10: Adventures in Spacing and Time

Books, time travel, catalogue stores, and more!

Hello.

Yeah, I know it’s been a while. Let’s just say things have been hectic around here, and time has sped by.

And with that out of the way, on with the show!

Happy 20^th Anniversary Spacing!

Showing off my contribution to The Big Book of Spacing during the 20th anniversary party.

“Sticking with something for 20 straight years takes commitment, whether it’s a marriage or smoking or publishing a magazine. Frankly, two decades of sticking with anything can be emotionally and physically draining, forget about covering local politics and the nuances of city building. Yet, putting out issue after issue of Spacing has been much more of joy than anyone should or would expect.”—Matthew Blackett and Dylan Reid, from the introduction to The Big Book of Spacing.

Spacing magazine has marked its 20^th anniversary with a collection of pieces from its pages, including a story I wrote about forgotten safety mascots. Spacing and its associated projects have long been a great outlet for me, ranging from articles to contributing to their growing library of books.

I went to the anniversary party recently, which felt like another piece of the slow process of rebuilding my social world in the COVID era. It felt like a party of old, with many familiar faces and a few new ones (Apologies to anyone who I may have forgotten who you were – the socializing skills are still a little rusty, and my brain has been so overwhelmed lately that there are days it resembles swiss cheese). The Spacing parties have always been a good opportunity to catch up with friends and peers and, occasionally, toss new ideas around. It was also nice to have the current mayor show up, providing a link back to the days when that wasn’t an unusual occurrence.

As a forum for discussion of public space issues in the city and beyond, Spacing remains as relevant as ever in an era where such things remain under threat or subject to the whims of politicians.

Here’s to it remaining a vital voice for the next 20 years.

Behind the Sofa

The labour dispute at TVO ended in November, and I returned after a three-month break with a piece tying into the 60^th anniversary of Doctor Who about the series’ Toronto connections, which include co-creator Sydney Newman and the series’ long run on TVO.

I suspect many people around my age who grew up in Ontario or near the border first encountered everybody’s favourite time lord on TVO. For me, it’s Tom Baker’s opening title sequence which sticks in my mind from childhood, which I tried to evoke in the opening of the piece. Viewers of the era might have flipped a coin as to which early evening series on TVO had the weirder opening: Doctor Who’s time vortex or the strange animation which introduced Elwy Yost’s Magic Shadows. I vote for the latter, if only for the creepy pilot-turned-tiger man-turned-octopod horror.

(By comparison, the “star field” opening used for Doctor Who from 1980-86, while cool, lacks the impact of the series’ earlier openings).

Sydney Newman’s career is a fascinating one, rising from an art student at Central Tech to running television drama departments on both sides of the Atlantic, then overseeing the National Film Board, before a long postscript where he periodically resurfaced as an advisor or shared his opinions on the state of television as a medium. I recently updated an old profile I wrote about Newman.

I watched the 60^th anniversary specials and felt a sense of fun was reinjected into the franchise that was missing during Chris Chibnall’s tenure as showrunner (Confession: I’ve barely watched the last stretch of Jodie Whittaker episodes apart from her finale, as I lost interest). The first few minutes of Ncuti Gatwa’s presence make the future of the franchise look promising…and possibly less angsty?

What’s New?

Lyn McLeod and her daughters at the 1992 Ontario Liberal leadership convention. Toronto Star, February 9, 1992.

Besides the Doctor Who piece, I’ve been busy getting back into the swing of things with TVO. With the selection of Bonnie Crombie as the new leader of the Ontario Liberal party, I looked at the first time a woman became leader of a major political party in the province, which occurred when Lyn McLeod was chosen at the 1992 Liberal leadership convention. For a race most pundits considered boring, it had a tight finish.

Brewers Retail sign at night, Gerrard Street East and Logan Avenue in Toronto, 1982. City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 620, Item 636.

When the Ford government announced that alcohol beverages may be available in convenience stores in 2026, I looked at how corner store booze was nearly a thing in the mid-1980s and why that didn’t happen (spoilers: old Ontario prudishness, concerns about social consequences, and more pressing priorities).

Consumers Distributing 1980 Annual Report.

Once upon a time, flipping through the Consumers Distributing catalogue was a key part of the holiday season experience. I looked at the chain’s rise and fall, a story of rapid expansion, eternal stocking issues, and a few shady things.

Finally, over on the Canadian Encyclopedia, I wrote the entries on stem cell research pioneers James Till and Ernest McCulloch.

Coming Soon

Image from a 1917 federal election campaign ad, the Telegram, December 7, 1917.

I don’t get many comments on my Tales of Toronto website. But a couple of recent stereotypically “grumpy old man” notes left there have made me think about the blinding power of nostalgia, how some people get locked into believing everything in the “old days” was so much better than the present, and how holding or manipulating such views can be so damaging. I may take some time over the holidays to collect my thoughts together on this subject and unleash them somewhere (I haven’t decided yet which of my sites is the best fit).

In short: just because I’m a historian doesn’t mean I live in the past. That’s the last thing I want to do. Life moves along and, for or worse, changes. The past informs the present, providing precedents and ideas to embrace, build upon, or avoid.

(This is also a topic Louisa thinks I should write a book about. Just sayin’.)

Hire Me

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Seeking a writer/researcher/editor for your latest project? I am always taking on new work. Beyond my historical niche, which often leads in surprising directions, I want to expand my horizons and explore new ways of utilizing my skills. I am interested in working on general projects in the corporate, educational, and non-profit sectors where clear communication and presenting solid facts is a must. Privately message me at jamiebradburnwriting[AT]gmail.com if I can assist you.

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That’s it for now. It feels like a lot of people are ready to put 2023 behind them and move on to 2024. Enjoy the holiday season and see you in the new year!