It isn't too often that you come across a disused school - they tend to be necessary to society, and thus are kept operation whenever possible. And when they do shut down, they tend to quickly find new tenants. But sometimes, you get lucky and stumble across one.
Location | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yonge / Eglinton | ||||||
(Toronto, Ontario, Canada) | ||||||
Built :: Closed | Status | Difficulty | ||||
1912 :: 2010 | Demolished | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ||||
Hazards Risk | Security Risk | AUE Rating | ||||
★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ||||
Hazard Observations | Security Observations | |||||
None Specified | None Specified |
North Toronto Collegiate Institute (NTCI) happened to be that lucky one recently. A staple of the Yonge / Eglinton community for nearly 100 years, its imposing gothic exterior has struck fear in several generations of students. But thanks to budget cuts and the deferral of maintenance to the point the building could not be saved, NTCI has now been replaced by a new school immediately next door to it.
NTCI began in 1910, housed in the North Toronto Town Hall, but in 1912 moved to its new building, which still stands as the north wing of the building. As the years went by, additions were added to the structure. The first addition were the south and west wings, along with the third floor to the north wing. This was followed in 1956 with the additions of the east wing, auditorium, pool, and cafeteria. Finally, in 1966, the science wing was added, becoming the new west end of the school.
The last few years it was open, there were a number of defects in the old NTCI. Toilets out of order for months on end, pest infestations, concrete falling off the building - the list goes on.
But the end for old NTCI began in 2002... that was when the Principal, Ashley Waltman, announced the rebuild project. Ground was broke for the new NTCI in 2007, and it was opened in September 2010 for the start of the school year, leaving old NTCI hoarded off and disused.
While parts of the old NTCI building have been preserved and incorporated into the new building, the vast majority of the old school is slated for demolition in the near future... a victim of time and poor management.
DECEMBER 18, 2011 UPDATE
She's completely gone now and has been for a while... a sports field for the new school occupies the site now.
Taken from the school's website: http://ntci.on.ca/d/rebuild-1