[flar]

St. Catharines (population 131,989; metro 390,317) is an industrial city near Niagara Falls.

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[OhioGuy]

Thanks for the great tour! It looks pretty nice.

[Jimby]

I enjoyed the photos. It looks like a very liveable city.

[xzmattzx]

Nice pictures. I'm always in that area in the Summer, but have never done a phototour of downtown St. Catharines (yet).

That last picture looks like it is of the buildings that you can see from Highway 406 just south of downtown. It looks very industrial and gritty from the expressway.

[denveraztec]

Good to see so many of the historic buildings still in use. Thanks for sharing!

[Tony]

That last picture looks like it is of the buildings that you can see from Highway 406 just south of downtown. It looks very industrial and gritty from the expressway.

Pretty sure that's where the photo was taken.

Thanks for the photos flar!

[boden]

Never been there so I enjoyed your excellent tour.:tup: :tup: :tup:

[Jularc]

Glad I saw these. Great photos and neat place.

[the dude]

the mystery of st. catharines has been unravelled. never been.

[softee]

Cool pics, thanks Flar!

For those who don't know, that metro population figure for St. Catharines actually includes the neighbouring cities of Niagara Falls, Welland and Port Colborne.

[DC83]

Awesome tour! My old stopping grounds (went to Brock U)!
You really have a nack for making rundown cities & towns look great!
Is there a Brock Phototour in the making, too?? It has got to be one of the nicest campuses in Ontario!

[flar]

^^No, I didn't make it to Brock, or Port Dalhousie, or Facer St.
I just focused on downtown, which I didn't find to be rundown at all. I've only been to St. Catharines a few times and I had heard that downtown was in rough shape, but it seemed alright to me. Actually, it reminded me of downtown Kitchener (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=132428). Nothing fancy, nothing trendy, a few midrise offices, but no real decay and not many empty stores. I did see a few bums around the bus station, but that's to be expected in any decent sized city.

The last pic is from an overpass at hwy 406. It gives a bad impression and looks gritty, but it's just the backs of some old buildings on St. Paul. Between downtown and the highway there is a low lying plateau that appears to be a former industrial area. All that remains is that nice looking Canada Hair Cloth building and a lot of empty land. Great potential there.

[harls]

Some of those pics make it look like it's a much larger city. Nice stuff!

Do you use filters or is that dark-blue effect post-processing?

[Evergrey]

brilliant job, flar! i've only been on the outskirts

[mucciared]

Thanks for presenting St. Catharines in a good light. So many people living here hate the city, and it's really sad. Hopefully Brian Macmullan can get some activity going downtown, with the performing arts centre and the Ice Dogs hitting the ice soon.

[flar]

Some of those pics make it look like it's a much larger city. Nice stuff!
There are quite a few modern offices buildings, none of them are tall but they give that impression.


Do you use filters or is that dark-blue effect post-processing?

The dark blue is from a polarizing filter. I tend to overdo it, but you can make the sky very blue, almost black. It makes the clouds stand out and saturates other colours. It can also be used to control reflections on glass, water and the leaves on plants.


Thanks for presenting St. Catharines in a good light. So many people living here hate the city, and it's really sad.
I guess that's another thing shared with Kitchener and most other cities in southern Ontario. Everyone hates their downtown and have some exaggerated notion that it's rundown. Probably because someone asked them for change once.


Hopefully Brian Macmullan can get some activity going downtown, with the performing arts centre and the Ice Dogs hitting the ice soon.

OHL team, I presume, former Mississauga Ice Dogs? Niagara Falls used to have a team didn't they?

[Ex-Ithacan]

Wonderful tour flar. Some great old buildings, and enough grit to keep SSPers happy.

Love the looks of this rascal:

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k28/segaert/st_catharines/00223.jpg


I didn't know whether to laugh or cry with this one:

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k28/segaert/st_catharines/00159.jpg

Thanks for the pics. :)

[ady26]

Buffalo's sister city, great architecture, I love it!

[Hozay]

Another fine tour, thanks.

[the pope]

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k28/segaert/st_catharines/00142.jpg

sidewalk?

driveway?

you decide...

[flar]

Thanks for the comments everyone

[mucciared]

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry with this one:

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k28/segaert/st_catharines/00159.jpg

Ahahaha quote of the day! Where on earth is this building? I'm glad I haven't come across it!



OHL team, I presume, former Mississauga Ice Dogs? Niagara Falls used to have a team didn't they?

You're right on all counts here. Niagara's old team was Niagara Falls Thunder I believe.

[flar]

Ahahaha quote of the day! Where on earth is this building? I'm glad I haven't come across it!


That building is right downtown

[Tony]

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry with this one:

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k28/segaert/st_catharines/00159.jpg

Ahahaha quote of the day! Where on earth is this building? I'm glad I haven't come across it!



You're right on all counts here. Niagara's old team was Niagara Falls Thunder I believe.

Surprised you don't know mucciared, it's on the north side of St. Paul St., right across from the Old Lincoln theatre. It used to contain a crazy Hippy store named "The Blue Moon". It's in really rough shape as you can tell but does have some good architectural uniqueness to it.

[DetroitSky]

Nice shots of a rarely seen city.

[agrigentum]

I compiled my own set of Downtown St. Catharines photos over at SCC a while back. Here they are in case you missed them. There are also some photos of Merritton and Port Dalhousie included - they are established neighbourhoods within St. Catharines.

http://downtownsal.blogs.friendster.com/photos/downtownsal/100_0819.jpg

St. Paul Street
http://downtownsal.blogs.friendster.com/photos/downtownsal/100_0927.jpg

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Ontario Ministry of Transportation headquarters
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http://downtownsal.blogs.friendster.com/photos/downtownsal/100_0946.jpg

The former Township of Grantham, long since amalgamated with the city
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Kivas Tully's old Courthouse, now a community stage theatre
http://downtownsal.blogs.friendster.com/photos/downtownsal/100_0823.jpg

http://downtownsal.blogs.friendster.com/photos/downtownsal/100_0957.jpg

James Street
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http://downtownsal.blogs.friendster.com/photos/downtownsal/100_0831.jpg

http://downtownsal.blogs.friendster.com/photos/downtownsal/100_0972.jpg

Frederick Law Olmstead's Montebello Park
http://downtownsal.blogs.friendster.com/photos/downtownsal/100_0898.jpg

http://downtownsal.blogs.friendster.com/photos/downtownsal/100_0986.jpg


Churches on Church Street
http://downtownsal.blogs.friendster.com/photos/downtownsal/100_0899.jpg

http://downtownsal.blogs.friendster.com/photos/downtownsal/100_0905.jpg

http://downtownsal.blogs.friendster.com/photos/downtownsal/100_0887.jpg

http://downtownsal.blogs.friendster.com/photos/downtownsal/100_0891.jpg

The View from Lakeside Park
http://downtownsal.blogs.friendster.com/photos/downtownsal/100_0769.jpg

[agrigentum]

Here are more pics of Port Dalhousie, some would call it St. Catharines' other downtown.

http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/5788/portgrandstand2tj.jpg

http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/3576/portmonument8ex.jpg

http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/3866/portrowermonument2my.jpg

http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/9283/portlincolnfabrics7jq.jpg

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/7058/portcanalentrance2pr.jpg

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/8633/portboats2cv.jpg

http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/1346/portplaza8iw.jpg

http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/488/portmaries3zj.jpg

http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/286/portlockportrd29xs.jpg

http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/7985/portlockportrd6zr.jpg

http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/6430/portpizzajoint8eq.jpg

http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/8997/portmansion5jl.jpg

http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/1786/portoblida9tk.jpg

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/9866/porthogansalley14st.jpg

http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/5359/portmycottage4iz.jpg

http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/764/porthogansalley24zs.jpg

http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/3002/portspicelife7lz.jpg

http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/5886/portlions7jy.jpg

http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/3065/portmarketplace0gx.jpg

http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/8250/porttreecarving9ab.jpg

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/7871/portbeach0pj.jpg

http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/5179/portlakeboats1hf.jpg

[Millstone]

The last pic is from an overpass at hwy 406. It gives a bad impression and looks gritty, but it's just the backs of some old buildings on St. Paul. Between downtown and the highway there is a low lying plateau that appears to be a former industrial area. All that remains is that nice looking Canada Hair Cloth building and a lot of empty land. Great potential there.

The Welland Canal used to pass through there, so businesses wanted to be accessible. That's mainly why there's a big wall of ass facing what is now the 406. :)

[KevinFromTexas]

Great pictures. Very interesting shots.

This little building is most definitely funky.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k28/segaert/st_catharines/00159.jpg

[skyline]

By the pics, I would guess the pop. to be more also. Love the bldg. in the 6th pic.

[dawickham]

Neat City! Thanks for sharing the photos!

[kcexpress69]

That church about halfway down the thread looked pretty cool. Great thread!! This is another Canadian city that I have never seen! :tup:

[ColDayMan]

Thanks!

[Wheelingman04]

Nice city.

[Surrealplaces]

Nice photos. First time I've seen St Catherines in a thread.

[Bauer_buyer]

^^No, I didn't make it to Brock, or Port Dalhousie, or Facer St.
I just focused on downtown, which I didn't find to be rundown at all. I've only been to St. Catharines a few times and I had heard that downtown was in rough shape, but it seemed alright to me. Actually, it reminded me of downtown Kitchener (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=132428). Nothing fancy, nothing trendy, a few midrise offices, but no real decay and not many empty stores. I did see a few bums around the bus station, but that's to be expected in any decent sized city.

The last pic is from an overpass at hwy 406. It gives a bad impression and looks gritty, but it's just the backs of some old buildings on St. Paul. Between downtown and the highway there is a low lying plateau that appears to be a former industrial area. All that remains is that nice looking Canada Hair Cloth building and a lot of empty land. Great potential there.

Thanks Flar,
Great pictures of St Catharines...I love this city, and very sad that the city has fallen behind Kitchener the city you make comparisons with.
Question is how we can get the St Kitts back on its feet?

We need someone to start a St Catharines Thread

The Niagara thread is all about Niagara Falls...personally I can't get excited about one hotel after another being built...

St Catharines has a gutsy mayor and he is has a positive agenda for his city...regional government has been a detriment to the city's growth, couple that with the fact it can't expand any more has become problem for the city to make headway and keep pace with other cities i.e. Kitchener.

[DC83]

^^ how about the fact that your city wants to destroy part of the best thing you have (Port Dalhousie) for condo tower? Not too progressive imo.

[emge]

I grew up in St. Catharines. Downtown has come a long, long way in the past 5 years. Many of those are new stores, and new clubs/music venues have also been a big part of changing downtown. St. Catharines is a giant suburb of a city (or it used to be) with not much in the core besides some centrally located businesses.. but I've intentionally gone downtown the last few times I visited the city for food and shopping, and that used to never be the case.

[Tony]

^^ how about the fact that your city wants to destroy part of the best thing you have (Port Dalhousie) for condo tower? Not too progressive imo.

Care to back that up?

[emge]

For St. Catharines to have new highrise condo projects at all is a step forward. They won't "destroy" Port Dalhousie IMO.

Last few times I've visited I've walked the pier as usual.. between the restaurants, bars, and sailing club (whatever the correct term is) its the perfect place to put condos even if it does mean taking some space away. It won't "ruin" the area, it'll concentrate a needed demographic right there.