Site 6: Scadding Cabin

1. The next site I go to is called Scadding Cabin, which is the oldest surviving residence in the city. It was built just east of the Don Valley River in 1794 by its namesake John Scadding, the manager of Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe’s estate. It was moved to its current location on the CNE grounds, south of the Dufferin Gates, by the York Pioneer and Historical Society in 1879, who has maintained the property ever since. It can be easy to miss because it is hidden on the south edge of the CNE grounds in an area that can only be accessed from a dead end path well off the main road, and the building is encircled by large trees that grow above the cabin’s roof. I have been to the CNE numerous times and I have never once stumbled across it. There are no signs on the nearby paths to inform visitors that it is there, and it is only when you get close to the front of the property that you find any information about the cabin, and the history behind it. The giant Exhibition Place wind turbine just stands just to the west of the property, overshadowing the tiny cabin. The building is in excellent condition considering it is over 200 years old, and looks to be almost entirely original, with the exception of some obviously modern additions such as the four caged ground lights that illuminate the property at night and the two metal plates that have been placed on the ground on either end of the east side of cabin (some kind of drainage equipment?). Decorative lampposts line the path that leads to the cabin to provide additional lighting for the area. The building is surrounded by an old wooden fence to prevent errant pedestrians from walking on the cabin property.

It is a pleasant but somewhat overcast Saturday afternoon and I arrive at approximately 3:00 p.m., spending almost a half hour observing the area and the property. Like all the other sites I have visited so far, I can hear the faint sounds of cars and traffic in the background, and the nearby Island Airport means the sounds of small planes occasionally fills the air. About five minutes into my visit I hear a jumbo jet flying high above us and in the distance, and not too long after that, the sounds of a helicopter overpowering any other noises in the area.

2. While the surrounding area is quite busy, as there is an event taking place in the large Direct Energy Centre on the opposite end of the CNE grounds, the area immediately around the cabin is fairly quiet. I suppose I am not the only person who does not know this place exists, as only a few people jog through the area and no one actually comes close enough to check out the cabin, simply using the existing paths to make their way through the grounds as they exercise. When I glance across Lakeshore Boulevard to the path that runs along the lake, I see many people bicycling and inline skating, but none of them cross over to this side of the road. I don't see any city or CNE employees the entire time I am visiting this site.

3. After seeing this building, I was surprised that I had never even heard of it before, or even accidentally come across it during one of my many visits to The Ex or the CNE grounds. It was such a neat little building, and I really wish it was open so I could have taken a peek inside to see what it looks like. It also struck me as a rather odd location for this building. Considering it is the oldest existing residence in the city, you would think that there would be more concern for its well-being, but except for the lights, I did not see any security measures around the building at all. It is surrounded by the wooden fence I mentioned above, but that could hardly be called a security measure since it is easy to climb over and it has no gate! It's fairly secluded, located on a part of the CNE grounds that did not seem to be well-travelled and hidden by the many tall trees and structures around it. Perhaps it is the budding anthropologist/archaeologist in me, but it actually makes me nervous just thinking about how easily pretty much anyone could deface the cabin or property. I obviously place a great value on historic Toronto buildings (and Toronto history in general), so my concerns of it potentially being destroyed or damaged by either carelessness or vandalism may be exaggerated.

4. Similar to Montgomery's Inn, this site was an interesting mix of old and new, city and country, essentially blurring the line between these titles. In the case of Scadding Cabin, nature and the city are diametrically connected in so many ways. It sits on the south-west edge of the CNE property, a property which has been a showcase for the most technologically advanced inventions of the past century - both in its architecture, which features an array of popular 20th century (and now, new 21st century) styles, and in its many yearly fairs and exhibitions that have introduced generations of visitors to the newest innovations in manufacture and design. At the same time, great lengths have gone into preserving the cabin itself, which, considering the efforts put into its relocation and upkeep, has obviously been recognized as an important piece of Toronto history and architecture for well over a century now. It demonstrates the importance that we place on objects that connect us to our past, and to a time when people had a much stronger connection to their environment.

Because of the large wind turbine just behind the cabin, I could not help but think of William McDonough's piece in the SUDR, "Design, Ecology, Ethics and the Making of Things." I found the juxtaposition of this the wooden cabin, over 200 years old, with a tall, metal symbol of innovation and conservation spoke to his message. It demonstrates how much architecture has changed over the past 200 years, and how environmentally beneficial designs can be incorporated into new buildings and structures without taking anything a great deal away from the area's aesthetics. Unlike our other main energy sources, which tend to be polluting eyesores hidden away from the public eye, the Exhibition Place turbine is out in the open for all to see - a landmark in its own right. Therefore, while wind turbines are not a panacea for all of our environmental woes, they do help reduce some of our dependence on fossil fuels in addition to serving as a constant reminder to be more mindful of our energy consumption.

5. Again, I feel like historic buildings such as Scadding Cabin help the modern city dweller re-connect to their "country" roots, in turn creating a human/nature relationship in a few distinct ways. Judging by the name and their continued interest in maintaining sites such as Scadding Cabin, I would have to assume that the York Pioneer and Historical Society also believe this is a worthwhile endeavour. As we have discussed many times this semester, it is impossible for the city to exist without the country and vice versa. Similar to Montgomery's Inn, places like this serve as reminders of that connection.

In this picture, I find the position of the park benches on the lawn, just west of the cabin, to be significant. Instead of pointing towards some of the less attractive features of the immediate area, they are positioned so the person sitting on them can only (comfortably) face one way - the way the designers of the area obviously felt was the most "view-worthy." In this case, they must have felt that it was Lake Ontario, not surprisingly the most "natural" feature in he area as well. The paths which lead visitors around the cabin take them to the north and east sides of the building, but not the south or west, and when you visit the cabin, it is easy to understand why. When you look at the cabin from the north or east side, Lake Ontario becomes a picturesque backdrop; looking at it from the south or west gives the visitor a much more industrialized view. Like many of the other sites I have observed, once again nature is framed in a very specific way to evoke certain emotions and feelings for the visitor.

The site's close proximity to Lake Ontario would make a human/nature connection seem almost inevitable. And in some ways it does manage to achieve this with its tall trees and pretty views. However, the site is completely almost separated from the lake by Lakeshore Boulevard - which was not especially busy during my visit, but during weekday rush hour it is often filled with bumper-to-bumper traffic. Similar to how the nearby Gardiner Expressway cut off existing west-end neighbourhoods from the lake after its construction, this high-volume and high-traffic roadway creates a visible, noisy, and polluting barrier that limits access for local residents and visitors.

At the same time, while it has its problems and features which interfere with the connection visitors can make with their natural surroundings, it is still a large green space that is open to the public and free for them to access for the majority of the year. Because of this, it can not be written off as a place for people to create a connection with nature. The surrounding trees grow naturally and attract local wildlife, and thanks to the maintenance provided by the York Pioneer and Historical Society to the cabin and the surrounding property, it is a beautiful place to spend an afternoon.