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Ground State
Location: Ontario, Canada Gender: Male Total Likes: 1005 likes
| | | A Field Guide to the Summer Wildlife of Lakewood Easter Seals Camp < on 9/15/2015 3:41 AM > | Reply with Quote
| | | After hearing about multiple arsons at Lakewood since 2010, I kind of figured there was nothing left to see there but flat foundations in a field. However, Drunkenmunky420 insisted just this last winter that there were 12-15 buildings still standing - but that the owner had a good partnership with local police because of how quickly and diligently he secured any new POEs. It didn't sound like a drive out there would lead to a 'sure thing'. Then I stumbled upon this article as Canada Day approached and chuckled a bit at the quotation in blue: It sounded like the property was hopefully getting tampered with enough to provide access to some of the buildings. As well, it also sounded like the property's days were getting more and more numbered. And Finz & Veedub visited it recently enough to confirm that it was indeed worth the trip. So I finally made my way to the Lake Erie shoreline... Lakewood Camp - 01 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 02 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr It turned out to be a fabulous, sprawling property with completely open access to every single building. If the owner was trying to respond rapidly to new entry points, he has lost the battle and completely given up at this point. I think the neighbours have even sort of made peace with the site; while I was there, I encountered several different dog walkers and even another photographer, all making my son and I feel that our stealthy effort at sneaking onto the property was big-time overkill. Making it even more personally enjoyable, I found the property filled with plants and animals overtaking the abandoned landscape and transforming it into a brand new ecosystem. Lakewood Camp - 03 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 04 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 05 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 06 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 07 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 08 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Apparently the sale of the property and development of new condos has been delayed because of a sensitive wetland on the east side of the property that is a breeding ground for the endangered Fowler's toad. Hopefully that is also what the old swimming pool here was full of. It would be so neat to think of an abandonment like this aiding in the recovery of an endangered species. Lakewood Camp - 09 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 10 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 11 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 12 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 13 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 14 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 15 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 16 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 17 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 18 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr I wonder how many punk-asses are hoping that this is where they're going to score... surely it is every girl's dream place to lose their virginity! Lakewood Camp - 19 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 20 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 21 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 22 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr These stone pillars with blackbirds nesting in them mark the site of the big 2011 fire in the main house, which was photographed and documented by a former UER member now working in mainstream media. It took me a second to realize there was a perfectly unblemished white chair gleaming in the middle of it like some kind of throne. It reminds me of photos of a diner I saw destroyed by a tornado when I was a kid, with place settings still carefully arranged on some of the tables. Lakewood Camp - 23 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 24 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Being in a grassy sand-dune area on the north shore of the lake, we were hoping for a rare encounter with an eastern hog-nosed snake or a fox snake. We had to settle for Ontario's smallest and more common red-bellied snake (this one is almost fully grown). It was a first for my son, and he insisted we get a shot of the warning colour. Lakewood Camp - 25 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 26 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 27 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 28 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 29 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 30 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 31 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 32 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 33 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 34 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 35 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 36 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 37 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr Lakewood Camp - 38 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr All in all, this is actually a pretty cool place still and a satisfying explore if you're in the mood for one of those 'graffiti and total destruction' places. It definitely has a bit of life left and shouldn't be written off of your southern Ontario location-list just yet.
[last edit 9/15/2015 3:58 AM by Ground State - edited 2 times]
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| Ground State
Location: Ontario, Canada Gender: Male Total Likes: 1005 likes
| | | Re: A Field Guide to the Summer Wildlife of Lakewood Easter Seals Camp < Reply # 11 on 9/19/2015 10:41 PM > | Reply with Quote
| | | Posted by relik Nice set. Love all the wildlife, especially the couple artsy ones.
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Posted by Ganesha Nature is winning. Good set.
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Posted by tax_mouse 37 & 38 are exceptionally nice.
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Posted by Skye_Ann What a very cool location!
| Thanks, glad you enjoyed! Posted by MisUnderstood! Love the goose flapping its wings
| I was just leaning over a wall to take a shot of the grimy swimming pool and it happened to come in for a landing. A lucky moment! Posted by Freaktography you always capture the most thought provoking graffiti!
| Hope you're not thinking too hard about #6 har, har ,har! Posted by Storytrail I've never seen such a tiny snake!
| Ohhhhhhhhh!!! Bumblebee, do know how badly you could be thrown under the bus right here?!?! PS - while I have your attention, BB, your message above was the first time that I've seen your new photo and sig - I was pissing myself, and then again a second time when I read the caption. Posted by fortress I just had a conversation today with a friend who is actually going on a Canada Goose hunt! Can you imagine? What's next? Songbird hunts?
| Well, hands down, I'll tell you what SHOULD be next.....
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