The Book Depot Warehouse, located at 67 Front St. North, Thorold, ON, is a building with a great deal of historical character. The building was originally the site of a paper mill by the name of Montrose Paper Mill, later known as the St. Lawrence Mill, and finally, the Provincial Paper Co. (St. Catharines Public Library, n.d.). Thorold was likely a popular location for paper mills because of its access to rail lines, canals, and the lower cost of hydroelectricity that was generated in Niagara Falls. While there is little evidence of it now, the paper mill was located on the first and second installments of the Welland Canal. However, due to the need for larger and more robust locks and canals, additional canals were implemented, including the (currently used) fourth installment, the Welland Ship Canal. This canal took a new route throughout much of the Niagara region and was more efficient. As a result, it became the main canal, rendering much of its predecessors obsolete (Chambers, 2008). The section of the first Welland Canal that The Book Depot Warehouse building is located on has since been removed which drastically altered the building's surrounding landscapes.

Rather than being torn down when it was no longer needed as a paper mill, in 2003, the building was retrofitted to be the main headquarters and warehouse for The Book Depot, and today it has over 450 000 square feet of usable space (Wikkerink, 2017). While it may now look far different from its earliest design and many of its original outer structures have been removed, the building still holds much historical value because it is an icon of industrial economic history of Thorold. Moreover, this building stands as a monument to the first and second installments of the Welland Canal that it once resided on. The Book Depot is now surrounded by a large parking lot that is sprinkled with decorative trees and patches of grass, which have drastically impacted the biota. The surrounding area that was once industrial is now residential, with houses, a shopping center, and many smaller shops nearby.

Municipality: Thorold

Local area name: Downtown Thorold

Other identifying names or descriptions North-East downtown and residential area of Thorold, across from the shopping center on Pine Street.

Latitude and longitude: 79°12'07.1"W 43°07'43.0"N

Physical Dimensions

Length: 300m

Width: 180m

Surface Area: Approximately 0.054 km^2 / 5.4 ha

Elevation:

Highest point: 174m

Lowest point: 162m

While there is little evidence of it now, this landscape was originally purposed as a paper mill. This paper mill was located along the first installment of the Welland Canal. When the canal became obsolete after it was replaced by its successor, the modern Welland Canal, the original canal was removed. In later years, after the paper mill was no longer in business, the landscape was repurposed as the Book Depot warehouse. While it may now look far different from its earliest design and many of its original outer structures have been removed, the building still holds much historical value because it is an icon of industrial economic history of Thorold. Located downtown in the North-East area of Thorold, the Book Depot warehouse is a large, concrete building surrounded by substantial, barren parking lots. Extending past the Book Depot property, the building is neighboring much of Thorold's residential and commercial area. The building is comprised of office area, loading docks, storage, and industrial areas. The office area is well lit and bordered by lush and colourful, well-kept decorative gardens, while the other areas have little-to-no lighting and look very industrial. Since it was removed from the landscape, the building is no longer located along the Welland Canal.

Map 1: Google maps satellite view of the Book Depot Warehouse located in Downtown North-East Thorold

While this area once flourished with biotic life, human intervention has drastically impacted the biota of the Book Depot and the surrounding area. Hough (2004, pg. 87) explains that nature has a natural order. For example, in a forest, when a tree dies, it provides nutrients for its successors. This allows the forest to remain whole and continue to grow and adapt, and the natural succession of the natural landscape can remain stable. The flow of the water between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario and the surrounding habitats were once likely stable. However, by altering the path for the Welland Canals, humans have disrupted this natural order. While these changes impact the biota of much of the Niagara region, due to its relative location to the first and second installments of the Welland Canals, these alterations have had drastic impacts on the biota of the Book Depot. The human intervention and transformations of the landscape happened very quickly relative to the time necessary for evolution and thus, the plants biota within the Book Depot area has not been given time to adapt. Where humans introduced a canal that allowed for the transformation and support of aquatic life, there is now asphalt roads and buildings. The Book Depot is a large building surrounded by barren parking lots, and gravel pathways. The industrialization of this land has taken land space away from plant and animal life.

Plant Life

The industrialization of the area surrounding the Book Depot has made it difficult for plants to grow. As Hugh (2004, pg. 88) explains, industrialization can impact a plant's ability to survive. For example, city climate tends to be warmer and, thus, existing plants in a newly urbanized environment must adapt to a new climate. Moreover, there is often an increase in pollutants that can interfere with a plant's transpiration and respiration processes due to the reduced water penetration and change in the supply of nutrients. Other factors such as salt used for roads during the winter, or changes in wind patterns due to surrounding buildings may also impact a plant's survival and distribution. The Book Depot is a very large building with plenty of industrial activity where much of the soil has been "sealed," and therefore, does not produce vegetation (Marzluff et al, 2008, pg. 161). While there appears to be more plant-life in present time compared to when the Montrose Paper Mill was in operation, the plants found surrounding the Book Depot are not naturally grown, but rather, part of the human-planned exterior design of the building. The purpose of these plants is likely to alter the industrial aesthetic and create a more natural feel to the landscape. By doing this, the landowners are able to create their envisioned space through the use of specific aesthetics, including colours and textures (Hugh, 2004, pg. 86). Along the sidewalks surrounding the building, there are small, well-kept, carefully-placed decorative gardens containing small trees, shrubberies, and flowers [Figures 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3]. Similarly, along the east-facing side of the building there are decorative vines [Figure 1.4]. Each of these plants have likely been carefully chosen based on their aesthetic appeal, quickness of growth, and resilience to climate, road salt, soil-type, and disease (Hugh, 2004, pg. 89).

Animal Life

While analyzing the Book Depot, while I was unable to get any usable photographs, throughout the semester, I noticed various birds throughout the day. While I had difficulty identifying much of these species, according to my visits, the Blue Jay was quite common. During the night, skunks, racoons, and possums frequently visited the landscape. Each of these are mostly nocturnal and, while there are sparse resources on the landscape, the animals likely use it as a short route between the residential areas and the downtown area of Thorold. It is likely that the open space that is used for the building, parking lot, and shipment areas of the landscape are home to some different species of animals. However, since the primary purpose of the land (according to humans) is industrial activity, it is also likely that these animals are not welcome. The building is secured and much of the land is open area, so there are little-to-no areas for animals to seek refuge during inclement weather. As Hugh (2004, pg. 131) discusses, human disturbance often leads to loss of animal habitat. The lack of diverse animal species on the landscape is an indication that the human intervention around the Book Depot has led to less biodiversity in the surrounding area.

Furthermore, while it may not have been directly impacted by the production of the Book Depot building, the various installments of the Welland Canal allowed for invasive species to flow between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. An example of this is sea lamprey. Prior to the Welland Canal, Niagara Falls acted as a barrier, inhibiting the lamprey from migrating to Lake Erie and the upper Great Lakes (Larson et al, 2003). However, once the Welland Canal was carved, the sea lamprey were no longer confined to Lake Ontario and could move freely between the Great Lakes. This species has spread rapidly, is a predator to many fish species, and is not native to the upper Great Lakes. Consequently, has posed major threats to the pre-existing fish community of much of the Great Lakes and continues to be problematic.

Today, there are no notable features that make the landscape of the Book Depot stand out. The land used for the Book Depot takes up nearly an entire block. A large majority of the land is taken up by the massive 500 000 square foot warehouse facility (Book Depot, n.d.). However, on the East side of the building, there is a large parking lot for staff and customers. Surrounding the parking lot, there are small patches of grass and decorative gardens. On the South side of the building, there is a large gravel open and seemingly unused lot. The soil composition of the landscape is noted as 40-100cm of sandy or loamy sediments over lacustrine clays or loam [Figures 2.0, 2.1] (Soil Maps of Niagara, 1989).

The land is relatively flat and lacks any unique characteristics. However, the surrounding area declines in elevation when travelling from West to East. This may suggest some sort of leveling and excavation of the location of the landscape.It is the historical significance of land the Book Depot resides on that make it unique. Once set on the old Welland Canal [Figure 3.0], the topography of the Book Depot landscape looks far different than it once did. These manmade changes would have required major leveling to level the ground where the canal once was.

The hydrology of Thorold has played an important role in the economic and cultural history of the Book Depot landscape. The Book Depot warehouse is located between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. The Book Depot's predecessor, the Montrose Paper Mill, was successful due to its location relative to the first installment of the Welland Ship Canal. However, when the canal was replaced, the business died down, and which led to the Book Depot taking over the warehouse.

The water cycle plays an important role in the productivity, biodiversity, and the composition of a species of an ecosystem as it is essential for all life (Alberti, 2008, pg. 133). In order for a landscape to support life, it must have an adequate supply of water. By creating the Welland canals, humans altered the hydrological processes of the landscape surrounding the Book Depot. The water was diverted from the Niagara River and into the canal. Then, by changing the location of the Welland Canal, the water was once again diverted from the old canal to the new canal. Humans disrupted the natural order and flow of the landscape. This diversion can lead to alterations in erosion patterns, water supply distribution, as well as introduce invasive species (ie. Sea lamprey).

When looking solely at the Book Depot landscape surface, between the building and parking lots, it is covered with roughly 75% impervious surface. As a result, it would experience about 55% runoff, 30% evapotranspiration, 10% shallow infiltration, and 5% deep infiltration after it has rained [Figure 4.0] (Marzluff et al, 2008, 209). This means that less water is directed intro storm drains rather than naturally into the ground, and therefore, less water is accessible to refill the underground aquifers (Alberti, 2008, 146). This can also cause contamination of local water supplies, as the runoff water can collect oil and chemicals that have collected on the pavement.

The introduction of the first and second installments of the Welland canals, as well as the Montrose Paper Mill, the previous purpose for the Book Depot building, were a result of the increasing urbanization of the area. Over time, the population of Thorold continued to grow and the surrounding area became more industrialized. These human-induced changes led to changes in the local microclimate of the Montrose Paper Mill and its neighbouring areas.

As Hugh (2004, pg. 88) states, the climate of cities tends to be warmer than that of rural areas. This is due to the urban heat island effect. Surfaces such as buildings, pavement, vegetation, etc. hold heat throughout the day and release it during the night, causing the air temperature to rise during the nighttime. This can cause a city to be four to five degrees Celsius warmer than the country (Hugh, 2004, pg. 193). While Thorold is far from a metropolitan, the Book Depot is a large, concrete building bordered by asphalt roads and parking lots. These factors would cause the Book Depot's microclimate to be consistently warmer than nearby country land.

Hugh (2004, pg. 190) explains that large bodies of water absorb and store solar energy. As a result, these bodies of water heat up and cool down much slower than land and, thus, moderate the temperature of their surroundings through onshore breezes. Thorold sits between two great lakes. Lake Ontario is located north-east of Thorold, while Lake Erie is located south-west of Thorold. Although Thorold is not located directly on the shore of either of these lakes, these large bodies of water would have an impact on the moderation of Thorold's microclimate.

The Book Depot warehouse is also located near some of Thorold's largest buildings. Although they do not completely block it, these buildings block a large portion of the winds coming from the Great Lakes. Because of this, winters with less wind chill may be much more comfortable for the locals, while breezeless summers may be more uncomfortable. Moreover, the amount of wind an area has can impact temperatures, evaporation, and moisture loss and transpiration vegetation and drifting snow, thus affecting the microclimate of the Book Depot (Hugh, 2004, pg. 203).

While there is little documentation of the early settlement of the Book Depot landscape, the Niagara Settlers Land Records show that the property that the Book Depot is located, known as lot 7, was owned by settler Jacob Ball in 1794 [Figures 5.0, 5.1] (Niagara Settlers Land Records, n.d.). The town of Thorold drew early settlers because of it access to natural resources. Thorold quickly because known for its sawmills, paper mills, and nearby quarries. Furthermore, prior to the implementation of roads, rivers and lakes were used as a convenient mode of travel. However, the rapids of the St. Lawrence river and Niagara Falls posed as a barrier for those travelling between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. As a result, the Welland Ship Canal was built as a bypass to these obstacles (Welland Library, 1973). With the introduction of the Welland Ship Canal and the Welland Railway, Thorold had a massive increase in industrialization (Niagara Settlers Land Records, n.d.).

The Book Depot Warehouse [Figure 6.1] and its surrounding landscape has a great deal of historical character. The building was originally the site of a paper mill by the name of Montrose Paper Mill [Figure 6.0], later known as the St. Lawrence Mill, and finally, the Provincial Paper Co. (St. Catharines Public Library, n.d.). The paper mill was named after William Findlay's birthplace, Montrose, Scotland, but was later renamed Provincial Paper (Jackson, 1997). Thorold was likely a popular location for paper mills because of its access to rail lines, canals, and the lower cost of hydroelectricity that was generated in Niagara Falls. While there is little evidence of it now, the paper mill was located on the first and second installments of the Welland Canal. However, due to the need for larger and more robust locks and canals, additional canals were implemented, including the (currently used) fourth installment, the Welland Ship Canal. This canal took a new route throughout much of the Niagara region and was more efficient. As a result, it became the main canal, rendering much of its predecessors obsolete (Chambers, 2008). The section of the first Welland Canal that The Book Depot Warehouse building is located on has since been removed and, thus, drastically altered the building's surrounding landscapes.

Rather than being torn down when it was no longer needed as a paper mill, in 2003, the building was retrofitted to be the main headquarters and warehouse for The Book Depot, and today it has over 450 000 square feet of usable space (Wikkerink, 2017). While it may now look far different from its earliest design and many of its original outer structures have been removed, the building still holds much historical value because it is an icon of industrial economic history of Thorold. While the shutdown of the paper mills in Thorold may have resulted in a loss of many jobs and altered the local economy, the Book Depot provides jobs to over 200 employees (Book Depot, n.d.). Moreover, this building stands as a monument to the first and second installments of the Welland Canal that it once resided on.

Education / Interpretation:

While there are no education centers that have been created for the purpose of educating the public on the history of the Book Depot building, locations such as the Thorold Public Library have reserves of historical photographs of the land used for the Book Depot. Similarly, there are locations such as the Welland Canals Centre, located in the St. Catharines museum, that provides historical and tourist information for the Welland Canals and the surrounding area. The Book Depot also has a website for their distribution location, www.bookdepot.ca, in which they share their companies' products, history, the history of the Book Depot warehouse, their contact information, their mission, and an "About Us" section discussing frequently asked questions. Similarly, the company has a website for their commercial location, www.bookoutlet.ca, which displays their products on a more local scale, as well as a list of their in-store locations.

Architectural Heritage:

While many of the structures of the original mill have been removed and the landscape looks far different from what it once was, the Book Depot maintained much of the structure of the original building. While the overall aesthetic of the building is quite different, there are many similarities between the papermill's original structure and the current Book Depot building. The Book Depot reclaimed 300 000 square feet of useable warehouse space from the previous paper mill facility (Keefer Developments, n.d.). This differentiates the Book Depot from other warehouse buildings and gives it a sense of uniqueness and culture. This large building stands as a reminder to the booming papermill industry that Thorold was once known for. The Book Depot is a large, concrete warehouse, with a very simple, boxy, and industrial aesthetic. The Book Depot and its partner company is the sole distributor of the Paper Mill Press Classics published books, named after the Paper Mill industry of the Niagara region (Mechelse, 2018).

Furthermore, near the Book Depot, located at 20 Pine Street, Thorold, there is a small building that was part of the Welland Mills, which has since been converted into apartment buildings. This building maintains its original structure and appearance, and as a result, adds character and cultural value to the Book Depot that it neighbors [Figures 7.0, 7.1].

Recreational Uses:

Since the building and surrounding property takes up nearly a whole block, it can be inconvenient to walk all around the entire property. While the "No Trespassing" signs [Figure 8.0] posted in certain areas may act as a barrier to some individuals, during my multiple research trips to the Book Depot, I noticed that this landscape acted as a shortcut to between Pine Street and Front Street for many Thorold locals. While it may be unauthorized by the owners and it is not properly lit for use during the night, this pathway provides an efficient route for those travelling between the shopping center and downtown Thorold. It is also worth mentioning that the Book Depot houses the largest selection of discounted wholesale books in the world. While these books are not purchased or read on-site, they are shipped all over the world and to their in-store location found in St. Catharines. Moreover, there is a St. Catharines Transit bus stop located on the edge of the property [Figure 8.1].

The Book Depot is under corporate ownership. In 2002, the Provincial Paper Mill (formerly known as the Montrose Paper Mill) was purchased by Book Depot (Wikkerink, 2017). Along with the ownership change came changes to the appearance to the building. The warehouse underwent 12 months of retrofitting ensure it was fit for the company's needs. The retrofitting included the removal of some external structures, as well as expansions and internal modifications to the warehouse, including the implementation of conveyor systems and packaging stations (Wikkerink, 2017). The company also owns the Book Outlet, an in-store book shop located in St. Catharines. However, this location is used solely as the company's distribution site and head office. While the public have access to some of the landscape, since the building is used as their distribution center, the public is not generally given access to the loading dock areas and inside the warehouse. However, those interested in purchasing their books in wholesale can make an appointment by phone to meet at their head office located on site (Book Depot, n.d.).

Unlike most factories and warehouses, the Book Depot is located in a relatively high-traffic area between the downtown section and the suburbs of Northeast Thorold. As a result, the Book Depot's 200 employees have access to the nearby shops and restaurants, and many of them are likely in walking distance to their homes. However, the landscape is not limited to those in walking distance. The building is also surrounded by many roads that lead to highways which connect to other areas of the Niagara Region. Similarly, there is a bus stop on the edge of the property, allowing convenient access to those without an automobile through the use of public transit. Moreover, while the old Welland Canal no longer flows directly adjacent to the Book Depot, the landscape is still located relatively close to the newer installment of the Welland Canal.

Because the Book Depot supplies wholesale books internationally, this landscape also has impacts on areas all over the world (Book Depot, n.d.).

Book Depot

Address:

67 Front Street North

Thorold, Ontario

L2V 1X3, Canada

Hours Of Operation:

Closed to the public

Wholesalers by appointment only

Contact:

1-800-801-7193

1-905-680-7230

Monday - Friday: 8:00am - 4:00pm EST

Email: service@bookdepot.com

Website:

https://bookdepot.ca/

Welland Canals Centre

Address:

1932 Welland Canals Pkwy (at Lock 3)

St. Catharines, ON

L2R 7K6

Hours of Operation:

9:00am - 5:00pm EST

Contact:

TTY: 905.688.4TTY(4889)

Tel : 905.688.5600

Fax: 905.682.3631

Website:

https://www.stcatharines.ca/en/experiencein/Wellan...

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Book Depot. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved October 21, 2020, from https://bookoutlet.ca/Help/AboutUs

Chambers, M., & Dearden, L. (2008). Frommer's Niagara region (pp. 199-200). Mississauga, ON: Wiley.

Hough, Michael. 2004. Cities and Natural Process : A Basis for Sustainability. London: Routledge, 2004. Brock University eBook Collection (EBSCOhost), EBSCOhost (accessed 2020-09-08).

Jackson, J. N. (1997). The Welland canals and their communities: Engineering, industrial, and urban transformation. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

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Marzluff, John M. 2008. Urban ecology [electronic resource] : an international perspective on the interaction between humans and nature / [edited by] John M. Marzluff ... [et al.]. n.p.: New York : Springer, c2008., 2008. Brock University Library Catalogue, EBSCOhost (accessed 2020-09-08).

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Niagara Navigator. [Niagara Region, 2006] [air photo]. (2018d). 1:25 000. The Regional Municipality of Niagara and Suppliers. First Base Solutions INC. Retrieved from https://maps.niagararegion.ca/Navigator/

Niagara Navigator. [Niagara Region, 2010] [air photo]. (2018e). 1:25 000. The Regional Municipality of Niagara and Suppliers. QUEEN'S PRINTER FOR ONTARIO. Retrieved from https://maps.niagararegion.ca/Navigator/

Niagara Navigator. [Niagara Region, 2013] [air photo]. (2018f). 1:25 000. The Regional Municipality of Niagara and Suppliers. QUEEN'S PRINTER FOR ONTARIO. Retrieved from https://maps.niagararegion.ca/Navigator/

Niagara Navigator. [Niagara Region, 2015] [air photo]. (2018g). 1:25 000. The Regional Municipality of Niagara and Suppliers. QUEEN'S PRINTER FOR ONTARIO. Retrieved from https://maps.niagararegion.ca/Navigator/

Niagara Navigator. [Niagara Region, 2018] [air photo]. (2018h). 1:25 000. The Regional Municipality of Niagara and Suppliers. QUEEN'S PRINTER FOR ONTARIO. Retrieved from https://maps.niagararegion.ca/Navigator/

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Wikkerink, W. (2017, September 13). The Roots of Book Depot. Retrieved September 19, 2020 from https://bookdepot.ca/Blog/Article/505/the-roots-of...

This Local Landscape Report was prepared by Donavan Moore for the Brock University course TOUR 2P94: Human Dominated Ecosystems on November 12, 2020.

All copyrights for cited material rest with the original copyright owners.