Category Archives: tourist attractions

Ripley’s Aquarium aims for September opening

August 19 2013: Construction work continues on the building exterior as Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada gears up for its September opening. Below is an artistic rendering that shows how the building will look once complete.

Buy now: The wait to see Toronto’s newest tourist attraction is nearly over.

With its public opening set for September, Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada is now selling advance admission tickets on its website. The “pre-opening” passes, which cost $29.98 for adults and $19.98 for seniors over 65 and kids aged 4 to 13, will be valid for entry to the aquarium for up to one year after date of purchase.

The aquarium, which has been under construction since August 2011, has long targeted a “summer of 2013” opening. Thousands of Canadians eager to view sharks from the Dangerous Reef’s underwater tunnel had been hoping they could visit the aquarium during the summer school break, but construction didn’t finish in time. The precise opening date in September still hasn’t been announced.

Extensive information about the attraction is available on the Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada website.

I posted construction photos in reports published on August 18 2011, August 17 2012, and October 14 2012. Pictures showing how the aquarium site (on Bremner Boulevard at the base of the CN Tower) looked prior to construction can be viewed in my February 3 2011 report about the project.

More than 200 photos showing the various stages of construction during the past two years can be viewed in the Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada album on TheTorontoBlog’s Facebook page.

August 19 2013: Work continues on the aquarium’s main entrance as well as the new pedestrian plaza it will share with the CN Tower.

August 19 2013: A view of the aquarium from the pedestrian walkway on the east side of the nearby Rogers Centre.

August 19 2013: “Pre-sale” tickets are available from the aquarium’s website

Construction views from Roundhouse Park

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Constantly changing scenery: The Rogers Centre, the CN Tower and the skyscrapers of the Financial District once dominated the north and east views from Roundhouse Park on Bremner Boulevard. But a slew of nearby construction projects is giving park visitors new views that change by the day. Above is a video I shot from the park yesterday, showing building activity at five major construction sites nearby: Infinity3, the final phase of the Infinity condo complex between Bremner and Lake Shore Boulevard; the two ICE Condos towers at York Centre on the east side of the Infinity buildings; the Delta Toronto hotel and Bremner office tower at Southcore Financial Centre; the Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada approaching the end of construction at the foot of the CN Tower; and the Three Hundred Front Street West condo tower to the northwest.

South downtown skyscraper construction offers soaring backdrop for Toronto’s new aquarium

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April 4 2013: Construction is proceeding on schedule for a summer opening of the Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada (foreground), located on Bremner Boulevard at the foot of the CN Tower. The new aquarium is one of eight different buildings seen at various stages of construction in this photo shot from the pedestrian walkway on the east side of the Rogers Centre. Rising behind the aquarium are, from left, The L Tower, the Delta Toronto Hotel and Bremner Tower office building at Southcore Financial Centre, the two cylindrical ÏCE Condos skyscrapers, and the two towers of the Infinity3 Condominiums. Click on the photo to view it in a larger format.

Winter building pics: December 2012

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Above is a link to my December 2012 Flickr album of building and construction photos I shot during walks in the downtown area. Click once on the image to view a small-format slideshow of the pictures, or click twice to access the album and see full-size photos and captions.

Ripley’s Aquarium construction photo update

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October 12 2012: The Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada is almost fully roofed in …

… as seen in this September 25 overhead view from the CN Tower. Click on the image to view a larger photo.

September 25 2012: A view of the giant frame for the building’s entrance area

October 12 2012: Construction progress viewed from the southwest, on Bremner Boulevard. Click on the image to view a larger image.

October 12 2012: Aquarium viewed from the southeast, on Bremner Boulevard. The yellow installation indicates where exterior walls are taking form.

Eyes on the aquarium: Most of the roof is in place for the new Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, while walls along the building’s east and west sides look like they’re almost ready for exterior cladding and glass installation.

More recent photos of the aquarium, including additional overhead pics shot from the CN Tower, can be viewed in an album on thetorontoblog’s Facebook page.

The album includes photos showing the aquarium site before construction commenced, as well as dozens of photos tracking the building’s progress since the summer of 2011.

Information about the project, along with building renderings and construction photos, can be viewed in my previous posts about the $130 million aquarium on August 17 2012, August 18 2011, and February 3 2011.

Ripley’s aquarium shaping up & filling in fast

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August 15 2012: The sharply angled roof of the Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada is quickly taking shape at the foot of the CN Tower, left

This rendering provided to the media shows how the distinctive roof will appear when viewed from the entrance plaza to Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada

August 15 2012: Another view of the iron and steel frame of the aquarium roof

August 15 2012: Construction viewed from the southeast on Bremner Boulevard

This rendering shows how the aquarium will appear when viewed from the southeast …

… while this illustration shows the aquarium viewed from the south

This model shows the layout of the aquarium interior

Gone fishing: It was exactly one year ago I reported that construction had commenced at the foot of the CN Tower for the $130 million, 135,000-square foot Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada — Toronto’s first major new tourist attraction in years.

Last week I was amazed to learn that, less than a year after construction shovels had hit the ground, the aquarium had already begun hydro-testing its 750,000-gallon Shark Lagoon, filling the acrylic tanks with water to ensure there are no leaks. I had not seen the construction site since early May, at which time it looked like the building still had a long way to go, so I was surprised to hear that water testing was underway on the tanks that will become home to more than 13,500 fish and other sea creatures. (Also last week, the Toronto Star reported that marine biologists and shark experts started hunting for sand sharks for the aquarium back in April.)

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Nathan Phillips Square revitalization inches along; construction expected to finish by end of 2013

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July 19 2011: Construction of the relocated Peace Garden continues along the western flank of Nathan Phillips Square next to Osgoode Hall (right) …

… as does work on a new live performance stage midway between City Hall and the new skate and snack bar pavilion which opened last September (rear).

Meanwhile, the reflecting pool will be a dry dustbowl throughout the summer as it receives extensive maintenance work and upgrades…

… including repairs to mechanical facilities along the pool’s entire perimeter …

… while window upgrade work continues on City Hall’s west tower, seen here July 7 2012. Hundreds of window panes on City Hall’s east tower were replaced last year.

However, a two-level restaurant that was supposed to be constructed at the square’s southwest corner won’t materialize until some unprojected future time, as part of a third phase of the revitalization project for the 40-year-old square

Slow progress: In recent months a lot of people have been wondering just how much longer downtown Toronto’s building boom is going to last. I keep wondering the same thing about the Nathan Phillips Square Revitalization project at Toronto City Hall.

Like much of the downtown area, Nathan Phillips Square remains a giant construction zone for the third consecutive summer as the $40-million-plus revitalization project drags on, with work gradually progressing on a new theatre/stage facility as well as a relocated and enlarged Peace Garden along the west side of the square.

Extensive maintenance and upgrades have forced the closure of the square’s signature reflecting pool/winter skating rink and put another huge section of the square off-limits for months — although that work isn’t part of the revitalization plan.

And as if all that isn’t enough, this is the second year that work has been in progress to replace the 40-year-old window panes in the iconic City Hall towers.

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City Scene: Skating in sunshine and 16 degrees

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Skaters enjoy the rink at Nathan Phillips Square under sunny skies and mild 16-degree temperatures Wednesday afternoon. A National Historic Site, Toronto’s Old City Hall provides a grand backdrop for those enjoying their icetime. Built from 1889-1899, Old City Hall was designed by Toronto architect E.J. Lennox.

Ontario Place: Tarnished waterfront jewel needs ‘wow-factor’ attractions to restore its lost lustre

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Looking toward two of the suspended pavilions at Ontario Place on September 4 2010, the last time I paid a visit to the aging waterfront theme park

Park over troubled waters: It struck me as a curious coincidence that stormclouds figure prominently in many of the photos I have taken of Ontario Place. After all, these are very dark and stormy times for the summertime waterfront theme park, most of which will be closed for the next five years while the Ontario government considers options for revitalizing the tired and tacky 41-year-old facility.

At the beginning of this month, the province announced that it has shuttered Ontario Place’s money-losing Cinesphere, water park and amusement rides while former politician/current radio personality John Tory leads a team charged with investigating options for restoring the lustre to a waterfront jewel that initially drew more than 2.5 million visitors each season, but has since struggled to attract even just one-fifth that many funseekers in recent summers. In fact, the province has been losing more than $20 million annually on subsidies it provides to keep the tired and dowdy-looking park operating. Just the privately-operated Molson Amphitheatre, the Atlantis restaurant, bar and ballroom pavilions, the marina and the parking lots, the only facilities that apparently were profitable, will remain open. More than 48 full-time jobs and 600 summer positions will be lost as a result of the closure.

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The ROM’s Crystal, after an overnight snowfall

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A light layer of snow covers the sharply-angled east side of the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal on January 21 2012. Designed by “starchitect” Daniel Libeskind, the glass and aluminum-clad extension to the Royal Ontario Museum slices into the sky above Bloor Street. Below are several more wintertime views of the Crystal.

Construction starts on $130M Ripley’s Aquarium

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This artistic illustration shows how the new Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada will appear when viewed from the east on Bremner Boulevard …

… while this photo from August 17 2011 shows hoarding around the aquarium site below the CN Tower, where construction has commenced

New tourist attraction: Construction of the new Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada officially kicked off yesterday when government and corporate officials gathered at the Bremner Boulevard building site beneath the CN Tower to announce details of the $130 million project.

Scheduled to open in 2013 with 135,000 square feet of space, a capacity of 1.5 million gallons, and 13,500 sea creatures, the facility — Toronto’s newest tourist attraction in years — will be one of the largest aquariums in North America.

Designed by Toronto’s B+ H Architects, the 3-storey facility will feature a 750,000-gallon shark lagoon which visitors will be able to observe through an acrylic tunnel with a 315-foot moving walkway. The aquarium will also have a tropical reef, exhibits for Great Lakes, Atlantic and Pacific habitats, a Marine and Freshwater Education Centre with classroom space, a restaurant and a gift shop.

Construction actually commenced several weeks ago when crews began clearing the site, a large grass- and tree-covered knoll situated between the CN Tower to the west and the Metro Toronto Convention Centre‘s south building to the east.

The aquarium has been in planning and discussion stages for quite some time, but a summer construction start appeared imminent when city news media reported last winter that various levels of government were negotiating financial incentives in a bid to land the Ripley’s project for certain. The City of Toronto is providing 12 years’ worth of property tax incentives (an estimated $8- to $12 million) under its Imagination, Manufacturing, Innovation and Technology (IMIT) program, while the Ontario government is kicking in more than $11 million towards the construction costs. Canada Lands Company, the federal Crown corporation that owns the land on which the aquarium is being built, is also a partner in the project. According to its president & CEO Mark Laroche, Canada Lands will spend “more than $10 million to redevelop the John Street corridor with new signage and other improvements that will increase and improve the flow of pedestrian traffic from Front Street to the site,” improving the entryway to the aquarium, CN Tower and Rogers Centre.

Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada is a division of Ripley Entertainment Inc., which already operates two other aquariums — one in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and the other in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Ripley Entertainment is owned by the Jim Pattison Group, Canada’s third-largest privately-held company. Extensive information about the Toronto project is available on the Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada website.

Below are several artistic renderings and illustrations that the aquarium released to the media in connection with the official building launch ceremony, along with several photos I shot yesterday of construction activity at the site. Additional photos of the project site can be viewed in my February 23 2011 post, my first report on the Ripley’s Aquarium.

An artistic illustration of the 315-foot observation tunnel in the aquarium’s 750,000 gallon shark lagoon

Artistic rendering of the Toronto aquarium’s main lobby

Artistic illustration of the aquarium’s tropical reef. In total, the facility will feature more than 13,500 marine creatures from 450 species

Artistic rendering of how the Ripley’s Aquarium will appear when viewed from the entrance plaza off Bremner Boulevard near the CN Tower …

… and a view from yesterday of construction trailers and hoarding on the site of what will become the entrance plaza depicted above

Promotional posters adorn the security fence around the construction site

Aquarium construction site viewed from the entrance plaza to the CN Tower

Excavation machines and foundation building equipment in action on the site

Two red and black machines drilling near the Convention Centre south building

The construction entrance on Bremner Boulevard. The beige building to the immediate north of the work site is the Metro Toronto Convention Centre …

… and here’s an artistic illustration of Ripley’s Aquarium viewed from a similar perspective from Bremner Boulevard

CN Tower puts thrill seekers on edge…1,168 feet up

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August 1 2011: Thrillseekers on the CN Tower observation deck roof

Eight daredevils walking along the north side of the deck’s roof

An EdgeWalker takes a hands-free backward lean over downtown Toronto

On edge: The CN Tower literally put people on edge today, the first day its new EdgeWalk attraction was open to members of the public eager to pay $175 for the privilege of walking on a ledge 1,168 feet above downtown Toronto.

I was at John & Adelaide Streets around 3 o’clock this afternoon when I looked up and saw one group of eight daredevils walking along the edge of the tower’s observation deck rooftop, securely tethered to the tower by safety harnesses attached to their red jumpsuits. The walkers paused a few times so some of the participants could take turns doing “Look ma, no hands!” backward leans off the EdgeWalk platform.

Below are several more photos and one brief videoclip of this particular group of EdgeWalkers. Further details about the CN Tower’s spine-tingling new feature are available in my May 12 2011 post as well as in this Toronto Star story by reporter Katie Daubs.

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City Scene: A proud architectural icon

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July 3 2011: The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) on Bloor Street sports a giant rainbow flag to celebrate Toronto Pride

Construction of underground parking facility will create new public spaces for Harbourfront Centre

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From the Centre’s website, this artistic illustration suggests how the revitalized Harbourfront Centre will look with new public parks and amenities on the space formerly occupied by a large above-ground parking lot

April 21 2011: Excavation of the existing above-ground parking lot is underway to build a new below-ground parking facility

Site transformation: You can’t walk very far in downtown Toronto without encountering a “revitalization” project of some kind. Whether it’s public spaces like Nathan Phillips Square or the “mink mile” on Bloor Street, retail complexes like the Toronto Eaton Centre, transportation facilities like the Union subway station, or office towers like First Canadian Place, massive renovation and reconstruction projects are either underway, close to completion, or just getting started. Harbourfront Centre is no exception. The 10-acre cultural landmark is getting a major makeover that will create significant new public spaces at one of the city’s most popular waterfront attractions. The most visible work at the moment is excavation of the Centre’s large above-ground parking lot, which will be rebuilt — underground. That move will free up a tremendous amount of space to create new park and public amenity areas around the Harbourfront Centre facilities, which draw more than 12 million visitors annually. Although the parking lot is now a large, closed-off construction zone, it’s business as usual at the various Harbourfront Centre buildings, including Queen’s Quay Terminal, York Quay Centre, The Power Plant and the Enwave Theatre. Completion of the new underground parking lot is scheduled for next spring. Below are some recent photos of the revitalization activity underway at Harbourfront Centre.

November 9 2011: The former parking lot for Harbourfront Centre has been cordoned off with fencing and hoarding as the revitalization project gets underway

November 9 2011: Construction hoarding around the former parking site

A billboard on hoarding around the Harbourfront Centre construction site

Another billboard at the Harbourfront Centre construction site

A diagram showing how the Harbourfront Centre site will be transformed

April 21 2011: Construction site hoarding along Queens Quay Boulevard

April 21 2011: Looking from Queen’s Quay Boulevard toward excavation activity at the northeast corner of the site

April 21 2011: Excavation activity at the northeast corner of the property

April 21 2011: Excavation activity along the eastern perimeter of the property, next to the Queen’s Quay Terminal building

April 21 2011: Construction of the new underground parking facility is expected to finish at around this time in 2012

May 8 2011: Looking northwest at the Harbourfront Centre construction site from the driveway next to the Queen’s Quay Terminal building

May 8 2011: Landscape reconstruction activity north of the lakeside amphitheatre

May 8 2011: Another view of landscaping activity behind the amphitheatre

Nathan Phillips Square revitalization crawls along

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May 13 2011: Work still hasn’t finished on the former Peace Garden location

Snail’s pace: Looks like the Nathan Phillips Square revitalization is one of those ambitious city projects that is going to take years to complete … and probably not look much like the transformation that was initially promised to Toronto taxpayers. Every time I visit the Square, I expect to see signs of significant construction progress, but never do. While I do notice changes from time to time, I keep getting the distinct impression that the transformation appears to be moving at a snail’s pace. Now I know why. In her latest column in Saturday’s Globe and Mail, Lisa Rochon says “work has been seriously delayed on the square” because of “petty squabbles” between the contractor and the city — a dispute that could result in a two-year delay costing taxpayers an extra $2.4 million. (As I noted in my January 11 2011 post, the project was supposed to take only two years, and cost $42.7 million). I highly recommend reading Ms. Rochon’s column for further insight and information about the Nathan Phillips Square revitalization and other public space projects in Toronto. In the meantime, I’ve posted some recent pics of the Square’s construction progress (or lack thereof) below. Unless a lot of work and general spring cleaning happens in the next couple of weeks, the Square is destined to look tacky and dumpy throughout the summer tourist season. And that’s definitely not a good way to make a positive impression on the hundreds of out-of-town visitors who will pass through the Square each day.

May 13 2011: Without water and operating fountains, the big reflecting pool looks like a large rectangular dustbowl

May 13 2011: The new concession stand and skate rental facility was supposed to be finished by the end of last year, but still has a ways to go

May 13 2011: Another view of the concession building

May 13 2011: A view of the bridge being built to link the concession building with the elevated walkway that surrounds Nathan Phillips Square

May 13 2011: The west end of the Square next to Osgoode Hall, where the Peace Garden is supposed to be relocated

May 13 2011: After being closed all winter, the elevated walkways (and City Hall’s green roof park) have re-opened to the public. The walkways are supposed to get new surfacing and lighting as part of the Nathan Phillips Square revitalization.

May 13 2011: Another view of the former Peace Garden location, which has been taking months to rebuild as an open section of Nathan Phillips Square

Tracking Downtown Toronto's Amazing
Building Boom.

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Tracking Downtown Toronto's Amazing Building Boom.

Category Archives: tourist attractions

Ripley’s Aquarium aims for September opening

Construction views from Roundhouse Park

South downtown skyscraper construction offers soaring backdrop for Toronto’s new aquarium

Winter building pics: December 2012

Ripley’s Aquarium construction photo update

Ripley’s aquarium shaping up & filling in fast

Nathan Phillips Square revitalization inches along; construction expected to finish by end of 2013

City Scene: Skating in sunshine and 16 degrees

Ontario Place: Tarnished waterfront jewel needs ‘wow-factor’ attractions to restore its lost lustre

The ROM’s Crystal, after an overnight snowfall

Construction starts on $130M Ripley’s Aquarium

CN Tower puts thrill seekers on edge…1,168 feet up

City Scene: A proud architectural icon

Construction of underground parking facility will create new public spaces for Harbourfront Centre

Nathan Phillips Square revitalization crawls along

Tracking Downtown Toronto's AmazingBuilding Boom.

Tracking Downtown Toronto's Amazing
Building Boom.