Monday, July 11, 2005
Tamsyn Burgmann
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The Kingston Whig-Standard
Racing through a shaded cobblestone courtyard in downtown Kingston, three children crane their neck in search of hidden treasure.
Up, down, sideways and backwards, they scout the passageway, clutching maps and reciting a clue that might lead them to it.
Stopping momentarily to rest against the alley’s cool brick, Graeme O’Neill, 11, removes his back baseball cap to scratch his head. He spots something out of the corner of his eye.
“We found them!” the jubilant youngster shouts, pointing skyward at the strange sight.
His two friends peer up at a swaying metal clothesline that sports a bronze motorcycle jacket, sleeveless shirt and baseball cap.
“The question is whose are they?” he asks.
The boy’s best friend, Tai Jacob, 12, recognizes the treasure is artwork but the first time he saw the clothes, he thought they were real, he says.
“My dad told me they were historic he told me that the person on the (building’s ) top floor is in the metal business.”
Despite the clothes’ similitude, the kids say they’re certain nobody is running around naked. “That’s what a 1970’s knight would wear, “Tai says.
On this sweltering summer day in the city, the last thing a child might be expected to be doing is exploring nooks and crannies for fragments of history – and finding artwork disguised as laundry hanging out to dry.
But in between strawberry frozen yogurt from White Mountain and an afternoon water battle, Graeme and siblings Tai and Aviva Jacob, 9, jumped at the chance to take The Whig on a different kind of city tour.
The Storrington Public School students accepted a challenged posed by Kincore Holdings Limited for children 12 and under to complete a competition created by the company called “Spy! Kingston’s hidden treasure hunt.”
The development firm designed a scavenger hunt to showcase downtown history and architecture while sparking children’s imagination.
After picking up a map and stickers from the Tourist Info Centre in Confederation Park, the children embarked on a colorful journey, motivated by their curiosity – and one in three chances to win an MP3 player for correctly completing the hunt.
“I think a tour is a good idea because it shows tourists that Kingston isn’t just famous for all the prisons – it’s for the sights,” Aviva says.
She says she likes the idea of keeping the city’s history alive by preserving building details and artifacts, while encouraging businesses to set up renovated shops inside.
“You keep all the historical stuff you need – without it, it wouldn’t be Kingston.”
The trio scouted 16 landmarks on five city streets, beginning the hunt at the entrance to the Rochleau Courtyard on Princess Street, in front of the Toucan pub.
“If I can follow the map right, the treasure is this way,” Tai says, leading the pack with determination.
The instructions are simple: Follow the map, seek out treasures with the help of provided sticker clues and affix the stickers to the map in the correct order:
Completed maps are submitted into a monthly draw for an MP3 player.
A host of intriguing items can be spotted throughout the downtown core.
Gwen Chambers, Kincore vice-president of marketing and leasing, says the metal clothes, commissioned by local artist Barry Blunden, were hung by Kincore in 2000.
“We wanted to incorporate a piece of public art into the Brock Street Common development, “she says. “It was kind of a symbol of community we put up in the courtyard because we wanted it to be a public place.”
Further along the trail, Graeme spotted a large metal faucet jutting out from a wall on Brock Street, too far up even for an adult to reach.
“I think the tap was used by firefighters – they might have attached a hose to it,” he says.
Tai was unconvinced.
“Who’s going to climb out their window to try and turn on the tap?” he asked.
Unfortunately for the children – who would have loved an impromptu shower to beat the heat – the tap doesn’t dispense water.
According to local historian Jennifer McKendry, the tap was originally a trade sign. In 1910, David Hall built the faucet to advertise his plumbing business located inside.
“It was left by the Hall family to the Frontenac Heritage Foundation,” she says.
Reaching a King Street building dating to 1895, the children seek another treasure.
Tai spots a fantastic creature perched high on a door frame.
“I think it looks more like a gryphon than a dragon,” he says, eyeing the statue. “It seems to holding a parchment or book.”
Aviva had the answer.
“It’s a newspaper – It’s The Whig building,” she explained.
Built on the site of the original, wooden St. George’s Church, the British Whig building was designed by Kingston architect Joseph Power for Edward Pense, owner and editor of The Daily British Whig. William Rupert Davies purchased The British Whig from Pense in 1925, which amalgamated with The Kingston Daily Standard a year later.
“There’s a family of ducks that live on the roof,” Tai says, smiling at his unusual knowledge. “There’s also a garden and a pond.”
The Whig’s editorial and business offices are no longer located in the building, having moved to the Woolen Mill on Cataraqui Street.
Kincore also commissioned the gryphon, which was erected in recognition of the Davies family, former owner of the newspaper.
“The gryphon is featured prominently in their family crest,” Chambers says.
Shortly after, the children spied yet another treasure.
“I see the face that looks,” Graeme says excitedly, referring to the map’s cryptic clue.
The children pondered what it was peering at.
“Maybe there was something historic it was pointing to, maybe towards a treasure,” Tai guessed. “Now, it looks at a parking lot.”
The building upon which the face is mounted, located at the corner of Johnson and Ontario streets, was built in 1856 and originally used as a hotel, McKendry says.
“(The face is) probably painted terra cotta, which is an architectural element that was fashionable at the time she says.
The building was deigned by John Power, the father of Joseph.
With the heat increasing as time passed, the kids scurried along the map’s path.
Nonetheless, they couldn’t help but stop to check out the Spirit of Sir John A. near the Tourist Info Centre on Ontario Street and weigh in on the city’s potential relocation of the old locomotive to Block D.
“I heard they might be moving it, but I like it here,” Grameme says.Tai agreed. “It’s perfect here, they have flowers around it,’ he says.
Back on track, Aviva pointed to brick fireplace that seemed to float against the outside of an Ontario Street building.
“I think there used to be another building attached to it that used to heat the building,” Graeme says.
Tai had a different hypothesis.
“I think it’s a signal,” he says. “If there’s trouble in the bay, then they light a fire, which warns everyone passing by, as well as tells others to light their signals, too.”
McKendry says Grameme was right on the mark.
“It’s the surviving remnant of a row building that was there,” she explained, dating the row to 1842. “The thick masonry walls included fireplace systems on one side that would heat one of the units in that row.”
She says the row belonged to a man named James Fraser.
“(The building) was probably demolished in the mid-20th century to get the land vacant for development,” she says.
When the hunt come to a close, the children says they were surprised they’d seen things they never knew existed.
“I never really look for things, I’m usually looking for stores or where I’m going,” Graeme confessed. “Or looking at your (Nintendo) Game Boy,” Tai teased.
Aviva says she liked the hunt.
“It’s fun and it’s good way to learn about Kingston,” she says.
The children agreed one treasure was their favorite. They says it was green and funny, but wouldn’t give away the secret so other children could be on the lookout.
Graeme gave on simple hint, which he says was the best way to discover any Kingston treasure: “You should look up,” he says.
Children ages 12 and under can pick up a treasure hunt kit at the Tourist Info Centre at 209 Ontario St. or Kincore’s Office, 80 Queen St.
Draws for Apple iPod shuffle MP3 players take place at the end of each of June, July and August. One entry per child is allowed and each entry is eligible for all three draws.
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Downtown Scavenger Hunt Hopes to Spark Youthful Interest in Kingston's Past |
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