Notice the large building to the left in the background: the K-Rock Centre.
If you look closely, you may notice the orange city spray-paint markers on the remains.
Kingston is a town known for effervescent heritage. It's the Limestone City for a reason. Every turn reveals a period home - Loyalist vernacular architecture dating back to the late 18th century, cathedrals, churches, and redoubts. Yet, in such a heritage-minded city, it is appalling to see such neglect and obvious mal-planning that surrounds Ontario's oldest European historical site. For a quick and dirty history of Fort Frontenac, see CARF. The Cataraqui Archaeological Research Foundation began excavation of Fort Frontenac in 1982 with the intent on unearthing and eventually restoring this significant historical site. Sadly, the end goal was never achieved. Three quarters of the remains lay buried under the new Fort Frontenac, built as the Tete-de-Pont barracks in the late 18th century by the British. However, the northwest bastion and curtain were excavated. They still remain (see above photos), but neglected and overshadowed by the recently constructed K-Rock Centre (opened February 2008) - a monstrous arena that attracts off the shelf bands and houses the OHL Kingston Frontenacs. The plan for its construction was approved by Mayor Harvey Rosen, who has a background in commercial development, and Council. Controversy flared with the decision to place the arena in the downtown core, and the remains of Fort Frontenac have duly suffered.
As an outsider in Kingston, I don't profess to know the extent of the controversy and reasoning, but, because I'm an outsider, I see this site with a tourist's eye. Those who come to Kingston and know their Canadian history, would immediately flock to the remains of the oldest structure in Ontario. How and why nothing has been done to make something more of the remains is boggling. If Fort Frontenac is to contend with the K-Rock Centre, it will lose. But now that they are side by side, why not embrace the coincidence that the Kingston Frontenacs play next to the remains of Fort Frontenac. At least make it look like the site is protected and give it some interpretation that isn't just dilapidated text panels, water-marked and spray-painted, and a leaning Kingston Historical Society plaque, erected in the 1950s. Have some respect, Kingston.
3 comments:
I was in Kingston for most of the time the debate over the "LVEC" raged. Your post made me realize that the question of Fort Frontenac was never raised in the controversy. I find this odd, too. People who live in Kingston really don't know about Fort Frontenac, I guess.
The problem with Kingston is that there is no central museum to look after presenting the city's very interesting history. That's left to a variety of small museums, which, while good, do not provide any sort of big picture. As you say, Kingston oozes history, and there is standing reward, (I am told), of a case of beer to whoever finds cannon balls on construction sites.
The thing is, though, that before the K-Rock Centre was built I'm not sure if there was anyway to safely cross the street to look at the ruins. Now, at least, there is...
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