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If you’re going to start the year off with a bang, you should go all in! Despite this year starting almost the same way as last year, I decided not to let that stop me. Visiting Niagara-On-The-Lake was initially planned for December 2023. Rain stopped that, so we moved it to January to start the new year. Niagara-On-The-Lake is much larger today, but I spend most of my time in the historic old town where we’re visiting today! The charming historic old town of Niagara-On-The-Lake owes its current existence to two key points in local history: the American occupation and destruction of 1813 and aRead More →

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When it comes to photography, last year I found that I was out shooting film for the purpose of a review or a YouTube video or something else. So with Christmas in the rearview and a rather tough week back to work it was time to get out and have a family adventure just for the sake of getting out of town for several hours and going for a drive. There are lots of amazing towns through Southern Ontario, many are touristy, but there are some true hidden gems. One of those gems is St. Mary’s, Ontario. I first learned about St. Mary’s through myRead More →

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I know that place, I muttered to myself while watching season 2 of Star Trek Discovery. The tell-tale support pillars were instantly familiar to me, as I had seen them many times before; there was no doubt that those were the generator supports from the massive Richard L. Hearn Thermal Generating Station in Toronto’s Portlands. I knew that Discovery filmed in Ontario and the GTHA (Greater Toronto-Hamilton Area), having seen the white church from Balls Falls and the Niagara Escarpment near Milton, all featured in both Season 1 and 2 of the then-latest Star Trek series. Hearn was my first extensive exploration and one thatRead More →

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And so, dear readers, we have reached the end, or rather the beginning of the story, at least my story with Oakville. So it is only fair that the place that brought me to Oakville in the first place is the last sheet shared, that of Sheridan College. And while my involvement with Sheridan starts with Oakville, Sheridan’s story begins in Brampton. In 1965, the Ontario government, under Premiere Bill Davis, signed into law an act to create a series of colleges across the province. These post-secondary institutions would provide a practical education for students. And in Brampton, Ontario, a condemned and closed High SchoolRead More →

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The significant reason this project has succeeded is that Oakville and the Trafalgar Township have local historical societies. And while some stories were easier to find and write about than others, it is because of the efforts of these groups that these stores continue. And I’m now honoured to include my takes on these stories to keep them going. The Oakville Historical Society starts with Hazel Matthews and her sister Juliette. Both being direct descendants of William Chisholm and having grown up in Oakville, would take ownership of Earchless from their Mother upon her death. While Juliette took up residence in the big house, HazelRead More →

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There are many cities and towns in Ontario that I feel connected to, primarily through my photography. They have been common in my photography projects, reviews, and videos. One of these cities is Hamilton, Ontario. I spent many years learning the art of photography and exposure by tromping through the many abandoned buildings the city offered to explorers through the early 21st century when I was active in the hobby. While most of my time was spent in either the downtown or industrial sectors, I had only a passing interest in a part of Hamilton, Concession Street, up at the edge of Hamilton Mountain—the ratherRead More →

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Gairloch Gardens is a hidden gem in Oakville’s downtown. While set away from the original core of the community and the historic downtown, I first discovered this quiet space thanks to my good friend Bill Smith. And it proved to have a unique history intertwined with Oakville’s cultural scene. William Gordon MacKendrick, born in Galt, Ontario, in 1864, is best known for his service in the Middle East during the First World War. MacKendrick, as a Lieutenant-Colonel, seconded to the 5th British Army in the Sinai & Pallistein Theatre under the command of Field Marshal Sir Edmund Allenby. Colonel MacKendrick would command the construction ofRead More →

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Oakville’s economy has changed a lot since the founding of the community. From the earliest days of agriculture, milling, and ship buildings to carriage works, kerosene, and manufacturing. Today, Oakville’s most prominent employer remains Ford of Canada and is our final stop in the town’s industrial heritage. Henry Ford did not get it right the first time. After failing to establish a profitable automobile manufacturing business, his third attempt stuck. His first attempt came in 1899 with the Detroit Automotive Co failed quickly and was reorganised into the Henry Ford Co in 1901. Between Ford’s infighting and other conflicts, he left in 1902; oddly enough,Read More →

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I first visited the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in 1995 on a March Break with my mom, brother and Oma. While this was post-fire, they were all crammed into the one surviving original hangers. I still am a bit of a flyboy. I logged countless hours in Microsoft Flight and Combat Flight Simulator. But seeing these warplanes up close and personal was a dream come true. The stunning array of machine guns at the front of a B-25 Mitchell (there’s a 4×6 print at my parent’s home of that) and the massive bomb bay of the Avro Lancaster. Since then, the museum has become aRead More →

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The two world wars of the 20th century affected many towns across Canada in ways that previous conflicts had never done. Starting the in the Boer War, Canadians began to fight not only in and for their home country but in conflicts around the globe. And Oakville has a long history with Canada’s military history, starting in the 1830s into the modern conflicts of the 21st century. During the earliest days of Upper Canada, the British organised district sedentary militias to act as a line of defence against invasion. Men within a specific age range would be automatically enrolled in their local militia regiment andRead More →