The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in the heart of downtown Toronto at the corner of Yonge & Front Sts. in Brookfield Place (formerly BCE Place) lower concourse level, a short walk from many Toronto attractions, including Air Canada Centre, CN Tower, Rogers Centre and Eaton Centre. The actual address is:

Brookfield Place
30 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M5E 1X8

The Hall of Fame was well organized and filled with hundreds of thousands of of displays, artifacts, memorabilia, videos, NHL Zone, Upper Deck Collector’s Corner, Canadiens Dressing Room, Esso Theatre, Stanley Cup Dynasties,, Hartland Molson Theatre, Global Game Encounter, Panasonic Hometown Hockey, Verizon Great Hall & NHL TrophiesVirtual Tour – Verizon Great Hall, NHLPA Be A Player Zone, TSN/RDS Broadcast Zone, 2K Sports NHL2K Zone.

Basically there’s something for people of all ages, from interactive games for kids to getting the opportunity to do the commentary on actual NHL game action, not to mention special sections on the greatest players and teams of all time. Fans can easily spend half a day marveling at the impressive collection of items and reading the historical footnotes.

How can you be a true hockey fan and not visit the shrine of hockey? The price was about $15 for the day pass (see prices below). The main gallery has videos and electronic games where you can participate in simulated playoff action. There are halls and halls of pictures and plaques commemorating every great player and event in the games long history. Then there’s the holy grail of hockey, the Stanley cup. As you browse through all the displays etc, you’ll notice that every pro team has a small nook where its best players and achievements are catalogued.

Then there’s a rink where you can imagine yourself as part of one of the winning teams (closest I’ll ever get to being in a real hockey game). You can easily spend a couple hrs if you really want to cover everything  adequately. When it is busy (like on the weekends), you may have to wait in line to see some of the sections or try some of the electronics. We went the same day there was an NHL game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and The Washington Capitals, so with Ovechkin in town, this place was packed as well.

Contact :
Info line…………..(416) 360-7765
Switchboard……..(416) 360-7735

Rates :

General      $15.00
Youth (4yrs-13yrs)     $10.00
Senior (65yrs+)     $12.00
Children 3 & under     Free

Hours of operation (check for extended March Break and Summer hours)
Monday-Saturday …9:30am to 6:00pm
Sunday…………… 10:00am to 6:00pm

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We decided to have a family lunch together since we wouldn’t be bringing in the new year as we normally did every year.  It was a bit sad, but so it goes when your children are growing up and they have their own plans. The “bonus” was that Caron and I could actually do what other adults do on New Year’s Eve and be out with friends. Hopefully we can be together next New Year’s Eve in some warm country (beach party would be nice) instead of the minus 13 Celsius temps we had to endure.

Since we all had different things on our agenda to complete on this day we decided to go to Swiss Chalet Rotisserie and Grill, since we figured there wouldn’t be a wait and the food is cheap and not bad. We were right in assuming that there wouldn’t be a crowd, so we were seated as soon as we walked in. If you’ve been to one Swiss Chalet restaurant, there’s no difference in the interior, service and food you get.

I’ll list what we ordered, along with any comments and finish up with my final thoughts, as well as info on this specific Swiss Chalet restaurant.

We started off with a couple appetizers, pop and coffee for myself. All pop, coffee and tea comes with free refill and I must admit that their decaf coffee is really good.

Chicken Spring Rolls - Hand-rolled with Rotisserie Chicken, green onions, carrot slivers & peppers. Served with plum sauce.

This is a hit with Caron and the girls since (as far as they can tell) there’s no cabbage as in the ones you get when you order Chinese food. Word of caution though… allow them to cool a bit before you bite into one. A combination of being greedy and hungry meant that I burnt my mouth when I took a large bite as they looked so appetizing.

We also got:  Crispy Dry Ribs – Lightly seasoned outside, tender & meaty inside. Served with sweet chili sauce.

This must be fairly new to Swiss Chalet since I don’t remember it being on the menu the last time we dinned in (we usually get take out), so we thought we’d give it a try. Truthfully, it’s nothing special. Other than being a bit salty, it’s probably not the best way to serve ribs. Don’t get me wrong, we’ve had the rack of ribs that’s served and I can honestly say that for a “non” BBQ joint, their ribs are excellent. Not these though. I’m not one to waste, so I was stuck finishing up the plate.

For our main courses we went traditional…

Rotisserie Quarter Chicken (paid additional for white meat), served with Chalet dipping sauce and our choice of side (rice, fries, salad or baked potato). Caron had the white chicken option which had an additional cost and the rest of us had the dark meat with fries. Kieana had her 1/4 chicken dinner with the Caesar salad and she also ordered an additional side 0f baked potato. There was a friendly bet that She (Kieana) could not eat her complete meal… I’m still waiting for the $10 I won

Andrew, Kieana’s boyfriend had accompanied us for lunch and he had the Chicken on a Kaiser – Chunks of moist Rotisserie Chicken on a Kaiser roll with Chalet sauce for dipping. Which also came with a side. He had ordered a baked potato, but got fries instead which we pointed out and got it corrected. I asked Andrew to take a pic for me to share with my readers, but I’m not sure if he thought he was doing something wrong and would get in trouble with the staff, but here’s the pic he took quickly… (the sandwich is somewhere in that pic)

Overall Thoughts ( Swiss Chalet Rotisserie And Grill Upper Ottawa, Hamilton)

If you looking for ok food at reasonable prices (cost us about $100 with tip for the 6 of us) you won’t be disappointed. Our server could have been a bit more available to us since the restaurant was not busy, however it did get busy during our meal. There were a couple times when we did have to search her out and her personality was not as outgoing as you’d expect for a person working in the service industry.

The fresh cut fries were amazing and probably one of the reasons why we keep eating at Swiss Chalet locations (the chicken is also very tasty). I’m sure it’s probably a hit (for them to promote it in their ads), but the “dipping” sauce that comes with each “chicken” meal is terrible. This is what I picture laundry water to taste like. Sorry Swiss Chalet, you should be promoting your gravy instead.

Here’s some info on this location of Swiss Chalet (see the google map at the end of this post):

1575 Upper Ottawa St.
Hamilton, Ontario
L8W 3E2
Tel: 905 389 9904
Email: swiss1753@cara.com
Website: http://www.swisschalet.ca

HOURS: MONDAY – SATURDAY: 11:00AM TO 10:00PM | SUNDAY: 11:00AM – 9:30PM
DELIVERY NUMBER: 1-866-439-0439 | PHONE: 905-389-9904

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This past Saturday was the annual Santa Claus Parade in downtown Hamilton and besides the fact that Tehya and her cheer leading squad were involved in parade, I though I’d grab the camera and head down to share the experience with you. Our girls were never into the whole Santa thing at Christmas, so when the were younger I think we attended the parade a total of one time. Those days I remember it being very cold, damp and crowded.

This year was a bit different however. It was a beautiful day and were it not for the wind it would be very mild. Unless you were standing in the shade of the buildings were it was a constantly cold. Unlike other years (I used to work downtown so I have some experience in past years) the crowd was relatively small and the number of floats in the parade were minimal. The floats which were included were very sparse, lacked any creativity and for most was just a marketing opportunity.

With no kids in hand we didn’t line the streets as the other parents, but we did get a great vantage point form the top of the Jackson Square mall (bonus – no screaming kids).

Here are some pics we took, as well as a link to our video channel on Youtube with an edited video of the entire parade. Hamilton Santa Claus Parade Video.

Overall it was a fun day for the kids who attended and you could easily see the joy on their faces as they anticipated the arrival of Santa. However it seems that the police on the motorbikes got a bigger reception than Santa did. Santa’s float was very lame (see the pic above) and didn’t seem to impress the kids who lined the streets for hours before – I know I wasn’t impressed! This was about the kids and for the kids and I truly hope they had a good time. Those cops on bike made my day also and it’s nice to see them so involved in the community.

Other highlights..

- antique fire trucks

- marching bands (where was the Canadian military?)

- Sherwood cheerleading team.

- loved seeing the aboriginal community involved.

Maybe the current economic climate had something to do with the overall feel of the parade and there probably wasn’t the normal support from the business community. So I urge all business in the area to try and give a little more support wherever you can, for next year’s event.

Looking for a fun filled way to spend the day with your family and friends? One of the top attractions in Southern Ontario during the summer months, African Lion Safari is celebrating 4o years in the animal safari business and we highly recommend a visit. African Lion Safari is a safari park situated in Flamborough, (Hamilton) Ontario Canada, about 100 kilometres (62 mi) west of Toronto. It features more than 1,000 animals, representing over 130 species of mammals and birds from across the globe. Guests are treated to seven game reserves (with a total area of about 300 hectares) traversed via tour buses or the visitors’ own vehicles where animals roam freely in large contained areas. Accompanying the game reserves is a large walking section where hundreds of exotic birds and primates, as well as the park’s herd of Asian Elephants, are on display.

We started the day off at 10 am – by the time we paid for our tickets and parked it was around 10:20 am. Just a note, that the ticket booths to enter open at 9 am, but, the game reserve does not open until 10 am. There was plenty of parking at this time.

We decided to not go through the game reserve with our van since on our last visit a few years back we saw the monkeys go to work on a BMW (broken wipers and side mirror), rather to use their safari bus. GREAT DECISION! It was an airconditioned, very clean vehicle with large windows. You just sit back, relax and enjoy the commentary from the driver. The bus ran every 1/2 hour, so we only had to wait that time to get the next one. The kids are free.

Included in your admission to the park is the water park, animal shows, a boat tour, and a scenic train ride. Don’t miss the animal shows, they are hilarious, especially the one with the parrots! When you arrive at the park, if you’re taking the bus into the reserves, book that first, so you can plan the rest of your day, they fill up fast. There are two not-to-be-missed elephant swims! Show up early to get a good viewing space though! Have a designated person who can hold your space at the lake for viewing, but children should be taken up to the roadway where they actually parade these elephants in line right down the middle of the park to the lake! It’s amazing and you’re so close to the elephants you’d never believe it! We opted to take the bus into the reserves and were glad we did when we did see animals all over cars that had driven in. We had no problems taking pictures out the bus windows either.

We packed a picnic lunch since buying food for 5 people can be very expensive, plus you never know how good the food at these parks are. You have unlimited access to your cars so it was easy to get our strollers, coolers etc. There are lot’s of picnic tables and shelters to sit and eat. If you don’t take your food, the selection of food isn’t too bad (Pizza Pizza, Hamburger joint, the usual type of park food).

Right beside the picnic area the Elephant Swim was happening. Yes, it is fun to watch but, EVERYONE at the park seemed to be there. Very tough for the kids to get a chance to see anything.

There are too many things to mention, but the scenic train ride is about 10 minutes and the wait to get on about 30 minutes. The shows are great, especially the birds of prey show. They run 20 minutes. There are elephant rides ($5 per person). The water park is fun and very crowded.

Washrooms were surprisingly very clean for the amount of people at the park at any given time. And I do recommend that you take  strollers/wagons  if you have young ones, since there’s a lot of walking as the park is very spread out. And remember to wear comfortable shoes.

Here are some pics courtesy of Kieana and Indy (our daughters), followed by driving directions, park hours, entrance fee and some final thoughts.

Game Reserves

Convertibles, motorcycles and other unsuitable vehicles will not be permitted to drive through the game reserves. Windshields with cracks are not permitted to drive through the game reserves. Alternate transportation, the Safari Tour Bus, is available at additional cost.

No responsibility is accepted for damage to vehicles or trailers, their car bras, tires, lights, or canvas covers, vinyl roofs or other accessories. Make sure to remove all loose items.

Do not feed the animals.

Obey all signs. Keep all windows closed. Keep all doors locked.

Do not leave children unattended anywhere.

You’ll notice that there’s no pics of the Misumu Bay water park area.. our girls are teenagers now and they refuse to be seen among all the little kids. Basically we skipped this part of the park. But I do recall when they were younger they had tons of fun here (so did I). A great place to cool down after a hot day in the safari.

At Misumu Bay Wet Play swim wear is required. Tight sealed swim pants are required on children wearing diapers. Height restrictions are in place, for the enjoyment and safety of children. Children will be measured by staff, and will receive appropriate wristband. To enter the area that has the Bucket children have to be between 40 and 60 inches (102cm to 150 cm) in height. Children under this height must remain in the other area of Misumu Bay that has the mushroom spray. Please supervise your children at all times.

At Jungle Playground height restrictions are also in place for the enjoyment and safety of children. Children must be between 3 and 5 ft (92 to 150 cm) in height.

At Toddler play area children must be 5 years of age or younger.

Admission Costs!

SUMMER ADMISSION RATES: (SUMMER – June 27 – Sept 7, 2009)

Adult (13-59)…………….$29.95
Senior (60+)……………..$26.95
Children (3-12)…………..$24.95

SPRING/FALL ADMISSION RATES:

SPRING – May 2 – June 26, 2009
FALL – Sept 8 – Oct 12, 2009

Adult (13-59)…………….$24.95
Senior (60+)……………..$21.95
Children (3-12)…………..$19.95
* Children 2 and under are admitted FREE

Taxes not included. Prices in Canadian dollars.

Click here for a map of the African Lion Safari park.

Address /  Contact.

MAILING ADDRESS
African Lion Safari & Game Farm Ltd.
RR #1 Cambridge, Ontario Canada
Postal Code N1R 5S2

SITE LOCATION (see below for a google map of the area)
1386 Cooper Road, Flamborough

Toll Free 1-800-461-WILD(9453)
Telephone (519) 623-2620
Fax (519) 623-9542

Overall a great experience for both the old and young alike. The only beef I have is the horrible way the entrance /parking is set up. On a busy summer’s day you’ll find yourself stuck outside the gates for a long time ( no bathrooms outside so be prepared) as you wait to enter (we’ve read reviews where people had to wait close to 2 hrs to get in on a busy day). Though parking is free it’s a nightmare finding a spot, especially if you go as a group. Management should invest some resources to accommodate the increased volume of visitors.

Also.. looking at the food prices, you may want to pack some food with you as it’s a bit expensive.

Leave me questions or comments in the area provided below.

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Once again the Burlington Rotary Club Ribfest did not disappoint. Since most of what I mentioned in the previous Burlington Ribfest post is pretty much what you’d expect to see and do at the event, this post will showcase some of the pictures I took and a couple of the observations we made.

New at this year’s festival was the “recycle” theme. After Caron got her platter of baked beans, coleslaw, ribs, pulled pork and chicken (we start off every year with this sampler) she pointed out the fact that not only were the containers not the plastic ones from last year, the utensils were also environmentally friendly. It seems that this year all the vendors had to serve their food in biodegradable containers and the disposable knives and forks were all made from a sort of compressed wood. Picture a Popsicle stick made into a fork. However, they were just as strong as the plastic version that’s so bad for our environment.

Not only were the containers and utensils good for the environment, instead of having garbage bins they set up (see pic below) recycling stations where you could take your used containers and food scraps. Here the volunteer staff would separate everything and put them into designated containers to be processed (kinda like the green bin program we have in Ontario).

Kudos to the organizers for implementing this step to show that we care about our environment.

Parking / Crowd.

There were no exceptions as far as parking was concerned. With the thousands of people coming into Burlington for the event, we went knowing that parking will be difficult to find. We lucked out and found a couple spots about 2 blocks away. The owners of a variety store were selling spots for $10 a car and with people coming and going all day (all weekend) I’m sure they made a killing.

Walking from the lot were we parked to the actual event site at Spencer Smith park, we could tell that this year would be even bigger than previous years (plus the weather was beautiful so many people were coming out to make full use of the beautiful skies) with all the people going and coming back to the site. As we approached the gate, our thoughts were confirmed. The place was packed and there was a huge line to get in, but there was a good flow to things. The same amount of people that were flooding in were matched by the number of people stuffed with BBQ goodness leaving. The venue itself was crowded at the front and near the stage (see pics below), but in the middle was enough place to move around a bit freely.

The Q!

Seems the theme this year as far as sauces go was savory sweet! We tried several of the different BBQ sauces that were featured at many of the grillers. I’m not sure if they changed their sauces or were experimenting with new stuff, but we found them all to be very sweet and lacked any true flavour or notes. We even tested the “hot” option at the “Carolina” booth and to be quite honest, I was expecting a prescription saying how much I should take and when, with each dose. It had a sort of medicine taste to it. Was it me or did I need to consume a few beers for everything to taste the way I/we expected?

Best!

Once again the “Boss Hogs” booth provided the best ribs, chicken and pulled pork. However their baked beans didn’t have that same bang as it did last year and had a bit of a “gritty” texture to them. And though there was a huge line to purchase, the staff were very efficient and within 5-10 minutes you had your order and were ready to dig in.

Disappointing!

The most disappointing Q of the day must go to the “Texas” grill. No wonder there was a short line and I was served so fast. Everyone else knew what I didn’t. From their sweet sauce, very small portions (I got a hacked piece of chicken breast that needed a Hollywood type implant to be seriously taken to be a breast) and ribs that were so overdone, the meat was hard to peel away from the bones. Made for a very chewy experience. Their pulled pork had some potential, but with the soup type amount of BBQ sauce it was sitting in made it very difficult to appreciate.

The Carolina grill was the most unorganized set-up at this year’s event. You’d figure with the HUGE line that greeted you, you’d think that these guys were serving up the best Q at the event. NOPE! They were just “glacier” type slow. While my sister waited in line we had enough time to go to 2 different booths (stay in line and get served), come back and eat our entire platters and still had to wait 1/2 an hr for her. Must be some good Q to make people wait this long? Yes and NO. The pork ribs were excellent, but these grillers should not be allowed near beef ribs again. Not only did the beef ribs have a gamy taste to them, they were bland and depended on the bbq sauce to add any sort of enjoyment to them.

NOTE: Reheating the ribs, pulled pork etc may sound like a good idea at the time when you get that take out package, but you’ll be kicking yourself if you reheat it in a microwave. Why didn’t I eat them fresh off the grill? They become very dry and the meat becomes very stringy.

For full directions to the annual Burlington Ribfest, event information like opening and closing times, things to do for the kids and the list of live musical acts, visit the original post I made about the Burlington Rotary Ribfest.

If you’re looking for something you can do with your family the last long weekend of the summer, you must consider attending this annual event in Burlington, Ontario. Free to get it, free entertainment, good food for the most part and well organized. You  may have some issues with parking, but with the constant flow of people, you’re sure to find a spot if you show a little patience or have some luck as we did.

Note: It may sound like a good idea to bring your new born or toddler with you, after all you can stick them in a stroller and wheel them around. Not so much! Not only will you find it difficult to navigate the crowds with the strollers, the smoke and loudness of the event will not be something you’ll want to have your child experience. Make it a date night and get a baby sitter!

Without any doubt, there is merit to this claim. At the end of last summer I had the opportunity to finally attend the Burlington Ribfest and to this day I still get mad at myself for taking this long to attend. I won’t get into much details at this point, since I plan on refreshing my mind and taste buds this year, which means a full review for you with pics and videos. Hopefully I can get Caron and one of our girls to give their thoughts as well so you’ll have different perspectives of the event. Until then I’d like to leave you with some pics, more info about the event and my assurance that you DON’T want to miss this year’s event.

The people, the music and the food are all incredible… so lets hope the weather holds out so I can devour some more of that puled pork, bbq ribs and that wonderful southern baked beans. BTW, you’ll never attend a more organized event in Southern Ontario.

How much does it cost to get into the Burlington Ribfest?

As far as I can remember it’s been free and after checking on their official website I can assure you that it’s FREE!

When is the Burlington Ribfest?

The Burlington Ribfest is now in it’s 14th year and will be held Labour Day weekend in Burlington Ontario on the waterfront at Spencer Smith Park. (see below for a map and full driving directions)

Who will be at the Burlington Ribfest?

Eighteen of North Americas best “Ribber” will be bringing their grills, their award winning  sauces and tons of meat for the grill. All you have to do is bring your appetite and wet towels to clean your face.

Live Performances at 2009 Burlington Ribfest.

* Friday night is kicked off by world renowned songwriter and local musician Tom Wilson.
* Saturday night double header is kick started by “The Kings” (This Beat Goes On, Switchin to Glide) and followed up by “The Spoons” (Romantic Traffic, Tell no Lies).
* Sunday night is fired up by a long time supporter of Ribfest, the legendary “Downchild’s Blues Band”.

Full Schedule:

How to get to the Burlington Ribfest?

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A stormy weekend packed with one of the best lighting storms I’ve ever witnessed, hail and torrential downpours could not keep us away form this years Festival of Friends at Gage park in Hamilton Ontario. After-all this was the very same festival that I met Caron all those years ago. It was our anniversary and I just had to go relive that amazing day. This time however we went as a family and not two youngsters looking for summer love.

The weather was horrible the entire 3 days of the festival, but as the skies cleared up on the Sunday we made our way down. There was the normal search for parking in the surrounding streets for the “cheapos” like us, but there was also paid parking within the park itself.

The festival, though well organized from the outside (looking in), seemed to have lost something. Maybe it’s because we’re older now and we’re looking at things differently, but it didn’t have that once lively vibe to it. I couldn’t but a handle to it, but it did seem a bit commercial.

Food, music, beer and tons of crafty type shopping were abundant and “pricey”. Maybe it was the heat or the fact that we’ve had a crappy summer so far, but people didn’t seem to be in a good mood. No smiles, no groups of people just chatting and the few who were taking in the live performers seemed to be disassociated from the performers. The performers hardly ever got a reaction from the crowd when they tried to get them involved.

Some pics, followed by some additional info about the event itself and the record they were trying to break.

Besides the obvious spiritless mood of the people at the festival this day, the vendors were full of vigor and willing to accommodate you to close in on that sale. From jewelery to carvings, sketches and an assortment of crafts on sale, you did have a wide selection to choose from. The kids all seem to be enjoying themselves at the rides and at the many ice cream trucks that were there. Same could be said for the adults at the beer tent that was to the right side of the main stage/bandshell.

Gage park is also widely known for it’s amazing rose garden, so you also had the option of strolling though and taking some pics with your family. I must say though that the roses were not as vibrant as they normally are and I suspect that this is due to the strange weather we’ve had this summer.

The bench that Caron and I sat on that memorable night is now gone and the festival may have lost it’s appeal to me/us, but it’s still an integral part of life in this wonderful city we call home. Though I won’t list it as a “must-do”, it’s still a good option for a summers evening to take in some live performances and enjoy the sights!

Some of the live performer included:

David Wilcox
The Road Hammers
Steven Page
Finger 11
Crystal Shawanda
Kim Mitchell
Leon Redbone
The Wilkinsons

Festival of Friends, place and time:

Gage Park, Hamilton Ontario.
Noon – 11 pm
August 7, 8 and 9th.

World Record Attemptt – Largest Guitar Ensemble. Germany – 1802 playing “smoke on the water” simultaneously. It was the goal of the organizers to try and beat the Guinness record set in Germany, but they fell short after the final tally.

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One of our yearly rituals (never get tired of it) is heading down the QEW and up the 400 to Canada’s Wonderland. Over the years we’ve seen the park change names (back to it’s original name now) and just when we were getting used to the names of the rides, they too have changed. As Caron puts it.. the ride names now sound lame! But tons of fun none the less. BTW, another tradition for us is at the end of the day when the sun goes down and it’s about time to head back home (sore feet and all) Caron and the girls gets a big plate of funnel cake with powdered sugar and topped with ice cream. Not my idea of good eating, but they love that stuff.

Canada’s Wonderland has over 200 attractions, including over 60 thrill rides. The park is tied for second place for the record of most roller coasters in one park with 15 in total, and North America’s greatest variety. The park features eight themed areas on 330 acres (1.3 km2) of land which includes a 20 acres (81,000 m2) waterpark called Splash Works. Splash Works has over 2 million gallons (7,570 m3) of heated water, Canada’s largest outdoor wave pool measuring 36,000 square feet (3,300 m2), a lazy river, and 16 water slides.

In 1983, Canada’s Wonderland added the Kingswood Music Theatre, a 15,000 seat amphitheatre that hosted many “big-name” concerts. After the Molson Amphitheatre opened on the grounds of Ontario Place in 1995, cultural festivals at the theatre became more prominent.

Coasters.

Backlot Stunt Coaster – Formerly: Italian Job: Stunt Track
The Bat
Behemoth (most recent coaster to open at the park)
Dragon Fire – Formerly: Dragon Fyre
Flight Deck – Formerly: Top Gun
The Fly (probably the NEST ride in the entire park)
Mighty Canadian Minebuster (a classic wooden coaster)
SkyRider
Thunder Run – Formerly: Blauer Enzian
Time Warp – Formerly: Tomb Raider: The Ride
Vortex
Wild Beast – Formerly: Wilde Beaste

Coasters for kids.
Scooby’s Gasping Ghoster Coaster – Often simply: Ghoster Coaster
Silver Streak (great little coaster)
Taxi Jam

Some of the other rides include:

Psyclone – A Mondial Revolution, swinging and spinning reaching heights of over 110 feet (34 m)
Shockwave – A Mondial Top Scan that twist and turns on every possible axis.
Riptide (formerly Cliffhanger) – A Mondial Splashover with twin gondolas that flip and go around in the air, but you might get wet.
Jet Scream – A looping starship type of ride
Antique Carousel A classic carousel loacted in Action Zone
Orbiter Rotates around one axle, which eventually turns to almost 90°
Spinovator A classic spinning tea-cups ride, but slightly tilted
The Rage Another classic, a Pirate Ship ride
Klockwerks – An old classic that rotates and with the centrifugal force pushes you outward.
Sledgehammer – Spins riders on two axes and blasts you up and down distances of 85 feet (26 m).
Action Theatre (formerly Action F/X Theatre) – Motion based seating ride in two large theatres featuring Sponge Bob Squarepants in 3D) Well worth the wait in line.
Drop Tower: Scream Zone (formerly Drop Zone Stunt Tower) – A vertical tower-like ride that begins by slowly taking its passengers up the towards the peak of the tower and then immediately drops the passenger down until he/she reaches the ground.

For the kids, there’s Hanna-Barbera Land, Nickelodeon Central and Kidzville. our girls (even when they were smaller) were never into the “baby” rides as they would put it. So I have no pics to share with you. Next trip I’ll purposely go there and update this post with some pics and relating comments.

Height Restrictions.

Children may be “officially” measured and receive a wristband if they meet height requirements at the Height Check Stations on International Street or at any ride of the appropriate height level. For the safety of your child, a standard play shoe which does not contribute excessively to the child’s height will be permitted. Platform shoes that increase the child’s height are not permitted. Canada’s Wonderland reserves the right to ask that shoes be removed to ensure that a child’s height is not being artificially enhanced or manipulated.

Splash Works Information:

* Guests under 48″ tall must wear a lifejacket while swimming in the White Water Bay and Lazy River
* Guests under 48″ tall are not required to wear a lifejacket in the Splash Island Pool Area
* Guests under 42″ tall on the Lazy River must be accompanied by a responsible person

GENERAL DIRECTIONS

Canada’s Wonderland is located just minutes north of Toronto off Highway 400, just 10 minutes north of Highway 401. Exit Rutherford Rd. if heading north or south on Highway 400.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

By Public Transit the Wonderland Express “GO” Buses run regularly from Yorkdale and York Mills subway stations. Schedule operates throughout the day and evening through closing.

York Region Transit offers several routes to Canada’s Wonderland. YRT Routes 4 and  20, as well as TTC Route 165A operate directly into the park. For more YRT route and schedule information, please visit the YRT/Viva website.

Tickets prices and info (including discounts and other offers)

Canada’s Wonderland
9580 Jane Street
Vaughan, Ontario  L6A 1S6

To contact by phone, call:
Guest Inquiries     (905) 832-8131
Group Sales     (905) 832-7400
Press/Media Inquiries     (905) 832-7000 x8000
Employment Opportunities     (905) 832-7401

About the Canada’s Wonderland (courtesy of Wikipedia)
Canada’s Wonderland is a 330-acre (1.3 km2) theme park in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada, 30 kilometres north of downtown Toronto. The park is open seasonally from May to October and contains more than 200 attractions. It opened in 1981 and was Canada’s first major theme park. While under Paramount Pictures (later purchased by Viacom) ownership from 1994 until 2006, the park was known as Paramount Canada’s Wonderland until it was sold to Cedar Fair and reverted to its original name in 2007. The park was the most attended seasonal theme park in North America two years in a row (2005 and 2006). It was designed by Landscape Architects Richard Strong and Associates and structurally engineered by O.T. Baggio and Associates Professional Engineers. In 2006, attendance was just over 3.2 million.

Some closing points. Food prices can almost double what it would normally be outside the park, so we normally pack a lunch. There are several green areas (park like) with benches etc so you can picnic outside. Do take extra clothing with you as it can get cool at night and if you’ll be testing any of the water rides or using the water park area. Wear very comfortable shoes as the park is really spread out and you will be walking a lot and standing in lines on busy days. If you have younger children I would suggest you bring along a wagon if you have one or at least a baby stroller. As I mentioned the park is pretty big and most of the time you’ll be in the sun… use a strong sun block and a hat when you can (take off during rides or risk losing it).

Even if you pack a picnic, still bring some cash along. You will get thirsty, you will want ice cream and you won’t be able to pass by the games without wanting to give them a try. We all love to walk around with those huge stuffed animals you get as prizes. almost as if we’re telling the world that we conquered that game and this is the spoils of our triumph!

Have fun!

As mentioned in the Chruschill Park Community Garden post, the Aviary is within the same compound as the community garden plots, so whenever I go down to do some gardening I also get the opportunity  to visit with some amazing birds. There’s not much to say as far as a review goes for the aviary, so I’ll share some pics with you.

If you’re looking for a great way to spend some time with your family on the weekend, why not drive down to the aviary? There’s lots of parking and you’re also free to walk around the garden plots to see who’s growing what. BTW, there’s also a great trail just steps from the aviary and if I’m not mistaking there’s also one of those free range (no leash) areas for dogs. Unless it’s just people doing as they please with their dogs and it’s not really meant to be leash free.

The Aviary holds a mixed collection of birds. These include large parrots, smaller parrots and parakeets (including common pet species, as well as rarer and more exotic), many species of finches and doves. At present the aviary is not equipped to handle softbills or waterfowl in any numbers, nor do they house birds of prey.

The main building of the aviary…

Contacting The Friends of the Aviary.
Phone: 905-546-4842
Fax: 905-575-0950
Email: info@friendsoftheaviary.ca

Getting there.

Located in west Hamilton on Oak Knoll Drive. From Hamilton centre, the mountain and the east, follow King Street westward to the stoplight at Marion Avenue. Turn right, continuing around the bend to The Aviary.

From Ancaster, Dundas and west, follow Main Street eastward, left on Haddon, across King and Sterling Streets to the Aviary.

From Burlington and points east and north, take Plains Road, exit from the QEW. Continue on Plains Road, which becomes York Boulevard (Hwy. 2) to Hamilton. Turn right on Dundurn Street and right again on King Street West to the stoplight at Marion Avenue. Turn right, continuing
around the bend to the Aviary.

It’s been a few years since we first drove through Niagara on the Lake during our hunt for “pick your own” cherries and I always wanted to go back and take in the vibe of this hip little town. Flooded with tourists when we first drove through, today was no different. But it was nice hearing all the different accents and languages spoken as we browsed the many specialty stores.

Last summer was a bust for us and we didn’t do much with our girls, so this year it’s our intention to do as much as we can… the winter takes a toll on us so we MUST enjoy the few warm months we get. From Hamilton it’s a short 40 minute drive and as soon as you get off the QEW you find yourself driving through all the beautiful vineyards and fruit orchards. And do watch out for the many people you’ll pass on bicycles.

Parking! Is a bit on the premium side, as the place gets packed in the summer months. There are plenty metered parking spots, but who wants to have to go back to feed the metal beast every couple hours? WARNING – there are tons on parking “police” so be sure to watch all signs and ensure you’re parked where you’re supposed to or risk getting a ticket.

Dining! Niagara On the Lake is a bed and breakfast type town fueled by tourists, so we were prepared to pay “tourist” prices in the restaurants and other specialty food stores. Lunch for the 5 of us (no dessert or booze) cost us about $75 with tip, and well worth it. The atmosphere was great, service tops and food excellent. There are many patio type restaurants where you’ll find a wide assortment of menus to choose from. Bear in mind that as a tourist town, you may have to join a line to get a good seat… especially if you want a seat at a popular patio.

Rather than go on writing about the town, I’ll let some of the pics we took help you appreciate Niagara On The Lake (great for a day trip with your family or a romantic evening with someone special)…

Niagara-on-the-Lake, often called the loveliest town in Ontario, has a long and distinguished history. Site of the old Neutral Indian village of Onghiara, it was settled at the close of the American Revolution by Loyalists coming to Upper Canada, many of whom had been members of the much feared Butler’s Rangers based during the American Revolution at Fort Niagara, then under British control.

Its many attractions include historic sites – Fort George and the Historical Society Museum, the Shaw Festival with its three theatres, the marina, our heritage business district for shopping, golf courses, parks and beautiful farmland, agricultural markets and our world famous Niagara wineries. Take a carriage ride through the Old Town, or a jet boat up the Niagara River. A short drive along the scenic Niagara Parkway leads to Queenston Heights and Niagara Falls. Check out the Butterfly Conservatory at the Niagara Parks Commission site.

Directions….

From Toronto and destinations east/west via QEW:
Follow the QEW towards Niagara. after crossing the Garden City Skyway at St. Catharines exit the QEW at exit 38B, follow the Niagara-on-the-Lake signage onto Highway 55. Take Highway 55 12km(7mi) northeast until it ends at Queen Street. A right turn will take you into the Heritage Business District.

From New York State and USA destinations

Via Buffalo:
Take the QEW to exit 38 and follow the signage onto Highway 55 and into town as above. OR – follow the signage at the Peace Bridge to the scenic Niagara Parkway and follow it from Fort Erie right into Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Via Niagara Falls:
Cross the Rainbow Bridge and follow signage to the Niagara Parkway north to Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Via Lewiston:
Cross the Queenston-Lewiston Bridge and follow signage to the Niagara Parkway north to Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Via Detroit:
Take Highway 401 and 403 to Hamilton, Ontario and then follow directions above from Toronto down the QEW to Niagara-on-the-Lake.