Ontario Abandoned Places will be rebranded as Ominous Abandoned Places

Signs of Cyanamid

Demolished Industrial in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

Mar 22 2013

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Recent status Demolished
Location # 6490

*** Please give me feedback as to the merit of including this location on the site. I am undecided. I'll give you the warning now that there are foundations in the gallery, so I've attempted to at least present it in a way that captures the history. Still though, there may not be 'enough' here. Your opinions are appreciated. ***


Cyanamid was a notorious chemical plant in Niagara Falls that dominated the entire north-eastern corner of the city. Stories from early residents of taking blackened laundry off clotheslines and wiping soot off car windshields every morning were legendary. Cyanamid was officially declared hazardous, demolished and removed in 1992, prompting an intense municipal debate about the future brownfield development. In 2011, the Gale Centre hockey arena was finally built on a portion of the property, much to the dismay of environmental critics. Niagara Falls city council adamantly defended the decision, stating that there were absolutely no signs left of Cyanamid. The argument even prompted one councilor to state that he would "crouch down and lick the ice" upon its completion to prove that the area was environmentally safe.

I work with one of the city councilors involved and he recently challenged me to access the restricted areas around the arena and prove to him that one could still tell Cyanamid existed here. Here are the shots I brought him; my top 8 discovered 'Signs of Cyanamid'. I make no conclusions about the final few images... but am leaving this FM because the content.

Comments

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11 years ago

Well done, a good history lesson here.

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11 years ago

Absolutely GS, great addition and perfectly presented. Love the then and now photos.

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11 years ago

Good stuff GS

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11 years ago

Totally valid and a great addition, GS!

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11 years ago

This is great GS - Being from Niagara Falls I know all about this place and it's history. My mom used to tell me about that pool and I couldn't believe that they actually had a pool in that ground! I had friends who lived by the plant and their parents cars were always covered in some blue dust every morning!! I had never thought to go back there and see what might remain from the old factory