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About |
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First
and foremost I would like to welcome you to my website. By now
you have looked through some pictures and are probably asking "Why the hell would someone go and
explore abandoned buildings?" It is a good question and one that
does not have a singular answer. In order for me to answer you
will have to delve into my eccentric past. |
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As a toddler my
parents had a knack for taking their oldest son into abandoned
farm houses and the ruins surrounding our ex-urban home. In
addition to this, my parents dragged me along while they
explored the cities we traveled to on family vacations. It is
clear that from an early age on, the seeds of curiosity were planted
deep within my soul. |
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As I grew older (and with the acquisition of my license) I began
to search out the city around me. On a cold Friday evening I
stumbled upon one of the most incredible sights I have ever
seen. That sight was the urban ruin of the former Ogilive Flour
Mill. The enormous 11 story head house with no south exterior
wall proved intimidating and formidable. With whatever courage I
could muster I climbed up to the second floor and took in the 9
story floorless spectacle. In the following months I came to
explore the Eaton's Building, Manitoba Cold Storage,
Masterfeeds, Public Markets and the complete head to toe
exploration of the Ogilive Flour Mill. |
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By this point in
time a year had nearly gone by and I had been fully immersed in
the art of trespassing. The curiosity of what lay behind those
broken windows and locked doors intrigued me to the point where
I would now go out of my way to search for abandoned buildings.
Then I stumbled onto uer.ca, which, at the time, was one of the
few "Urban Exploration" forums on the internet. With devoted |
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As time passed,
arsons and bulldozers swept over the city eliminating a number
of my favourite buildings. By the summer of 2005, only one of my
original five was left standing. Another consequence was a city
by-law that forced property owners to properly secure their
buildings. Where at one time the front door would have been
open, entry could only be found by climbing up the side of
the building. This added difficulty has made every exploration a
welcome challenge with every building being a different puzzle
waiting to be solved. |
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In hindsight the signs that I
would become fascinated with this hobby were evident. On a trip
to Mexico in 2000, a full three years before I stepped into
Ogilive, I was already taking pictures of abandoned buildings.
To conclude, I trespass because of curiosity (to see what lies
behind that locked door), adventure and the challenge that every
new mission brings. |
