There’s nothing better than the joy and taste you get from vegetables that you grow yourself. However if you live in an apartment building, townhouse, condo or maybe your backyard just does not have the room, having a garden of your own can be a challenge. Many people do resort to container gardening from their limited spaces, but you’re still limited to the few containers you may have space for.

From a boy I’d always love to garden (I guess this stems from seeing my parents busy at work in our little kitchen garden), but living in rental units and town houses I never had the space to do so. About 8 years ago I found out that the City of Hamilton rented gardening plots to residents and I grabbed the opportunity to get one every spring since then.

This year I opted for a plot at the Churchill Park Community Gardens which I started to work a few days ago.

If you live the City Of Hamilton and you’d like to grow some fresh vegetables, you’re in luck. But as I learned this year, you must act fast to secure a plot. I’m not sure if it’s due to the fact that we’re in a recession and people are trying to save (by growing their own vegetables) or if people are just looking for a way to spend time with the family and grow their own organic produce, but these plots sell out FAST! In previous years, there were always plots left back that you could grab at the last minute.

Churchill Park Community Gardens 85 Oak Knoll Drive

The Community Gardens are an exciting approach to gardening without pesticides. If you are interested in growing your own vegetables and herbs, want to discover an excellent source of exercise and meet new friends that share the same passion for gardening – join us in the community gardens! It is managed by the Public Works Department, Forestry & Horticulture Section for the City of Hamilton.

The garden plots are available from May to late September, but you must reserve the plot as early as you can, since as I mentioned above they get taken fast. In late Winter or early Spring complete the application form and send it in with your payment. Then a 4×5 meter plot will be assigned to you. If you have an idea of which plot you’d like to reserve, do mention so in the application form.

The plots at Churchill Park comes  roto-tilled and you do have access to a tool shed where you have access to many of the tools necessary for gardening. The thing that I like best about the plots at Churchill park is that is fenced in (protect your produce from thieves and animals) and there’s a built-in sprinkler system. This means that even when you go away on that family trip during the summer, your garden will not go thirsty!

The Churchill Park Community Gardens are located on the Hamilton Aviary compound, so your kids will have a great time interacting with all the birds when they get bored with the chores of gardening. The entire compound is open from 8 am to 8 pm daily.

For more information about the Community Gardens Program, contact:
Beth Wheaton, Business Initiatives Coordinator
Phone: 905.546.2424 x 4819
Fax: 905.546.3972
Email: beth.wheaton@hamilton.ca

Note: These pictures were taken in early Spring when most people are just starting to put in their plants. I will try to update this post later in the season to show you what it looks like in full bloom.

To be a teen again! We had moved to Canada in the fall, so dealing with my first experience with a Canadian winter was quite an ordeal. I recall listening to my cousins speak about how nice it is in the warmer months and how excited they were to take me to the “wave pool”. Before that time came around, I remember one weekend they mentioned that we were going to the beach. Beach? I did pretty good in “Canadian geography” in school so I knew I had to be either on the east or west coast to see a beach. Ontario is packed with lakes and little did I know, they meant lake when they said ‘beach”. I still remember my legs going numb as I entered the water at their “beach”. Cruel joke!

But what fun did we had at the wave pool… they had to promise me it wasn’t just another lake they were taking me the first time we went that year.

Located in Confederation Park, just off Centennial Parkway in Hamilton, Wild Waterworks offers a perfect place to spend a summer day. Ride the four tube slides Night Rider, Blue Demon and Vertigo and Sidewinder, new in 2008. Go solo or with a friend!

The fun continues with the heart-pounding twists of the Corkscrew and the Kamikaze – the park’s six-storey body slides, also revamped in 2008.

Move on and surf the waves in Canada’s largest outdoor wave pool. Over a million gallons of heated water splash down every minute.

Toddlers will love Little Squirt Works, a fun wading pool with computer-controlled sprays, mists and fountains.

Please note the following height restrictions on the waterslides:

Night Rider, Blue Demon, Vertigo and Sidewinder Tube Slides: 47 inches (119.38 centimeters) or successful completion of a swim test.

Body Slides (Kamikaze and Corkscrew): 42 inches (106.68 centimeters).

Where?

Wild Waterworks in located in Confederation Park, To get there, take the QEW to Hamilton and exit at Centennial Parkway (Highway 20).  Turn North towards Lake Ontario and follow the signs to Confederation Park.

Wild Waterworks Main Number 905-547-6141 or 1-800-555-8775, ext. 5007

Costs?

General Admission: $21.00

Children Ages 4-10: $13.75

Seniors (65 plus): $13.75

Disabled Persons: $13.75

Parking Fee:$8.50

Tube and Lifejacket Rental

Tube per day (includes $2.00 refundable deposit): $10.00

Tube (sunset special after 4:00 pm): $7.25

Lifejacket per day (includes $5.00 refundable deposit): $7.00

Lockers

Per opening $1.00

Daily rental (includes $3.00 refundable deposit): $7.00

Locker opening if key is lost: $5.00

For more information on Wild Waterworks in Confederation park, Hamilton including hours of operation : Wild Waterworks Hamilton Hours Of Operation 2009. Make it a great summer!

Absolutely nothing beats the view and excitement you get from this bird’s eye take of the falls in Niagara. There’s the “Behind The Falls”, “Maid Of The Mist” and the various viewing areas where one can still be amazed with the splendor and beauty of the falls. And to be quite honest, I was very happy experiencing the falls from any one of those options mentioned above.. Until!

On our last day in Niagara Falls I had secretly booked a tour of the area on a helicopter as a surprise to everyone. Everyone thought we were heading home, until we drove pass the Great Wolf Lodge (in another post soon) and made a left turn into the compound of Niagara Helicopter Tours. Seems Caron and the girls thought that I was just hopping out to get some info from the information desk. Nope! We’re going on one of those helicopters you guys have been watching take off and land.

Before I continue I must let you know that it’s a bit pricey. I don’t recall how much we paid, but if you use the contact information mentioned below I’m sure you can get a price quote from their information desk. Plus, with prices changing everyday, I’m sure their prices would have changed.

You’re directed to a “holding” area for the next helicopter to arrive to take your party up. Since it was the five of us we had an entire helicopter to ourselves. The helicopters they use (Bell 407) can carry 7 people  inclusive of the pilot, so I believe they fly with a minimum of two passengers; however, they will fill the helicopters to capacity as long as they have the people waiting.

We were very lucky that it was not a very busy day, so we waited about 10 minutes before we were asked to board the aircraft. As you walk up the ramp, a group picture is taken..as a matter of fact even after you’re about to take off the pilot does a 360 sort of turn so the ground staff can take pics of you and your friends in the helicopter. Then you’re off! Takeoff and flying is like the rush you get on a roller coaster (less belly hurt) and as I’ve mentioned already.. WHAT A VIEW.

The flight itself is only about 12 minutes, but you do travel about  27 kilometers (17 miles) and it feels longer. The journey starts off up the Niagara gorge, then you do a bit of a pause over the entire falls area (great for taking pictures). The pilot then works his way over the hotel district so you get an aerial view of the hotel you’re checked into and as you work your way back to base you get a good overhead view of the entire city area, including Clifton Hill etc.

Some pictures we took  over the falls…

An overall great experience and something I’d recommend everyone try. I especially liked the landing. You’re coming in very fast and as you look down at the landing pad you start thinking “wow! we’re going pretty fast and that small marked off area is pretty small”… but it’s a gentle and relatively calm landing. YEA! And you get to wear those cool headphones to listen in on the “guide” talk from the pilot.

Tip! If you do take a video camera as I did, don’t focus too much on filming or you’d find you’re seeing the entire thing through the lens of a camera and not enjoy the fact that you paid to see this from the helicopter. Let the camera roll and you enjoy the sights!

Some safety concerns answered:

How many years/ hours experience do the pilots have?

Each of our pilots attended flight school where they received their Canadian Commercial Pilots License and a minimum of 100 flying hours. In addition to this, Niagara Helicopters requires all pilots to have a minimum of 1500 hours of flying experience, 500 with a turbine engine. All told, our pilots have a total of 90 years flying experience. If you’re flying with Niagara Helicopters, you’re in good hands!

Are the helicopters safe?

Our helicopters are among the safest and most well maintained helicopters in the world. Along with our accomplished pilots, the helicopter ride is one of the safest things you can do in Niagara Falls.

How often are the helicopters maintained?

Daily. Our team of four full time engineers and maintenance technicians is continuously working on and testing each helicopter in order to provide you with the safest ride. They were awarded the prestigious Roland Groome Award for exceedingly high standards of aircraft maintenance.

More about Niagara Helicopter Tours.

Niagara Helicopters Limited
3731 Victoria Ave.
P.O. Box 636
Niagara Falls, ON
L2E 6V5
Canada

Ph. 905-357-5672
Fx. 905-374-2856

Website: http://www.niagarahelicopters.com