COMICS

• Memoirs from the Distant Future (GreenTOpia)
• Enter Avariz, a Zack Meadow story
• Lordie Jones
• Harris Filtration Plant
• Crisisgirl
• Volcano Remedy

Palace of Purification
The R.C. Harris Filtration Plant

Toronto, Canada

Comic format article about the R.C. Harris Filtration Plant in Toronto, Canada. Published as a full colour 2 page spread in the Toronto Star in 2002.

The whole comic may be read online by clicking the image below or here.

The diagram of the internal workings of the filtration plant may be viewed by clicking the image at the bottom or here.

The R.C. Harris Water Filtration Plant is located at the foot of Victoria Park Avenue in the Beaches neighbourhood, at the eastern terminus of Queen Street East. It sits quietly dramatic, overlooking Lake Ontario. Built in the 1930's - and continually operational since 1941 - the building and grounds continue to be one of Toronto's most magical places. The plant's construction was one of the most significat achievement in the illustrious career of Rowland Caldwell Harris, Toronto's commissioner of public works from 1912 to 1945, and an equally important architectural achievement for the city. Harris was also the commissioner for the Bloor Street Viaduct.

The article was based on extensive research into the site, building and political process, and current operation of the plant.

One of the discoveries during research was that the site had previously been the home of one of Toronto's many forest schools. Victoria Park Forest School was mainly for underpriveleged children suffering from tuberculosis, asthma, and other ailments associated with overcrowded living conditions.

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A large portion of the article details the entire filtration process.
The viewer is taken on a pictorial tour of the plant that highlights
the architectural splendour of the complex as well as its operation.

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