Knowledge For Keeps: Niagara Region 2021
It was a clear cold day on November 27,2021. There were 26 FilCan Comm House(FCCH) members who joined Amor Raspado’s trip to the Niagara Region. The coach bus was on full capacity and Ninety Eight per cent 98% of the tourists have visited the Region not once but many times already. But to everyone’s surprise there are facts &figures that many of us
Through the question and answer session while on the bus, many learnings were gained.
- The Niagara Region is in Southern Ontario (not West as many thought). Southern Ontario has 15 big municipalities and the Region itself has 12 Noone from theToronto/GTA tourist knew that the seat of local government is in the municipality of Thorold. The Region comprise the Golden Horseshoe which is the largest megalopolis in Canada.
- The Niagara Falls has three Falls called the Horseshoe Falls(Canada), The American Falls(USA) and the Bridal Viel Falls(USA).It was formed more than12,000 years ago at the end of the ICE AGE and the large melting ice drained into the Niagara River and plunged into the Niagara Encarpment (edge of the southern end of the Niagara Gorge)
- The Welland Canals, St. Catherines – first Canal built in 1829 connected Lake Erie and Lake Ontario and the 4rth Canal was built in 1913 but opened in 1932. We visited Lock 3 and saw the largest cargo Ship ever to pass through the Canal. It was on its way to Thunder Bay. The water in the canal was emptied when the ship docked. It took 92 million litres of water to push up the ship back to the Lake’s surface for it to be able to leave the gate and cruise to its destination.
- The St.Catherines Museum was another stop and we browsed to see through the in photo exhibit the documentation and artifacts about the building of the Canals.
- The 3rd stop was at the King’s Court Estate Winery where we tasted and bought wines which were originally served to the royalties of Germany particularly Kaiser Wilhelm in 1723. Currently, the 7th generation of the Zimmermann family run the operations of the estate in Ontario. Everyone enjoyed the taste of 4 red and white wines and also the favorite Ice Wine.
- A sumptuous meal followed at the Mandarin eat all you can restaurant.
- Another fascinating visit is at the Butterfly Conservatory. Earlier during the bus ride, we learned that there are 24,0000 butterfly species in the world and that over 2,000 collection from over 60 species are at the Conservatory. 60% of the collection originally came from Costa Rica, El Salvador and the Philippines. The 40% are being bred at the Emergence area where the stages of the life cycle of the butterflies can be observed namely, the egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa and the adult stage. They live only for 2 to 4 weeks. The Conservatory was opened in 1996 and is located in 40 hectares of land on the grounds of the Niagara Parks School of Horticulture.
- We then visited the smallest church in Canada which is actually a chapel for 6 persons only. The Living Water Wayside Chapel at the Niagara-on-the Lake was established by the Niagara Falls Christian Reformed Church in 1964. It is only 72 square meters.
- A display of multi-colored Christmas Poinsettias were featured at the Floral Showcase. The lights of the giant pine trees at the Christmas Village were truly amazing.
- A walk through the Niagara Falls Parkway and the vicinity such as Clifton Hill, the Fallsview Casino and diners covered the last hour of the trip where we witnessed the festival of lights. We were not able to drive through the Dufferin Islands where more festive lights that showcase vivid wild life images of the Niagara Region. There will always be more to learn next time.
Merfa Bataclan
Recipient of The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal of Distinction for Community Service
Wine Tasting
