|
Click
HERE to Bookmark Haunted Ontario
|
|
|
|
|
Royal Alexandra Theatre
260 King St W
Built: 1907
Haunted: unknown
History
The Royal Alexandra Theatre first opened its doors in 1907, under the ownership of Cawthra Mulock. The theatre was (and remains) North America's only truly 'royal' theatre,
by royal patent from Edward VII. The theatre was actually named for his consort, Alexandra (a Danish princess).
Honest Ed Mirvish purchased the theatre in 1962 and closed it for a year (the longest it has ever been closed) for renovations.
In 1987, the theatre was named a National Historic Monument.
Hauntings
Three apparitions have been reported in the theatre. The first is that of an eerie blue light floating above one of the balconies.
The others are that of a man wearing old-fashioned clothing in the orchestra pit, and that of a headless man walking high above the stage.
It is not uncommon to heard the sound of conversation from empty dressing rooms.
During one investigation, sawdust was strewn upon the floor outside a locked door. The locked door was very clearly heard to have opened itself, yet there were no footsteps in the sawdust.
In the office of one long-deceased employee, an extreme cold spot can be felt.
Further Reading
Royal Ontario Museum
100 Queen's Park
Built: 1851
Haunted: unknown
History
The ROM was created by an act of the provincial government in 1912, opening its door to the public less than two years later.
Since the opening, there have been two major expansions - in 1933 and 1978.
Charles Trick Currelly, the ROM Director until his retirement in 1946, often worked so late he slept in the museum.
Hauntings
A pair of apparitions have been reported within the museum. The first is that of an 8yr old little girl, in a long white dress, often seen sitting in the auditorium of the McLaughlin Planetarium.
The second is that of an older gentleman, in a nightshirt, walking the halls.
Further Reading
Royal York Hotel
100 Front W
Built: 1929
Haunted: unknown
History
At the time of its construction, the Royal York was the only building in Canada with elevators.
A former employee hanged himself from the 19th floor stairwell railing in 1994.
Hauntings
Several apparitions have been reported, including an elegant grey-haired gentleman in a maroon smoking jacket wandering the 8th floor corridor;
a woman dressed in a Victorian era gown; and an old steward who is said to haunt the basement silver room.
The sounds of footsteps and screams have been heard from the area of the 19th/20th floor stairwells, where motion sensors and
video cameras are often triggered by unseen phenomena.
Eyewitness Account (1)
"I was at the Royal York hotel last weekend. My husband and me stayed on the nineth floor in a suite at the hotel.
While I was there, I kept seeing something in the corner of my eyes, but when I turned around it was gone.
My husband and I came back from the theatre around 11 o'clock, turned the light that was on the table on, and it went off. So my husband left it off.
After a few minutes, the light went back on. We went over to the light to see if the light bulb and the plug were in all the way. They were.
The light just kept going on and off.
Around 12 o'clock midnight, children were running up and down the hallwa,y laughing and screaming. I immediately went to the door and looked out. No one there.
At 12:30 I was lying in bed and hearing a loud banging noise coming from the room next door. I called to complain about the noise, but no one was booked in next door to us. I got up out of bed, put my housecoat on, and decided to do some investigating myself.
I could still hear the children's laughter in the hallway. I Went outside my room and down the hallway. When I stopped in front of a door - cold, ice cold, you could see your breath. That room was 2 doors away from us."
Gail
Eyewitness Account (2)
"I used to work at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto. On the very top floor, also called the penthouse, is a Crystal Ballroom. It is an absolutely beautiful ballroom, and has been host to some very big and elaborate functions over it's long and storied
history.
[editor's note - This is most likely a reference to the Roof Garden Ballroom. However, it may be a reference to the King Edward Hotel. If you have any information that may clarify, please let me know.]
Well, as time went on, and construction bylaws changed, the old girl had to be closed ppermanentlyfor failing
to meet fire code. The Crystal Ballroom was closed ppermanently but never torn down or re-modelled because of Engineering
concerns and costs.
The story thickens though...there have been cases, and I have been party to this more than once when
I was working there, where the service elevator would just head sstraightto the Crystal Ballroom...without stopping on the
floor you requested. The doors open and there is nothing but darkness. Other people have reported hearing loud talking
and music playing while staying in the rooms just below the ballroom. Other times, the elevator would go up there by
itself and just come down again, as if someone or something was looking to go to the ballroom."
former employee - name withheld
Eyewitness Account (3)
"I just had an interesting experience at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto, not quite as scary as what I have read on the
website, but it was definately strange. I had no idea of all the mysterious happenings at this hotel - I am just finding out
now as I am trying to find out things that may have happened to others, so I had not preconceived notions of hauntings at
the Royal York at all.
I woke up at 2:45am exactly to find the light on in our room. I did not
turn it on myself, nor did the person I was sharing the room with. I
quickly sat up and turned it off, then I laid in bed wondering why or how it
could have been on. I suddenly felt something brush my neck! It startled
me and I laid awake in a cold sweat for about an hour. I did not want to
wake up my sleeping friend, but told her about it in the morning -
naturally, I was a bit freaked out. We pulled the bed away from the wall to
check the plug and see if maybe it was loose (it was not). We also thought
maybe the lamp was a touch lamp as well as one that you switch on and off. It was not a
touch lamp.
The next night I medicated myself with cold medicine - I did not have a
cold, I just wanted to sleep! Before this, there were 5 of us sitting
around in our room chatting about various work related things (we were there
for a conference) and my roommate did not tell us until the next morning,
but she was pretty sure she saw a light out of the corner of her eye at one
point. She did not want to tell me as I was still recovering from my
experience the night before and knew I would never sleep! It was enough to
keep her awake for a good part of the night that night though."
Shawna
Further Reading
University of Toronto
King's College Circle
Built: 1857
Haunted: unknown
History
Started as King's College in 1857, the U of T is a sprawling metropolis of learning with several stories scattered about its grounds.
One of those stories has to do with the Soldier's Memorial Tower, built in the 1920s as a monument to the staff and students who sacrificed their lives for freedom.
Tragically, during the 1930s, a repairman fell to his death inside the Tower while polishing the bells.
The other famous story has to do with University College. Founded as "The Provincial College" in 1853, it was intended to provide a university education without regard to religious privilege. Unfortunately,
it's construction was marred by an act not-so-noble. During the construction, two stonemasons (Ivan Reznikoff & Paul Diabolos) quarrled over a young woman name Susie.
Diablos even went so far as to carve two of the university's famouse gargoyles -- one of Reznikoff and another of himself, laughing at Reznikoff.
One famous night, Reznikoff chased Diabolos through the grounds with a double-headed axe. One missed swing left a gash in the chapter house door that remains today.
Diabolos eventually turned the tables and stabbed Reznikoff to death, then dropped his body 20 metres down the unfinished stairwell.
Sadly, Valentine's Day in 1890 saw much of University College destroyed by fire. During its reconstruction, however, bones were discovered in the very same stairwell where Reznikoff's body was dumped.
Hauntings
The Soldier's Memorial Tower is know for strange lights shining from the windows of the Memorial Room, as well as the apparition of a male figure.
Within University College, extinguished lamps were often found to have been relit. Doors and windows that were shut, were later found unlocked on their own, and lights often go on and off by themselves.
Finally, one bizarre night, the apparition of a tall beared man with a top hat appeared to Sir Allen Aylesworth. After telling the story of his - Reznikoff's - murder,
the apparition . . . dissapeared.
Further Reading
|
|
|
|
Haunted Ontario was first launched July 27th, 2000.
|
|
|
|
|
