Summer is a great time to enjoy a leisurely stroll through downtown London. Mind you, not everyone would think of heading for Clarence Street south of Bathurst to do their sightseeing. Only a certifiably crazy heritage architecture buff skips the shade of Victoria Park on a hot summer afternoon to stumble over the railroad tracks and visit this neighbourhood once dominated by the Michigan Central Railroad Station. This hasn't always been one of London's more prepossessing locales, to put it politely, and Bathurst Street today isn't very inviting.
But if these houses are any indication, things may be looking up. The plaque on the cute little cottage at left tells us this was the home of John Crooks, blacksmith, in 1856. The Italianate at right dates to about 1885.
Keep going south and you'll see this adorable Second Empire style house built c. late 1880s. All are neat, tidy, apparently well looked after, and even somewhat landscaped. Other interesting buildings, including some row houses, stretch south to Horton Street. The entire block appears to be a great example of neighbourhood revitalization. I'll be trotting down this way again. 
What kind of plaque is it - who sponsored it ?
ReplyDeleteThese white signs are appearing around Hamilton Road and Soho areas. Homeowners are paying for the signs themselves. Apparently the plaques have been made by The Sign Factory on Dundas near Egerton.
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