Sundial Reloaded 1

After the bitter disappointment of being skunked at the two previous hotels (see prior POST), I was left with a deep set yearning to see any hotel - preferably closer to home so it would not hurt too much at the gas pumps.

To this end, I headed off to the retrolicous / googie-riffic seat of popluxe luxury, the Sundial Inn. This recently abandoned location was briefly scouted / probed back in February, but not explored . . . Here is PART ONE of this most recent exploration.


Here is a short video of the first leg of the exploration covering the kitchens, bars, restaurant and offices.

---

First off, I want to thank the gods of UrbEx that be that this location has not attracted the attention of local miscreants / vandals / a$$-hat tag-monkeys. I should think that the fencing erected around the property does provide a level of security to thwart some of these parasites of society.










The former hotel appears relatively intact and still fully equipped. With the exception of the collapsed entry canopy (picture below showing the inside view), one could imagine that the place simply closed down for the week and guests would be welcome back at any time.

I especially enjoyed the 'timeless-ness' of this headline from the National Post sport page, "Leafs Eaten Alive" - this could be a headline from any season within the last several decades.









The thing that I love most about this place is the funky decor last updated in the early 80's. There are other decorative elements which had survived since the construction intact . . . finding these, in my opinion are one of the reasons I have a passion for exploration.










When I carefully picked my way though this abandonment, it took very little imaginative effort to transport myself decades back into time to this hotel's golden age . . . a time when few cared little about about the negative effects of alcohol or deep-fried food.










With the exception of any food stocks within the freezer lockers downstairs, the kitchen also appeared ready to be put into action with no great effort.


















Although the Sunshine cafe closed it's door to guests back in 2005 (a paper found here hints at the date), the hotel still offered conference / meeting rooms - this had left me wondering if the kitchens were still in operation or whether organisers had to cater in the food.








The headline from this April 2005 Orillia paper speaks onto the decision to close the Huronia Regional Centre (HRC), which should be discharging its last patient sometime this year. This is a MASSIVE facility and certainly an UrbEx gem in this region.

Stay tuned for PART 2 of the Sundial Inn exploration within a week or two.

Happy & Safe Exploring,
Remember - I and all who explore with me 'Take ONLY photos, and Leave only footprints' as we respect the properties we visit.

Foggy Day

I love foggy days. Whether it is a cool summer morning as the sun is beginning to drive the dew of the ground or a late winter day such as this, it really does not matter to me. Today, the snow in Barrie is still laying heavy in all the open places but milder weather and temperatures are producing a healthy layer of fog.


I had a space of approximately 20-minutes to myself after dropping of my three kids and when I had to be at work today. What better way of killing this small amount of time than driving down to the waterfront and snapping a few pics.


It is somewhat like urban exploration, just without the abandonments.

One stop I had to make was the old Crazy Fox Restaurant & Bistro, now the beautifully restored elegant Shutters Restaurant.

The owner, developer Mark Porter had effected a stellar job in restoring and preserving this historically significant building. The restaurant's courtyard is sporting a formidable ice fortification installed in the spirit of Barrie's Winterfest, held last weekend.

Next door, the dead shell of the Allandale train station still stands. Recently, Barrie's City Council has begun discussing the possibility of using this abandoned station as the terminus for the GO train service line which now is located at the hamlet of St. Paul's just within the limits of Barrie's south end.

Of course, I had to also stop off at the Spirit Catcher at Barrie's waterfront. This iconic sculpture was erected (tee-hee) in 1987 and is one of the most recognisable landmarks in Barrie.

With only minutes to spare to get to work, I swung by the old Barrie Gaol. Not much is happening at this abandonment either. The facility receiving new roofing last year but for the moment, it is just taking up space which could be used for parking at the adjacent Court House.


Next time you are out and about in Simcoe County on a foggy day and do see a photographer, there's a good chance it's me.

Happy & Safe Exploring !

Innisfil Heights Marche

The Innisfil Marché as it was in 2006.
Located just off Highway 400, this unique log structure has seen more failed businesses than some South American banana republics seen military coups. The last business to occupy this space was the much-lauded Innisfil Heights Marché Restaurant, which opened in September, 2005 and mysteriously shut its doors sometime in the summer of 2007.

Some additional images of the Marché 'back in the day'.






Professional chef couple Jörg and Marianne Reichert, best known for the Mövenpick Marchés in Toronto, opened up this 14,000 square-foot – two-story - log house with seating for 300 just off Innisfil Beach Road, minutes away from Georgian Downs (Racetrack and Slots) and the 400 flea market. The building also boasted 2,500 sq.ft. retail shop that offered everything from gifts and magazines to European chocolate, ham, breads and cheeses.

Not much has changed in terms of the appearance of the building and grounds since the abrupt closure.







The Reichert's also furnished the restaurant with unique custom-made fixtures and furniture which had been imported from Spain, Switzerland, France, Holland and Germany and is reported to be worth approximately 6 million Dollars.









A 180 seat patio and balcony seats were also available to dinners, weather permitting.


The Reichert's location of the restaurant was thought to be ideal for the target market they were after; the thousands of travelers that used Highway 400 to travel from Toronto to get to the cottage in the Muskokas or to go skiing at Horseshoe Valley or Blue Mountain. As owners also employed approximately 100 staff, this business venture was very well welcomed by the Innisfil municipal department of economic development.

The sign just outside the main entrance detailed the Marché master plan which called for a petting zoo . . . very handy if the butcher delivery was late.



The Reicherts planned, among many other things, a petting zoo, outside playgrounds, beer garden, picnic drive-through, a drive up banking machine and a gas station.

---

Restaurant Apocalypse & Ghost Guests










When I had a peek in the window, I was rather surprised to find that even after several months of closure, all the tables were set to receive dinner guests. As this seriously sketched me out, I did not attempt to determine a P.O.E. during this initial location scout.

From my view outside, I could see through the windows that the coolers were still plugged in and contained beverages. Dinnerware was stacked at the ready to be filled with food and packaged European delicacies were ready for purchase.

The restaurant's web page is off line and it's telephone has been disconnected. Those whom I've asked are not sure when or why the business closed and I am unable to bump into any previous employees.

One theory I have heard is that Richtree Markets, who own Canadian chains of the Movenpick, Marché and Marchelino restaurants had a nasty falling out with its founders, Jörg and Marianne Reichert. There were several lawsuits flying but this was settled even before the Reichert's opened up the Innisfil Marché market restaurant. The theory is that one of the lawsuits reanimated from the dead (appropriate for this post-Halloween post) and bit them.

This still does not explain why the assets have not been liquidated and that the restaurant still appears as if the staff just set up for the next dinner guests.

Post a comment here if you are in the know . . .

Severn Bridge Kiosk

Last weekend, I was driving the family back from a day trip to Huntsville. I rather enjoy doing this as it affords me an opportunity to conduct some 'drive-by' scouting for potential exploration locations.

Here, a micro-sized food kiosk forgotten on the size of the south-bound lane of Highway 11 near Severn Bridge.


I would, of course, not even think to actually explore a road-side abandonment while my three small children pester their mother with such questions as 'why is Dad walking into that dangerous-looking building'.

There are, however, some abandonments which I know I will not bother to go out of my way to see due to its remote location or limited size so I do make the kids wait a few moments. This 'discovery' offered all this and a good chance to stretch my legs with my camera in hand.

---

This is certainly not your typical abandonment, measuring no more than 3 by 3 meters. This is, however, the type of location an avid explorer may drop by to see . . . an abandonment, in plain view yet almost invisible to thousands of vacation-goers per day just feet away on the busy highway.


Although the lack of security is rather apparent in this image, a cautious explorer will take no chances with these shoes and promptly put on a respirator.

Thousands of pucks and tube-steaks were cooked up with frightful efficiency on this grill.




As I poke around in this small kiosk, I wonder to myself if the former employees ate here as well and then thought where the staff went to 'post-produce' these greasy vittles as no washroom is present on site.

Speaking of greasy vittles, what fast food establishment is complete without a deep-fryer?
Further questions which crept into this inquisitive explorer's minds was
did they ever change out the oil,
did they ever deep fry anything else other than food, and did they have fun dropping ice cubes into it in this crowded work space?

Shown here is just another reason why the prudent urban explorer should never dismiss out-of-hand the merits of any abandonment based upon its size.

How very interesting it is to find a safe such as this. This sort of discovery often turns my thoughts to how well the business performed, what resulted in its demise and how many hours did bored staff try to fish out money from the deposit slot.

Happy & Safe Exploring folks -
watch out for rotten sneakers.

---

Addendum -

It has come to my attention through my network of exploration associates that there may be a security company (no names mentioned Securitas) which may have taken an interest in my blog featuring one of their 'protected' sites.

First of all - congratulations for discovering the world-wide inter-web.

Second point - I have no reservations about showing an image of my face on this blog as I feel confident you will not catch me trespassing on your site.

My Image -