Toronto Photography Meetup Group

Has anyone ever been to the Eastman Kodak building 9 on Eglington ave? http://www.uer.ca/locations/show.asp?locid=25485 From what I had just googled, up until March 2011 it is still accessible. I am considering making my way there sometimes next week. Just want to see if anyone here's been there or is possiblity interested in taking the dive with me.

I'm interested. We just have to see if it's still accessible.

tonnes of people roam around that building

I've had a shoot there about 5 or 6 weeks ago. There was one issue that arose. So, anything interesting is on floor 2 and above. All of the windows are boarded up on the first floor so its PITCH BLACK.

When I first went, there was a fire door (West Wall) that someone had used a crowbar to bend back and you could crawl through it and get into the room with the large staircase that leads directly up to the second floor. This time, they had completely boarded up that door with no way in. We walked around the building and found one window (East Wall) that had the boards taken off. This window was easy to get into because there was an exhaust vent to step onto and someone had placed a chair on the other side of the window to step onto.

Once you're in the window you're in the building, on the first floor, with little or no light, and you have to find your way to the aforementioned staircase. This seems simple enough, except for the fact that the entire floor in the area of the building we had entered in, was covered in water/mud/whoknows. It seemed like the floor was covered with a few inches of paper and it had gotten wet over the winter and became this pulp like mud. I left everyone by the window and stumbled around with my cell phone flashlight until I found out EXACTLY which way to go to get to the staircase, then everyone followed.

I know the weather has been great and all, but I'm not sure if this floor has dried up as it's pretty dark in there. As of the time I went, I could say its easy to get into, but I would strongly advise you bring a flashlight and a pair of boots.

The building I would advise and be happy to visit again at this time of year is the Regal Constellation on Dixon. An entire hotel to explore, you can spend a whole day there and not run out of things to shoot, you just have to jump one fence to get in. There is one security guard but the complex is so huge it's impossible for him to notice, and he doesn't seem to patrol, just sits in a booth. Theres some photos in my set here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7988092@N0 ... 861543456/

Ah, thanks for sharing. Nice to know that kodak 9 still "open". With all the vandalism and graffiti, it does give it character hence it is currently top of the my list.

I definitely would want to check out Regal Constellation as well. It sure got that ghostly atmosphere just from your photos.

Thanks a lot for the details, Bart. I'm not sure is worth the risk though.

Yeah, I guess it depends on how much you like visiting these places. I'll pay a hundred dollar tresspassing ticket for a few great photos any time. So far, knock on wood, there haven't been any issues.

I think the tresspassing fine is only $65, plus what are the chances?
I know kodak building 9 really doesnt have any security (from the research on google). As for Regal Constellation, despite the guard, that place looks soo cool. I definitely want to check that out at some point.

Planning on going out to kodak building 9 tomorrow. Ill post the pics if I do.

The max. fine under the law is $2000...

There can also be a damage award of up to $1000 under the act - unless the owners decide to bring a civil action against you...

http://www.canadalegal.com/gosite.asp?s=1900

Of course, this is only whats on paper but if you piss someone off or if they decide to make an example of you - better watch out when they look for everything they can throw at you that's on the books.

Seriously, youre exaggerating the suitation.. You only get charged $2000 when the person asked you to leave but you still linger around or is caught again.
The fine for TPA offense is $65.

(from here http://www.pkto.ca/webboard/viewtopic.p ... 4a1531fe04)

I am not asking you to believe me

Thanks for trying to inform me.
But enough said, sometimes you got to live a little and quit playing by book.

Bart,
Thanks for the heads up on Regal Constellation Hotel.

Seems you've been there in April 2011, just curious if this (see below) is still the case? how did you get in if all the holes are chainlinked? you can PM me if you feel more comfortable

Update 2010-06-06:
The building has been completely sealed up with chainlink over all the gaping holes and there are two patroling security vehicles onsite.
[url]
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikefalkne ... 890863381/[/url]

Also if anyone intends to go to Kodak #9 solo (not as a group), please take a (at least a swiss) knife with you, there's some homeless people there sometimes that you might want to make sure you have something to protect yourself against possible dangers, also stay away from windows in the rooms looking over the rail tracks, as the cops regularly patrol them (same with the roof).

I'm sure Kiteguy is right, but I also agree that being fined $2000 is an extreme case, though possible.

There are many risks involved you just have to decide if you're willing to take them. I would be more worried about actual structural safety as well as asbestos than trespassing fines.

I can tell you that as of the time I went a month or two ago, there are no guards or fences around the Kodak building.

@Andy

The post is correct, the building has been sealed up with chainlink fences, but there is one location on the north east side of the structure where the fence has been cut. I also found one more location on the south east wall that is accessible by bending a fence out a bit.

I went to the hotel on a Saturday afternoon and I can confirm that there was only one guard on duty. Every time I looked out a window to see where he was, he and his car where in the same spot, he never left his booth the entire time we were there. The booth has absolutely no view of the hotel, in fact, it faces away from the hotel. Once you are in the hotel, there is absolutely no chance of the guard seeing you because the complex is so massive that he can't and wont possibly patrol it, and its completely sealed off with fences as mentioned before. At most, the guard gets in his car and takes a 5 minute drive around the property, which he cant really get near because of all the debris.



Not sure if this image makes sense. Greyed out areas are no longer existing structures. Red square is where the guard sits, facing north. I would pass by in a car just to make sure he's there before starting. Red dot on the left is probably the best place to park. Red line is the fence that you would be required to jump. After that you make your way around the east side of the building, staying as close to the walls as possible. The hole in the fence is basically at the very north eastern tip of the remaining structure. One of the last few fence walls facing east. If you keep going north without crossing the north east corner where the guard is, you can't miss it.

Getting around the building is fine if you have a lot of time to wander, getting to the stairwell that leads to the roof of the western tower is extremely tricky. I would advise going with someone who's been before. It's not something I can draw a map to haha. Just know that the stairwell is on the north west corner of the western tower. If I hadn't been there and been in that stairwell while the hotel was still in use, I would have never found it. Thankfully I still remembered some of the internal landmarks 10 years later. The roof and the penthouse really is worth the walk up the stairwell.

Awesome! much appreciate the info.

You're the best with all the meticulous details

cheers!

thanks a lot for the walk-through guide!

No prob. There are 3 ways to get to the stairwell.

1. Cut a lock to a fence gate on the western wall.
2. On ground level, near the HR department and just north of the main lobby you will find a 20x10 ft room that has about 3 feet of yellow garbage bags taped and labeled "warning asbestos", on the other side of that room is the stairwell.
3. Or going into the pitch black basement with a flashlight and finding your way to roughly the same spot from there.

When I went, I used my cellphone to light up the basement and found my way there. On the way back I went through the asbestos room with a shirt over my face. The bags seemed pretty sealed, but It was obviously still a stupid idea. My cell phone was out of batteries . I would strongly advise anyone to bring a flashlight at minimum. There were some spots with about 1/2 to 1 inch of standing water, so I would advise bringing full length pants and boots of some sort.

Edit: now that I look at this map again. I would move the guard house a bit south where those cars are parked. Still well away from being spotted.

Was just at the kodak building 9 today, and unfortunately they resealed the side window entrance into the building. It was a fresh wooden board with new screws, so I expect they had done it recently. Hahah but forunately with the right tool you can easily unscrew the board off. I stole one of the screw as I intend on going back that place with tool.

Oh, if anyone is intended to go to hotel and looking for someone to go with, count me in

Here's a bit of advise; never give details in a open forum of how you gained entrance to a site. The other thing you might not want to bring with you are tools for entry. This could be construed as having B&E tools which brings you to a new level of trouble if caught.

Yeah, while it's easy enough to bring a screw driver or some snips to cut a fence, I wouldn't advise it. Hopping a fence and trespassing is one thing, gaining entry, no matter how easy it is, is another.

While I'm not too worried about giving out some of the details above, as all it does is implicate my trespassing just like my photos do; It is definitely smarter to heed vince's advice and probably take this private as I'm sure some of the moderators on here are probably wondering if these sort of threads are kosher so to speak.

Maybe we should start an e-mail distribution group. If anyone is interested in participating in this private group via e-mail, regarding upcoming outings and general info, please PM me your e-mail address.

NaturesEssence: For the record, the statute of limitations in Ontario for this kinda crime is 6 months... so you might want to hold off a bit before you start bragging about your felonies in a public forum.

As for the $2000 fine thing... I've been caught twice in Ontario, once in a building next to a police station and once by a K-9 unit and a SWAT team. Total cost of fines: $0. No charges, no tickets, no nothing.

Yes but you are experience in these sort of things and don't advertise in a public forum before you go.

I think I'm a little naive when it comes to this sort of stuff. I just can't imagine someone monitoring forums for photographer trespassers on private property. Why would the police care that someone is hopping a fence and endangering themselves on private property owned by someone who can't secure it properly?

I completely understand when its a meetup.com group or a website/forum dedicated to something like this, because the police can be trying to curb this sort of behaviour and they can make an example of a lot of people with relative ease; but tpmg isnt really known for these sort of adventures.

Right right, I just got too much time on my hands right as as Im currently out of work... But yes Ill keep everything down under the table so I dont cause any stir.

More or less, yup. I'm pretty public after the fact, mind you.

I know of at least a few occasions where an excursion has been mentioned online before and security or cops were waiting there for the intrepid explorers when they arrived.

Ultimately, though... I don't really care what other people do when I'm not exploring with them (which is why I don't explore with many different people I don't know well).

I guess it's pretty hard to hide a public TV series

Yes, that is challenging. But from filming to airing, it was over 1.5 years... well out side of the limitations. And it was on another continent.

I remember an urban explorer died a few years ago at the Hearn plant

http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/ ... torey-fall

I lost interest as soon as I read the asbestos warning.

Perhaps I'm biased as my dad died from asbestos exposure while working a desk job at Ontario Hydro (many of his co workers are sick or have passed too). You won't even know for decades if your health has been compromised. If it gets on your clothes you can endanger others through second hand exposure.

Fines would be the least of my concern.

Canada really needs to cease being the global asbestos pusher. Really sad read this:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/pol ... le2074399/