Monday, October 6, 2008

St. Norbert Trappist Monastery, Fenced In

St. Norbert Cathedral
This past weekend I went to the St. Norbert Trappist Monastery to take some autumn photos only to find it trapped (no pun intended) behind a chain-linked fence. This is unfortunate for photographers who like to take pictures of these old structures without modern clutter like telephone lines, firehydrants or chain-linked fences showing up in the background. That said, I realise that it is a necessary evil. Just last year, while taking there pictures with Rae, there was a couple in the ruins with two small children. The children were in amongst the ruins, throwing rock around and hitting the old stone structure with sticks. The parents really should have taken this opportunity to teach there kids a little about respect for such a historical site rather than use the ruins as a babysitter. Children aren't the only culprits destroying the ruins. Years of being a popular drinking spot for St. Norbert's youth has also taken its toll. Safety to the Monastery's visitors is also a motive for fencing in this historical landmark.

husky
On this visit I also made a friend with this dog that, I believe, lives at the St. Norbert Arts Centre near the ruins.
See more pictures of this outing at my Flickr page.

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