Standing on the edge of the water in Toronto near the island airport is a testament to one of the old industries of the city, and to the former use of a region now dominated by condo development. The Canada Malting Company Plant, known to many Toronto explorers as the CMP, or simply as 'The Malt Plant' has been spared the fate being razed for development, as the City of Toronto sees it as a historical building. Well, the silos anyways... in early August 2010, demolition began on part of the complex.

Ever since I first laid eyes on the CMP, I've wanted to see the inside of it. And when that opportunity presented itself, I was unprepared for what I would see. After 20 years, the building, while rusting away internally, is relatively unscathed structurally but a death trap for the unobservant explorer. There are multiple holes in the ground that now serve as a one-way trip to a funeral home. With the demolition work, some have been sealed over, but not all.

The most dangerous of these hole-filled rooms sit atop the silos; here machines would travel on rails and drop grain down into the silos via grates they passed over. Most of these grates have since vanished, leaving a drop of more than 150 feet to the bottom. There are also doors leading to former fire escapes; the stairs having long since vanished, leaving a straight drop right outside the door. Watch your step.

You can see them in a video Atrix, one of those with me on the first Malt visit, took: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLyBZbeDZ8I.

The view from the highest point, accessed by climbing spiral staircases up the heart of the building, leaves an amazing view of downtown Toronto and the island airport. Words cannot begin to describe how spectacular a view you have, and the photographs from here simply do not do justice for it. You have to experience it for yourself to get the full feeling.

For years, the Malt was sealed up tight, with no ground floor entrances. Explorers had to use a little ingenuity to get to access points on upper floors. That isn't the case now. With demolition now underway, access isn't difficult... the hard part is getting through the multitudes of fencing surrounding the complex without being spotted.

At this point, no one is quite sure what exactly is going to happen. Most suspect most of the complex will be razed, leaving only the silos standing and inaccessible (much like the Victory Mills Silos on the east end of the waterfront). It can be agreed that it won't be too long, though, before the City has enacted its plan for the site.

I used this as the premise for my third (and likely last, if what is believed is true) visit to the plant, this time in daylight. And I discovered that, whether it be night or day, the Malt can be a spectacular, but difficult to capture subject for any photographer.

OCTOBER 12, 2010 UPDATE
Well, the entire west complex, which contained the beltovator and the loading docks is now completely leveled, along with the bridge that connected it to the building between the two sets of silos. The only access to the plant now appears to be a door that is always sealed at the bottom of this building.

Looks like the Malt is singing its final song...