others to join in the discussions around the advent of the NANCY.
Once completed the NANCY will need a crew to sail her and there are plenty of people, both men and women, both young and older who have volunteered to do that from around the Province in general and in particular from the Barrie - Orillia - Port McNicoll triangle area. As well, there are a couple of "black powder" groups who are also interested especially with re-enactments coming up both on land and "at sea" with the Americans during the War of 1812 Bi-Centennial from the fall of 2011 to the fall of 2014. The excitment will grow when we have the functioning cannons [smoke and flash - no cannon balls] and railing guns onboard along with Congrieve Rockets to add a little more "flare" to the meeting with the Americans.
Other groups, such as carvers, wood workers in the finishing trades and home crafts to supply the various products for the new heritage store that will eventually accompany the NANCY at dockside as we try to avoid Made in China/Japan products. So put your thinking caps on and let us see what you are made of and build on our maritime history for the tourists and school kids to see and learn from in the process as we bring it back to life. maybe one day the NANCY will be mentioned in the high school history books.
We are looking at holding public meetings in the fall of 2010 and spring of 2011 depending on the level of response to the new Facebook page around the NANCY Project with the new HMS NANCY becoming a permanent facility in Port McNicoll - occasionally sailing around the Great Lakes to attact more tourism to the southern Georgian Bay Coastal area. For those heritage fans who support us I'd like to ask that you wear a "period" shirt to the meetings [pattern is avaliable from Vogue and Butterick - 1776 pattern]
and for the Scots among us to wear your kilts if you have one.
Lastly, and I'll put this on the Facebook posting as well, is that for all who read this and support this type of heritage project, I would like to ask that they/you spend just a few moments and write a letter of support for the Nancy Project and the grant request, and address it to:
The Honourable James Moore P.C. M.P.
The Minister of Canadian Heritage
Legislative Buildings
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0M5
and say that you support the Nancy Project and that you would like to see the new NANCY as part of the Bi-Centennial of the War of 1812 with the help of his Ministry in order to "unlock" the funding condition from the private sponsors. Then pop it into the mail. The leading MP's who support this project with us are of course Bruce Stanton [Orillia] Patrick Brown [Barrie] and Joseph Preston [St Thomas - Port Stanley]. I am sure they would love to hear from their constituents as well.
Thank you very much.
While the Foundation has been busy of late and is currently awaiting the decision from the Honourable James Moore Minister of Canadian Heritage in regards to our request for a small ship building subsidy of anywhere from 5% to 15% of the cost [to cover the architectural and engineering fees] to build the new NANCY and more importantly in order to "unlock" the private funding for the actual construction costs at the shipyard, that we have decided to open a Facebook page to allow others to join in the discussions around the advent of the NANCY.
Once completed the NANCY will need a crew to sail her and there are plenty of people, both men and women, both young and older who have volunteered to do that from around the Province in general and in particular from the Barrie - Orillia - Port McNicoll triangle area. As well, there are a couple of "black powder" groups who are also interested especially with re-enactments coming up both on land and "at sea" with the Americans during the War of 1812 Bi-Centennial from the fall of 2011 to the fall of 2014. The excitment will grow when we have the functioning cannons [smoke and flash - no cannon balls] and railing guns onboard along with Congrieve Rockets to add a little more "flare" to the meeting with the Americans.
Other groups, such as carvers, wood workers in the finishing trades and home crafts to supply the various products for the new heritage store that will eventually accompany the NANCY at dockside as we try to avoid Made in China/Japan products. So put your thinking caps on and let us see what you are made of and build on our maritime history for the tourists and school kids to see and learn from in the process as we bring it back to life. maybe one day the NANCY will be mentioned in the high school history books.
We are looking at holding public meetings in the fall of 2010 and spring of 2011 depending on the level of response to the new Facebook page around the NANCY Project with the new HMS NANCY becoming a permanent facility in Port McNicoll - occasionally sailing around the Great Lakes to attact more tourism to the southern Georgian Bay Coastal area. For those heritage fans who support us I'd like to ask that you wear a "period" shirt to the meetings [pattern is avaliable from Vogue and Butterick - 1776 pattern]
and for the Scots among us to wear your kilts if you have one.
Lastly, and I'll put this on the Facebook posting as well, is that for all who read this and support this type of heritage project, I would like to ask that they/you spend just a few moments and write a letter of support for the Nancy Project and the grant request, and address it to:
The Honourable James Moore P.C. M.P.
The Minister of Canadian Heritage
Legislative Buildings
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0M5
and say that you support the Nancy Project and that you would like to see the new NANCY as part of the Bi-Centennial of the War of 1812 with the help of his Ministry in order to "unlock" the funding condition from the private sponsors. Then pop it into the mail. The leading MP's who support this project with us are of course Bruce Stanton [Orillia] Patrick Brown [Barrie] and Joseph Preston [St Thomas - Port Stanley]. I am sure they would love to hear from their constituents as well.
Thank you very much.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Toronto Waterfront - Port Union
Dear old Scarborough gets its lumps yet again and deservedly so. And once again the City of Toronto planning department for ever the bride's maid and never the bride has been led down the merry garden path on the faint hopes that it can get some stupid commercial marketing company with a modicum of intelligence to revive a long dead property on the top of the Scarborough Bluffs far off in some long forgotton burb of old Scarborough.
"Oh - my - God" is head yet again ... loud and clear "What shall we do" as those in the downtown Toronto planing department who know absolutely nothing about marketing any property anywhere in Toronto let alone dear old "Scarberia". As if anyone ever really suspected that they put any real effort into it. After all, they can't even see it from their office tower, so who really cares? The Guildwood Inn fiasco remains as part of a long list of other municiple projects that exemplify the sheer stupidity of GTA planners, the economic development department staff and their so-called consultant pals who regularly feed off the culpability of what passes for civil servants. And servants they are.
"Guild Inn revitalization plan shelved" the papers yell. Little do they and everyone else know that the plan never left the dusty shelf in the first place. The more than aptly named company "Windmill Developments" headed no doubt by the great "Don" himself tilted at the concept of "the viability" of the Inn with a well "seasoned hospitality proposal" of making the Inn a boutique Inn by removing the earlier over-ambitious expansion of this moribund property. The whole project was based on full occupancy ... get serious folks ... that has never happened and will never happen. For the poor old Guid it makes a much sense as a long stroll on a short property late at night. Someone is bound to get that sinking feeling real quick and be let down in a big way. In this case the Bluffs are also aptly named for the fools who linger there.
The local Councilor says this is "a huge blow". For a politician that is easy for him to say. The local self appointed historian says the "withdrawl of Windmill is bad news".... Tilt!
The City of Toronto has seen its historical board [long considered a nuisance to builders of all stripes] go with the same wind ... left on its own the Guildwood Inn will simply implode and those who "think they can do something" will simply do what they always do and that is to wring their hands and say "oh my", and "we tried so hard". More tilting.
There is no developer stupid enough to bite on this property, there isn't one coming and there is no developer with the money "required" to essentially rebuild this property which was finished 20 years ago. Its simply not going to happen.
Like so many projects and proposals along the Toronto waterfront they are dreamed up by civil servants who can't get a real job in the outside world and politicians from the same cut of cloth that are so thin between the ears its ridiculous to think that any of the crap they come up with will ever get off the ground or off the shelf for that matter as well.
Its been one dumb ass project after another that gets the printed medias attention, so enjoy the "huge blow" as I am more than sure the economic department, local Councilors and the like are already dusting off another old project to run it past those in the burbs yet again.
Talking about "dumb and dumber" the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corp has announce another design charette winner for the "downtown waterfront core". Hurray! Now the winner has been informed that there never was any money to do what they proposed anyway for the Don Watershed. And there never will be, not now, not then, and certainly not in the future either.
Oh hum what shall we do, what shall be done ..... nothing in the last 60 years and with that as any indicator, other than the City selling off all the private lands to highrise condo builders for the filthy lucre of municiple revenues, nothing but plenty of waterfront views down ally ways and over garbage cans for the next 60 years.
Yes, let the children plant trees by the hundreds on Arbor Day and let the City come back later and cut them down by the thousands on Robber Day. Yes, let the doppy cicitzens urge waterfront projects by the hundreds and let the city ignore them because their staff didn't think of them in the first place and continue to approve highrise condos by the thousands.
So there you have it, tear down the Guild Inn, cut down the trees and sell the land to a private builder for yet again another highrise condominium .... as if that wasn't the plan in the first place.
Any how that's how I see it.
"Oh - my - God" is head yet again ... loud and clear "What shall we do" as those in the downtown Toronto planing department who know absolutely nothing about marketing any property anywhere in Toronto let alone dear old "Scarberia". As if anyone ever really suspected that they put any real effort into it. After all, they can't even see it from their office tower, so who really cares? The Guildwood Inn fiasco remains as part of a long list of other municiple projects that exemplify the sheer stupidity of GTA planners, the economic development department staff and their so-called consultant pals who regularly feed off the culpability of what passes for civil servants. And servants they are.
"Guild Inn revitalization plan shelved" the papers yell. Little do they and everyone else know that the plan never left the dusty shelf in the first place. The more than aptly named company "Windmill Developments" headed no doubt by the great "Don" himself tilted at the concept of "the viability" of the Inn with a well "seasoned hospitality proposal" of making the Inn a boutique Inn by removing the earlier over-ambitious expansion of this moribund property. The whole project was based on full occupancy ... get serious folks ... that has never happened and will never happen. For the poor old Guid it makes a much sense as a long stroll on a short property late at night. Someone is bound to get that sinking feeling real quick and be let down in a big way. In this case the Bluffs are also aptly named for the fools who linger there.
The local Councilor says this is "a huge blow". For a politician that is easy for him to say. The local self appointed historian says the "withdrawl of Windmill is bad news".... Tilt!
The City of Toronto has seen its historical board [long considered a nuisance to builders of all stripes] go with the same wind ... left on its own the Guildwood Inn will simply implode and those who "think they can do something" will simply do what they always do and that is to wring their hands and say "oh my", and "we tried so hard". More tilting.
There is no developer stupid enough to bite on this property, there isn't one coming and there is no developer with the money "required" to essentially rebuild this property which was finished 20 years ago. Its simply not going to happen.
Like so many projects and proposals along the Toronto waterfront they are dreamed up by civil servants who can't get a real job in the outside world and politicians from the same cut of cloth that are so thin between the ears its ridiculous to think that any of the crap they come up with will ever get off the ground or off the shelf for that matter as well.
Its been one dumb ass project after another that gets the printed medias attention, so enjoy the "huge blow" as I am more than sure the economic department, local Councilors and the like are already dusting off another old project to run it past those in the burbs yet again.
Talking about "dumb and dumber" the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corp has announce another design charette winner for the "downtown waterfront core". Hurray! Now the winner has been informed that there never was any money to do what they proposed anyway for the Don Watershed. And there never will be, not now, not then, and certainly not in the future either.
Oh hum what shall we do, what shall be done ..... nothing in the last 60 years and with that as any indicator, other than the City selling off all the private lands to highrise condo builders for the filthy lucre of municiple revenues, nothing but plenty of waterfront views down ally ways and over garbage cans for the next 60 years.
Yes, let the children plant trees by the hundreds on Arbor Day and let the City come back later and cut them down by the thousands on Robber Day. Yes, let the doppy cicitzens urge waterfront projects by the hundreds and let the city ignore them because their staff didn't think of them in the first place and continue to approve highrise condos by the thousands.
So there you have it, tear down the Guild Inn, cut down the trees and sell the land to a private builder for yet again another highrise condominium .... as if that wasn't the plan in the first place.
Any how that's how I see it.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Toronto Waterfront - Port Union
Under the topic of "Here we go again" Miller's pronouncement of greater tree coverage to enhance the canopy over Toronto has not been translating very well, in light of the removal of 1200 trees from just one site within Scarborough/Agincourt. Under the same heading comes the concept of just exactly what is the "common good" that some of these out of touch Councilors are referring to in their responses. The "common good" was never proven to the community in the case of the 1200 trees and why not. 1200 trees is also the equivalent of cutting down the stand of trees at Macklin Woods [1803 to 1978] at the corner of Brimley and Sheppard now Brimley Woods.
This is how the NANCY-GRIFFON Foundation, a community driven Foundation, responds to this type of nonsense. Since 1976 and with the approval of the City of Scarborough/Agincourt and the Federal Government we have supported the return of the lands at old Port Union. But it wasn't until the removal of the local Councilor that this project got under way. And what a beautiful amenity it is turning out to be even only with the completion of Phase Three, that being the restored land and park from just west of Chesterton Shores to just east of the mouth of Highland Creek. You can now go and see for yourself. Like before, it is absolutely gorgeous. Nothing proves a point like a huge chunk of reality. Phase Four is next and that is the re-creation of the sailing harbour that we had from the last glacial age to 1877.
One of the 1001 features of this project for the regeneration of the old lands at Port Union is trees, lots and lots of Carolinian trees. If you the reader has experienced the loss of trees in your neighbourhood and in all likelihood with more to come, perhaps this will ease the pain and we ask for your support for lots and lots of trees at the regeneration site of old Port Union. This is also our waterfront. This is your waterfront. This is everybody's waterfront. And for generations to come.
During the week of April 23 we the Foundation, along with the City will be selecting a suitable site for three very special trees to honour three very special people from our community. They were the first three supporters of this project known as the King's Harbour Concept [for the regeneration of the lands at Port Union] and they were Mayor Gus Harris, Mr. Bruce Fleury, Scarborough/Agincourt Parks Commissioner and Mr. Robert Bundy Metro Toronto Parks Commissioner. Without these three men, this project would never have happened. It was these three men who introduced the concept to Mr. Bill MacLean Commissioner of the Toronto Regional Conservation Authority who had never before considered it. If you see the site now, it is most certainly supported by the TRCA now!
The three trees of the Carolinian species to be selected by the City of Toronto will be planted during the week of May the 19th and I invite you, the readers to join with the Foundation on the weekend of May 26, 2007 to visit the site and to honour our new trees and to honour these three men, oaks of the forest, in the full restoration of the old lands of Port Union and to support Phase Four, the two moles to re-create the old sailing basin of old Port Union. And most certainly, many more trees.
We thank you. Please visit our web site at http://ca.geocities.com/kingsharbour@rogers.com
This is how the NANCY-GRIFFON Foundation, a community driven Foundation, responds to this type of nonsense. Since 1976 and with the approval of the City of Scarborough/Agincourt and the Federal Government we have supported the return of the lands at old Port Union. But it wasn't until the removal of the local Councilor that this project got under way. And what a beautiful amenity it is turning out to be even only with the completion of Phase Three, that being the restored land and park from just west of Chesterton Shores to just east of the mouth of Highland Creek. You can now go and see for yourself. Like before, it is absolutely gorgeous. Nothing proves a point like a huge chunk of reality. Phase Four is next and that is the re-creation of the sailing harbour that we had from the last glacial age to 1877.
One of the 1001 features of this project for the regeneration of the old lands at Port Union is trees, lots and lots of Carolinian trees. If you the reader has experienced the loss of trees in your neighbourhood and in all likelihood with more to come, perhaps this will ease the pain and we ask for your support for lots and lots of trees at the regeneration site of old Port Union. This is also our waterfront. This is your waterfront. This is everybody's waterfront. And for generations to come.
During the week of April 23 we the Foundation, along with the City will be selecting a suitable site for three very special trees to honour three very special people from our community. They were the first three supporters of this project known as the King's Harbour Concept [for the regeneration of the lands at Port Union] and they were Mayor Gus Harris, Mr. Bruce Fleury, Scarborough/Agincourt Parks Commissioner and Mr. Robert Bundy Metro Toronto Parks Commissioner. Without these three men, this project would never have happened. It was these three men who introduced the concept to Mr. Bill MacLean Commissioner of the Toronto Regional Conservation Authority who had never before considered it. If you see the site now, it is most certainly supported by the TRCA now!
The three trees of the Carolinian species to be selected by the City of Toronto will be planted during the week of May the 19th and I invite you, the readers to join with the Foundation on the weekend of May 26, 2007 to visit the site and to honour our new trees and to honour these three men, oaks of the forest, in the full restoration of the old lands of Port Union and to support Phase Four, the two moles to re-create the old sailing basin of old Port Union. And most certainly, many more trees.
We thank you. Please visit our web site at http://ca.geocities.com/kingsharbour@rogers.com
Friday, April 13, 2007
Toronto Waterfront - Port Union
PORT UNION WATERFRONT
The King's Harbour Marine Park concept has long since [since 1976] proposed that the olde village of Port Union [1832-1877] be restored as a public amenity with the use of public funding. Concept was endorsed by Mayor Gus Harris and all Mayors and Premiers since then along with the related Parks Commissioners. This concept was introduced to the then Chairman of the Toronto Regional Conservation Authority [TRCA] Mr. Bill MacLean by the Mayor in 1976 who had never seen it before and who have been supporters ever since. The fact that it had never been seen before was re-confirmed again by Chairman David Crombie of the Toronto Waterfront Regeneration Trust who called the King's Harbour Marine Park proposal "a marvellous new amenity never seen before in waterfront planning" in his final report to the region in 1982 six years later.
With the completion of Phase One [purhase of private lands around Port Union] Phase Two [building of the three bridges to the site] and Phase Three [the land fill from Chesterton Shores to Highland Creek] we are now looking at Phase Four [the completion of the east and west moles to enclose the sailing harbour to replace the old one and the re-opening of the Adams Creek to create a water flow into the harbour.
Our only problem at the moment is the "Toronto" Waterfront Revitalization Corp whose mandate does not include Scarborough/Agincourt other than the less than ½ of 1% of their $17 billion budget split between Scarborough and Etobicoke even though 45% of their budget comes from taxpayer funding from those areas outside of downtown Toronto.
So to the people of Scarborough/Agincourt we ask that you stand up for the City and support your own waterfront with your donations and ensure that your Councilors are directed by you to do so. Please visit our site at http://ca.geocities.com/kingsharbour@rogers.com
The King's Harbour Marine Park concept has long since [since 1976] proposed that the olde village of Port Union [1832-1877] be restored as a public amenity with the use of public funding. Concept was endorsed by Mayor Gus Harris and all Mayors and Premiers since then along with the related Parks Commissioners. This concept was introduced to the then Chairman of the Toronto Regional Conservation Authority [TRCA] Mr. Bill MacLean by the Mayor in 1976 who had never seen it before and who have been supporters ever since. The fact that it had never been seen before was re-confirmed again by Chairman David Crombie of the Toronto Waterfront Regeneration Trust who called the King's Harbour Marine Park proposal "a marvellous new amenity never seen before in waterfront planning" in his final report to the region in 1982 six years later.
With the completion of Phase One [purhase of private lands around Port Union] Phase Two [building of the three bridges to the site] and Phase Three [the land fill from Chesterton Shores to Highland Creek] we are now looking at Phase Four [the completion of the east and west moles to enclose the sailing harbour to replace the old one and the re-opening of the Adams Creek to create a water flow into the harbour.
Our only problem at the moment is the "Toronto" Waterfront Revitalization Corp whose mandate does not include Scarborough/Agincourt other than the less than ½ of 1% of their $17 billion budget split between Scarborough and Etobicoke even though 45% of their budget comes from taxpayer funding from those areas outside of downtown Toronto.
So to the people of Scarborough/Agincourt we ask that you stand up for the City and support your own waterfront with your donations and ensure that your Councilors are directed by you to do so. Please visit our site at http://ca.geocities.com/kingsharbour@rogers.com
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