New building: Atlantic Technology Centre. A lot of balyhoo is associated with it.
PS16 - Charlottetown I
(All photos by William Matheson)
New building: Atlantic Technology Centre. A lot of balyhoo is associated
with it.
Kent Street, home to PEI's only elevated walkway.
The journey from BDC Place to the main part of Confederation Court
Mall (which is a really well-designed hideaway mall).
Kent, looking towards Kent and Queen.
Kent, looking towards Kent and University. Notice how wide the streets
are. This one-way street is wider than some four-lane two-way streets
in Halifax. And what's with the angle parking? There sure isn't
much of that in Halifax. Charlottetown kind of reminds me of an
Old West city due to the architecture, wide streets, and low, wide buildings.
(The tallest building in Charlottetown (and on Prince Edward Island, for
that matter) is the ten-story Delta Prince Edward hotel at the bottom of
Queen Street, on the waterfront.)
The Confederation Court Mall.
The Book Mark, an independent bookstore. Their other outlet is on Spring
Garden Road, back in Halifax.
Grafton Street, between the Confederation Court Mall (left) and the
Confederation Centre of the Arts (right).
One of Canada's best examples of megalopolis-scale federal fine arts
spending on a miniopolis-scale city. It is simply grand. Halifax would
kill for one of these, but of course we just don't have the space: we're
a business town, and our prime real estate is taken up by 30-story
bank towers. Besides, our arts and culture scene is strong enough not to
suffer being spread among multiple, competing venues.
How come only London uses double decker busses? What about Guelph or
Mississauga?
Ah, I forget: the other purpose of the Centre is to be a monument to
national unity! A monument in the cradle of confederation! Unfortunately
they never do seem to say that they only held that first meeting in Charlottetown
because they were afraid PEI wouldn't bother to show up otherwise. The
second meeting was held in Québec (I think), and PEI indeed did
not show up, nor did they/we join confederation until some years later.
Some displays honoring L.M. Montgomery. If they're too tasteful and
informative for you, they have some Anne junk for sale behind them.
Mmm, red.
Aunt Shirley and Uncle Shane obtaining tickets for Dracula.
We've seen Anne a few times already - despite my cynicism, it's
a very lively and fun adaptation of the book and you ought to see it if
you haven't (or just read the book) - and not just because L.M. is Uncle
Shane's second cousin three times removed. He should be teaching English
in Japan - he'd probably be a celebrity or something! =)
Queen Street, and more of the "Boom Town" architecture.
Grafton and Queen, and a place to get some very expensive ice cream.
A quieter part of Grafton.
The enterance to The Pilot House. We wanted to go in, but they seemed
extremely busy.
It's good to see that the people in Charlottetown know what a good
computer looks like.
Now that is one tasteful recyclables / waste / compost receptacle.
I love this theatre. Acoustically, it's great: you can hear every subtle
whisper even from the highest seats in the balcony. The seating is comfortable,
everything is red (I like that), and I have
a few fond memories of the place from my days in Triple
Threats.
Uncle Shane and his Walrus friends.
Back in the Mall again, the following week.
Not as pretty as the one at the Centre, but it gets the job done. PEI
probably has a more elegant resource recovery system than Nova Scotia's.
For one thing, you do not see waste-sorting bins like this in Nova Scotia.
Back to the Centre again.
This is the Victoria Row (rear) entrance to the Centre. All the actors
come in this way.
Victoria Row.
Uh-oh, looks like someone dug a hole where they ought not to!
Yeah, that guy on the left did it. Look at the expression on his face.
The (in)famous Province House, still the seat of the Prince Edward
Island legislature.
These next bunch are from a outdoor closing performance of Karis' summer
theatre group.
Centre, from left to right: Aunt Shirley (red), Aunt Donna,
Uncle Nick.
This was from a skit where the older class (Kari's) acted out little
scenes just using body movements. They were very funny.
The obligatory "Grease megamix" stuff. Kari is second from the
left in the middle row.
It's "Gill" from Fraiser! (You know, the guy who has the radio
show that comes on just before Fraiser's?) I know it is!
Third from left, in blue collared shirt: Ian, Uncle Shane's
friend Randy's son. He's a total ham, in a good way. He was hilarious.
See? Well, it's hard to tell at this resolution, but it is him.
(Gill, I mean.)
The younger group put on their feature presentation (made by themselves!)
first. The plot involved the dissapearance of water, and the characters
were farm animals. I think.
Soon the Queen comes and orders up a solution.
The bigger kids put on a play (again, made by themselves) about the
Black Death.
And, some Fathers of Confederation, getting tired of trying to convince
PEI to join, also came to watch.
Right, front: Ian. A spectacular death; perhaps I should have
recorded it in motion.
I think they might have been trying to look pretty even though they
had the Plague; I'll have to ask Kari.
At some point a bunch of characters try to get passage on a ship, and
I think the sick ones (you can see one approaching) are turned down.
The ship's doctor.
This was very funny.
This was funny. Kari puts out some kind of drink, goes away, then comes
back and is aghast that everyone is drinking it.
But maybe she deliberately wanted to poision them. I mean, it is
Kari after all. =) j/k
It's a framed narrative, so it begins and ends with the action of telling
the story.
The flower gardenettes "behind" Province House.
The centopath and fountain at the start of University on Grafton. This
is a popular place for long-term tent demonstrations.
Right: The Mackenzie Theatre, an adjunct of the Confederation
Centre. They put on smaller, (and liscenced!) more adult-ish shows than
what is performed on the Mainstage. I've performed in here, too, of course
- every developing actor should have to be restrained to an old, tiny theatre
for hours without end!