Spook in the City: Royal York's Crystal Ballroom


Chandeliers were trembling above us as John and I shot the last Spook in the City episode in the The Royal York on one of its tops floors. As far as I had learned in my research, the floor above us had been empty for years ago and couldn't be reopened because of stringent changes to building code. So what could it have been that was causing the shaking ceiling? I also couldn't explain what was happening to my camera as I tried shot after shot. The screen went dark. The camera shut off. Then it restarted and flashed error over and over. Finally I got one quick blurry take and we hauled it out of there.

Last weekend drew me back to the Royal York for a swish black tie event to honour Alliance Atlantis chairman Michael MacMillan on behalf of Toronto East General Hospital. As I mingled outside the Canadiana Room with the likes of Julian Fantino, Carla Collins and top players in medicine and broadcasting I found myself drawn to find out more about the abandoned Crystal Ballroom on the top floor of the Royal York. I wandered into the staff areas and over to the service elevators but no one I asked could tell me any more than I'd already gleaned from Haunted Ontario. I'm so intrigued now I need to see this ballroom, but I suppose that will only happen if a mystery guest decides to take me there.

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The reason the staff we're so reticent was that you are in the wrong hotel. The Haunted Ontario article notwithstanding there is no abandoned Crystal Ballroom at the Royal York. The Crystal Ballroom is at the King Edward. There WAS a similar space at the Royal York called the Roof Garden, it was on the 28th floor, but unlike the Crytal Ballroom it is not been left to rot, it was carved up into offices that are very much in use.

Posted by: Chester Pape at November 1, 2006 9:14 AM

The submitter of the spooky story called it "A Crystal Ballroom" not THE Crystal Ballroom so perhaps I shouldn't have used that term since it may confuse people who know about the King Eddie's ballroom of the same name. I've looked into it some more and found that, as you say, there was a ballroom such as this, however it was in fact on the 19th floor, but no longer exists as such.

Posted by: sookie at November 1, 2006 10:21 AM

Chester Pape is a bit of a prick. I have seen his/her posts before, and they are always contrary.
Besides, who uses Toronto street names as a screen identity - how very Greg Kramer circa 1990 (look that one up in your thesaurus CP).

Posted by: Jane Kennedy at November 2, 2006 11:25 AM

Sorry, "A Crystal Ballroom not THE Crystal Ballroom" is a really feeble excuse for not checking facts. Chester Pape was not being contrary, he was just pointing out that there was never a room at the Royal York known as a Crystal Ballroom, nor is crystal an adjective normally associated with ballrooms in general.

Trust me, it's worth going to the real Crystal Ballroom to reshoot--if only for the chance to see the elegant decay.

Posted by: TyceTO at December 1, 2006 8:51 PM

Thanks TyceTO - I should and will check out the King Eddie but the source of this ghost story listed The Royal York as the location of this one, whether or not the ballroom there is/was called The Crystal Ballroom. I'm a pretty serious fact checker. If you read the text above I tell blogTO readers that I tried but couldn't get confirmation.

Let's remember here we're talking about ghost stories anyway - personal accounts of events - and that's what Spook In The City tried best to convey.

Posted by: sookie at December 6, 2006 4:34 PM

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