Forest Road is somewhat special for the diversity and ages of the houses and the varied institutional setting. A the top end (beginning) of the street are a few grand old houses that would have escaped the great fire of July1892 which destroyed 80% of the city. In the early 1900's this was a prime location for the City's elite and several of the oldest houses are quite grand.
1. Quidi Vidi Village |
2. Quidi Vidi Village on piles |
3. Country house with mother in law door |
4. Forest Road bungalows |
Housing construction in Canada in constrained by the climate. Heating of homes is expensive so houses are almost always built in compact-cubic or rectangular shapes to reduce exposure and minimize heating costs. In the old days houses were heated by multiple fire places or for poorer families relied mainly on the kitchen stove for heating. Today most city houses have central heating either in the original design (hot-water radiators), electric heating elements in each room or hot-air heating. Now-a-days a further constraint to architechtural imagination is the cost of labour. This is most manifest in commercial and public buildings where you will rarely see any artistic embellishment.
5. Forest Road typical bungalow |
6. Forest Road, a grand home |
On the question of heating one of the benefits of living in a condominium and located half way up is that I have only one exposed wall. Luckily it faces south and on sunny days captures the heat from the sun's rays. I set my thermostat at 15 deg C year round and only turn it up on very cold days. Essentially, my neighbours on four sides donate heat. I also receive heat from the stairwell. Thanks guys! I pay a uniform monthy rate of $60/mo. Private homes, especially older ones may pay up to $450/mo!!
7. A lovely old style house |
8. Row houses |
9. Old house of a wealthy family |
10. Old house, another view |
11. Where I stayed in 1966 on my first visit to St. John's. |
12. A fine old home |
13. A grand old house, a century old perhaps |
14. Heritage home, the grandest in the city |
15. Monroe house, home of prime minister Monroe |
16. Row houses |
17. Salt box style house on lane |
18. Her majesty's prison |
19. Anglican cemetery |
20. Miller hospital centre |
21. Hampton Terrace condo |
- fin -
1 comment:
$450 a month seems pretty extreme, that would have to be a big house with really poor insulation/windows, etc! Why would they not upgrade?
Post a Comment