New lives for old ice warehouses
Large deposits of ice formed naturally over many generations, long before refrigeration had even been invented and widely used. It is hard to believe that ice is now such a cheap (1) ________, because before refrigeration it was the commercial (2) ________ of today's electricity. The merchants who sold ice became wealthy and, although the work was (3) ________ and frequently dangerous, a job in an ice warehouse was highly (4) ________. Nowadays, the stable temperatures in disused warehouses have been (5) ________ for the cultivation of delicate mushrooms and salad crops, and the cool, shaded interiors of each warehouse are considered (6) ________ in helping produce last longer. In addition, some former warehouses have been (7) ________ to different commercial enterprises, although maintaining modern ventilation and cooling systems is absolutely essential to (8) ________ visitors' safety. Some of the largest riverside buildings even host markets, exhibitions and community meetings.