Please, come visit our little corner of the world. Enjoy one of Ontario's popular destination places; Orillia is the fun place to be! Visitors to Orillia fill the downtown during summer months, particularly those who are visiting via boat at the harbour; the downtown shopping district is a quick walk from the Port of Orillia. The busiest times in the downtown core are festivals and events, but for a number of years, regular shopping from local inhabitants has fallen off, except on special events, like the sidewalk sales: the city blocks off the main street shopping district from traffic and people can wander through outdoor sales racks along the length of the street, bestowing a festive party-like atmosphere over the whole of downtown. In the last few years, the downtown has made an effort to reclaim those shoppers and it now houses specialty shops (like antiques) and entertainment/arts venues, as well as some of the old traditional stores that will be active and open as long as the owners remain.
I prefer the downtown area's heritage style and slower pace. It has a charm that you can't really match in big-box stores, but the stores and shops come and go on a much too regular basis downtown. New shops open and sometimes close within a year (many of the images here are business that have long since closed). Rents and downtown taxes are quite high, and one needs capital to make a downtown business really viable. If you can withstand the first year or two, you have an opportunity to build a loyal customer base, and that's what will keep your business growing in the downtown area. What I personally find important in downtown businesses are the owners and staff, and their customer service. Downtown, you have an opportunity to build relationships with customers, which keeps them coming back for more.
One of the areas that is thriving in downtown Orillia is the arts community - there are a number of small galleries and artist shops that can only be found downtown, and Orillia has (for her small size) a very rich arts community with participation of artists from the city as well as outlying areas and neighbouring towns.The Orillia Opera House - located on the corner of Mississaga and West Streets, this is one of the most recognizable buildings in Orillia. The architecture is a mix of old and new, with the main building and towers having the oldest construction, and the newer addition being at the entrance area. The Opera House has been put to many uses, but is popular for it's musical guests and theatre shows.
Tower Garden in Spring - a spring garden at the base of one of the towers at the Orillia Opera house. Each year the gardens at the Orillia Opera House stop passersby for a relaxing few moments of discovery. Here the Ivy is climbing the brickwork of one of the round front towers, while in front the hot pink and white columbine stand tall above the greens of later blooming plants.
At this edge of the Opera House is a stretch of lawn with nearby benches, and a drinking fountain. Close to the front entrance of the Opera House and looking out onto the corner of Mississaga and West Streets, the garden doesn't go unnotticed.
Throughout the seasons the garden changes; as spring plants finish blooming the summer plants take their place, while in the fall the blooms of ornamental cabbage, zinnia, pot marigold and other fall plants often take their places.
Early spring sees a variety of tulip species, hyacinth, crocus and other spring bulbs along with blooming groundcovers like creeping phlox, snow on the mountain, golden alysum and similar plants. The gardens here almost never seem the same, while some plant varieties age and disappear and new ones are tried.Spring Garden at Opera House - another view of the spring garden at the Opera House.
A winter storm covers the grounds with heavy snow and the trees with ice at the side of the Orillia Opera House. Here one can still see the snow falling, and the fairly heavy coating of ice on the tree. There were once two of these lovely trees - in this photo you can see the top has been cut off of the one due to disease, and since this photo the trees have been removed completely.
At the side of the opera house the view, both summer and winter, is vastly different from the shady nook that was once created by these trees. At the time of their trimming there was a general grumbling through the community about the "butchering" of the trees. Eventually, when the trees came down, there was still great disapproval in the community, but I think many of us found it less difficult to look at the empty stumps than the beheaded trees.
Sir Samuel Steele Memorial Building - another one of Orillia's landmark buildings, designed by architect Thomas Fuller and built in 1914.
Once housing the post office and customs offices, and later the old police department, it is now the local museum of art and history and has had much refurbishment over the last number of years (most recently to the tune of about 1.1 million dollars). From the interior remodelling and refurbishment to the new roof and repair of the old clock in the tower, the building has gone from the "getting a little shabby" era to a wonderful reflection of the historical side of Orillia.
The clock tower can be seen from numerous areas around town, and is instantly familiar to people who frequent the downtown area.
For many years, the bus terminal sat at the four corners (Mississaga Street and Peter Street) of the downtown area, within steps of this building. In the last year the terminal was moved to West and Mississaga, and by most accounts this was not a good move - at least not for the people who use this service, and not for the businesses located at the new location. Still, city council stands by it's decision, whether we like it or not. At least there is always another chance to voice our disapproval in the city elections.
Old Firehall - the old firehall located on Peter Street near the corner of Coldwater Road. For some years it housed the legal firm of Bourne, Jenkins, Mulligan. Greg Mulligan (who owned the business) earned a seat on the judges bench (and in my opinion this was a well-deserved appointment - but then I may be biased as he was our lawyer for many years - and by the way, yes we miss him very much.) and a new firm has taken over.
The new firm that has taken over the records and clients of Bourne, Jenkins, Mulligan is Lewis Downey Tornosky & Lassaline (and ain't that a mouthful) are located on Coldwater Street East.
By some reports the building is currently in the ownership of a woman from Toronto, but it has been listed for sale for some time. The papers recently (June 2010) reported the possibility that there was interest in the old firehall, and a deal may be in the works. Who those purchasers may be was not disclosed.
The firehall is designated as a building of interest in Orillia's Municipal Heritage Committee. It was built in 1896 (surprisingly, that was 6 years later than some of millworker houses on Mississaga Street, yet none of them appeared to be considered historical buildings.) by JR Eaton and used as a firehall up until 1970.
Tiffin's Creative Center - tucked away in an alley next to the Sir Samuel Steele Building (just off Peter Street) is Tiffin's Creative Center, who provide a number of services and products from having your photos and art printed on canvas, custom framing, art supplies and prints, to providing greeting cards and Christian products. You'll find Tiffin's an interesting place to visit. They also display and sell artwork by local artists. The building housing Tiffin's (which fronts on Peter Street) had a fire a few years ago and the businesses housed in the building had some losses. The old building was very unstable, and new construction took place a few months later. From what I can recall, there were no injuries - which is the most important part of any fire - things can be replaced. People can't.
This is a familiar sight to most people who live in or visit Orillia; the long-standing Hotel Champlain, located just off the waterfront at the corner of Mississaga and Front Streets. While the interior of this grand old hotel has undergone many upgrades and changes over the years, the face she presents to Orillia remains much the same - the georgian style columns and portico retain their old world elegance and the brick facade it's sturdy charm.
Some years ago (35 or 36 I think) I spent a weekend in this hotel. At that time, it was a little shabby - the rooms were small, and the one in which I was installed had a single bed of the old tubular iron variety - possibly c. 1910 or so. The attached bath was small but useable, though plumbing pipes were exposed and still of the old cast iron. This was not uncommon in old buildings. While the fittings and furniture were worn, the room was clean...and it's cost was $9 a night.
Today, a number of restorations and refurbishments later, the charming lobby is still charming and dressed in a style befitting an old matriarch. The floors were reconfigured to create larger more modern rooms, and at the moment, she is one of the hotels in the Quality Inn chain. The fact that you are but a few steps from the waterfront, the main street (next door to a larger grocery and a liquor store and the local Royal Canadian Legion doesn't hurt) and other local attractions should keep The Champlain filled to capacity on most weekends.
Orillia Central School - located on Coldwater Road between West and Peter Streets the Orillia Central School has been standing for many years. In recent years it has been used as an alternative school with daycare facilities. Recently, the city has polled it's citizens to decide what the now defunct school should be used for. Possibilities range from affordable housing to daycare facilities.
Hudson's - an elegant and fun place to shop for interesting kitchen and home items, as well as some cute gift items. Friendly and helpful staff are happy to answer questions and find whatever you need. Located on Mississaga St. at the corner of Peter St.
At one point in time, this shop used to house a business supply store - either Cole's or Bradley's (can't recall which one).
Downstairs is another shop called Apple Annies, where, if you happen to be a fudge fanatic, you can find the best fudge in the world...and one of the biggest selections of fudge flavours, and flavoured coffee to brew at home. Delightful candy of many types, including some sugarless varieties too.
Next door is the Mariposa Scent shop (yummy smells from bath salts and creams to candles and oils), and the Mariposa Christmas shop...pretty much what it says...it's all about Christmas stuff.
Plum Loco Clothing Shop - one of the most interesting clothing shops in Orillia. You'll find this on the lower portion of Mississaga Street; it's a popular shop with clothing products that reach from vintage pieces to the modern and funky. Something for just about anyone.Really - just about anyone. Here you can find clothing for women and men, teens and kids - it doesn't really matter what age you are when you shop in this store. They carry some interesting vintage pieces, some older period clothing from time-to-time, as well as thoroughly modern and hip, and the recently "passe".
If you can't find what you're looking for in other shops, you might have a gander through this one.
The Birdhouse Nature Shop - Mississaga Street. This shop carries products related to nature, including "green" t-shirts and other environmentally friendly items. From unique and unusual birdhouses to garden items, it's interesting to spend time wandering through it's offerings. The window displays here almost always attract my attention. There is much to look at, and much to be amazed at. Very often I find myself looking at a strange or odd item and thinking "I didn't know they made such things". It's a wonderful store to spend time in, especially so for those who are interested in their feathered and furry visitors.
Downtown Shop Windows - these two images are from the same shop, with different window displays. I often find myself stopping to photograph their windows because they have such interesting and eye catching displays.
A view through the Orillia Public Library at night. This window faces Mississaga Street and houses the fiction collection. On the shelves in the window are plants, and a display of masks. The library has just been demolished to make way for a new, larger library to built in the same place.
At this moment, the library is now housed in a rented building at the corner of Highway 12 and Gill Street. This old building once housed the Steelworkers Union Hall, and then a nightclub.
The only unfortunate part of the new construction is it's design - while it is a beautiful design, it's much too modern to fit into Orillia's heritage downtown, particularly since it sits right next to the Victorian era design of the Orillia Opera House. It also has caused the loss of a fair bit of parking space and the loss of the "Market Square". Already I hate it, though I love the library.
A window display from the Tre Sorelle shop on Mississaga Street (new restaurant location on Peter Street). They've had some unique displays from time to time (one with gigantic ravioli pastas hanging from the ceiling). They always revolved around food, and are often bold and colourful, like this display of tomato tins.
Fred's Meat Market - another local "institution" is Fred's Meat Market, though they specialize in meat this butcher's shop also a small grocery section, including some fresh fruits and vegetables, seen through the window.
There are many buildings downtown that house small apartments above them, and when I used to live in one of those (35 years ago now), Fred's Meat Market was just two doors away when I needed something in a big hurry. At one time, there were other food grocer's downtown, but today, Fred's stands alone as a market in the downtown core.
Bank of Montreal on the corner of Mississaga and West Streets, downtown Orillia. I've been banking with BOM since I was 16 (long, long time ago). They also have a branch in the Westridge area at the Zeh'rs Plaza. Some of the staff "float" between the two banks. One of our bank friends has since retired (Beth McKinnon - loans, mortgages, investments) has since retired, and by all reports is loving retirement. One of the staff who started downtown (also someone we consider a friend) is now the manager at the Westridge branch (Darja Morely) and Lois (one of the best investment counselors I know) seems to float around between the two branches.
Outre Mer - one the local shops on Mississaga Street catering to interior decor with modern, reproduction pieces, and antiques, as well as smaller decor items. They often have pretty window displays of interior furnishings that make you want to go in and sit down, and in the appropriate seasons, their window boxes are often filled with interesting arrangements.
Ossawippi Dining Cars - The Ossawippi Express - a popular restaurant that lies at the edge of Orillia's waterfront. Composed of a series of old train cars and an outdoor patio, it is "THE" place to dine outdoors in the summer. Orillia, Ont.
(This restaurant has since closed it's doors, but the rail cars remain, waiting for a new occupant.)
The old Tux Nightclub waterfront Patio (now Tux II) - part of the offerings at the Hotel Champlain. The patio fronted on Mississaga Street, across from the liquor store and the Zoo Bar & Grill, and it's portion looked out onto the waterfront. At the time this was taken, the building's side panel was painted with a tropical sunset and a large bottle of Smirnoff vodka.
The Kahuna Surf Shop - another popular shop with the younger set the Kahuna carries expensive designers and brand names in sport style clothing, and casual attire for both kids and adults. Located on the lower leg of Mississaga Street about halfway between Matchedash and Front Streets.
In downtown Orillia along Mississaga Street one of the local shops (The Stork's Nest) puts on a fitting display each year on Canada Day. The Stork's Nest caters to children - young children and is one of the few stores that focuses on providing the highest quality kid's gear at the best prices possible. Sure, you can shop at Walmart or Zellers, but for some of the finer products you need the Stork's Nest. Not just for clothing, but nursery items as well.
A nicely setup display in the windows of "Just Elaine's", a popular downtown shop. Just Elaines carries some marvelous women's wear - quality clothing (though a little pricey, worth the money if you want quality) with some unique and delightful styles. Things you just can't find everywhere in Orillia. The iron flower boxes contain their summer offering of flowers, resting above a vintage style tiled building front and iron decals.
A view of the dark downtown streets before dawn - looking up Mississaga Street from the corner of Matchedash Street.
A red door with beveled glass insert surrounded by Georgian style framing. This is the side entrance to Dr. Tan's office (Georgian Dentistry); once owned by Dr. Carroll, this building hasn't changed much over the years, retaining it's old style charm and charcoal gray trim; the front of building faces Mary Street and the nearest crossroad is O'brien Street.