Cornwall Historical Walking tour (St. Lawrence Seaway)

Cornwall is a very historical town - as part of the historical walking tour is the eastern entrance to the Cornwall Canal.  The completion of the Cornwall canal in 1843 provided a gateway to Canada’s interior for world trade and immigration.

This location were I was at, known as Locks 15, 16 and 17 were redesigned years later.  Lock 16 became a dry dock and was used for winter docking and repairs, while Locks 15 and 17 raised and lowered ships along the canal system.

 

The Cornwall canal was closed in 1958 and was replaced by the St. Lawrence Seaway – after which the canal was largely filled in around 1971 and 1972.

While I was there, there were plenty of provincial officers speaking to the local teens who were disregarding social distancing and making quite the ruckus for the neighbours who live nearby.

I didn’t want to stick around too long, but only long enough to hear a lot of unhappy back and forth as they were told to spread out or go back home.

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A few other historical mentions in Cornwall that I had checked out as well before heading out to Morrisburg the next morning.

I actually felt sorry for this engine as it sits in a large open park space right in the centre of two busy streets(Brookdale and 9th street) in Cornwall.  It looks really out of place.  Locomotive #17 was built in 1962 and was given as a gift to the City of Cornwall in 1977 from the Cornwall Street Railway, Light and Power Company.  It was the last electric-power engine in Canada according to Heritage Cornwall.  After years of neglect (it's been painted a few times in 1981 and again in 2006), and city council bouncing back and forth with whether to spend the 100,000 set aside to refurbish the locomotive engine, it may finally be donated to Smith Falls Museum who has expressed interest in giving it a proper home and the means to fix her up as good as new.

The RCAF - Royal Canadian Air Force has erected this fighter plane on  September 22, 1974 in dedication "to those Canadians who in war and peace earned for our country a proud place for man's conquest of the skies" Per Ardua ad Astra (last owned by RCAFA424 left wing)

Toronto's Historical Waterfront - Harbourfront Centre

One of the most interesting and historical places in Toronto is the Historical Waterfront or "Harbourfront" Centre.  

For over 40 years now this has been a place to 'go down to' check out the attractions and take in some art, food and music culture across the 10 acres of waterfront.

Back in the 70s, the central lakefront was nothing more than a wasteland of deteriorating industrial buildings - until Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau set out to make a change.  His vision was to bring the world to the waterfront of Toronto.  Since 2005, the Harbourfront Centre has been working on a series of projects that continue to transform the waterfront.

Part of Harbourfront Centre's charm is that it has retained and restored the original industrial buildings, creating a spacious campus-like site. 

The Bill Boyle Artport, formerly a trucking warehouse, is the central hub of Harbourfront Centre, housing administrative offices, multiple performance venues, exhibition spaces and our Craft & Design Studio. 

 

There's a constant shuffle of people along the harbourfront all year long.  You have to think of it as a central hub filled with every attraction imaginable to welcome people from all over the world.  This is the inception of how  the Historical Waterfront (Harbourfront Centre) began.

The Harbourfront stage is an outdoor venue, and has hosted Toronto audiences to artists that wouldn't normally be seen in commercial venues.  Artists like Celine Dion, Oscar Peterson, Philip Glass and Jim Carrey.

The COVID pandemic has closed off so many public venues that we didn't realize just how lucky we were to have access to so many attractions in the city.  

Restaurants to satiate any cuisine, waterfront parks such as Sugar Beach and the Queen Quay West park located on the waterfront.  

Boat rentals and boat cruises, art galleries and festivals; winter skating under the Gardiner bridge.  

In the summer, there are tall ship festivals that dock for a few weeks, and evening boat cruises with casinos and dinner menus included. 

If you come down and relax by the water in a high back colourful Adirondack chair, bring a book and stretch out your feet.  You'll be amazed how peaceful and quiet it can be in a one the largest populated cities on earth.

 One last thing to mention, if you ever do visit Toronto's historical waterfront - be very careful when you visit "Beavertails".  It is famous for it's Sundaes, and of course Beavertails which are dangerously delicious!

Beavertails - courtesy of 'tripadvisor.com'

Landon's Bay - 1000 National Park

 

After a quick breakfast stop at a quaint little spot called Gray's beach, I headed east on a recent road trip passed a large sign "Landon's Bay - 1000 Island Nati

onal Park" and decided to pull off  the 1000 Island Parkway between Mallorytown and Ganonoque to have a look.  

The entrance to the park was closed off, but there were a few cars parked along the side of the front gate, so I did the same.  Not sure what to expect, I brought my camera along. 

I ended up spending a couple of hours here checking out the some of the trails.  The Donevan trail was by far my favourite with mythical features like hand-laid stone walls and bridges and an old 'wishing tree' like something out of a story book.  

The Landon's Bay 1000 Islands Tower which stretches 400 feet above the horizon of Hill Island,  Ontario is unfortunately closed off due to COVID, but you are still able to find enough of a view in the area.  I was told by a fellow hiker that the area used to be a campground, but I figured since it is so close to Hwy 401, it wouldn't make for a good night's sleep with the noise, so probably the reason that phased out.

Overall, this was definitely worth checking out and glad I did.  There are plenty of signs to get around, but I'd suggest more might improve the experience.  It's pretty unique here and in it's entirety is encompasses over 225 acres of forested walking trails.  I'd definitely recommend if you are passing by.

Heart Lake Conservation Area

Another birthday went by without being able to celebrate it in an ordinary fashion - but we did enjoy takeout in the car and discovered this little gem in Brampton/Etobicoke  called Heart Lake Conservation Area .  Despite the gloomy weather, it was still a great walk.  The parks may not be open for cars, but they still monitor the closing hours and we were fast approaching that.

Here are a few pictures I took while we were there though.  You'll have to go yourself and see it through your own camera lens!

Heart Lake is a gorgeous spot to visit and seems to have a bit of everything for everyone.  over 415 acres of parkland which includes the Etobicoke watershed, blocks of forest, and a beautiful spot of water (which if you look at it from an aerial view) is in the shape of a heart.  

courtesy of www.brampton.com website

 

The park opens in the April up until October and offers public fishing, hiking, swimming and even treetop trekking (which I've never tried and looks pretty dangerous from the pictures I've seen on their website).

We saw a few others around, but the park itself is closed to the public due to COVID, but there's a lot close by.

I think the most exciting for me anyways thing that I saw was a large snapping turtle who just froze as I approached it.  In fact, I didn't know what it was at first, but I knew it was something worth checking out.

When I got closer, I noticed it's eyes flinched and his head slowly turned to look at me.  I have to admit although he is slower than a sloth, it still spooked me a bit but I am sure he is a lot kinder than he looks! 

As the weather approaches summer, this would be a good spot to have a picnic as there are several great locations with picnic settings.  You'll have to check out the tree trekking!