In January I blogged about the ivy-drowned mansion near our cottage which was later salvaged…sort of.
But do such houses exist in Toronto? Yes, they do! And I’ve learned to spot them.
The obvious clues are boarded up or broken windows, wildly overgrown gardens, leaking roofs and guttering. Though occasionally these signs can apply to a fully inhabited, sadly neglected house!
More subtle signs appear for vacant homes: usually the overgrown garden is a giveaway. No obvious cars, a sheen of dust on the windows, a dispirited ambience…Though someone somewhere is keeping up the basic maintenance to avoid destruction.
Water, sun and nature move swiftly to claim back the planet.
What fascinates me are the reasons why the house stands deserted. There are stories there. Did the owner grow too elderly or infirm? Turn away from the world because of heartbreak? Was there a family dispute? A lingering estate problem?
And what of this strange sight, spotted on a winter walk?
Has the hoarding become so extreme that it’s spilled onto the veranda? Or did someone clear it out for the junk removal service?
Definitely a story here!
