Toronto Ripley's Aquarium of Canada | 13.11m | 2s | Ripley Entertainment | B+H

I'd be willing to wager that such a project in another city across the world would receive similar grants / subsides / tax relief.
 
taal said:
I'd be willing to wager that such a project in another city across the world would receive similar grants / subsides / tax relief.
Click to expand...
Pretty much. Projects of this type are highly desired by cities because of the tourism revenue and taxes they generate over the long haul. Visitors and students will be coming from all over Southern Ontario just for this one building. I know it's not on par with places like the Shedd or Georgia aquariums, but it will definitely be a long term money maker for more than just some billionaire from BC. The city has been trying for years to lure someone to build an aquarium and while it would have been nice at Ontario Place (or some other lake front locale), this is just about the best place it could be from a tourism standpoint - right next to Toronto's most internationally recognizable landmark.
 
BlogTO just put up an article that expands the details for the aquarium.

http://www.blogto.com/city/2011/08/ripleys_releases_more_details_about_toronto_aquarium/

Highlights:

  • The Aquarium will be one of the largest in North America, with a capacity of 5.7-million litres (1.5-million gallons)
  • The main exhibition space will include a tropical reef tank, along with Great Lakes exhibits and Atlantic and Pacific habitats
  • It will also feature aquatic life-support systems with special recovery basins that reclaim, clean and re-use water;
  • Marine and freshwater science education and conservation programs designed to build understanding of the aquatic world
  • Trained educators throughout the facility to answer questions and point out special areas of interest
  • Aquarium construction is projected to create more than 600 jobs, generating an immediate economic impact of more than $50 million, $35 million of which will be labour income. In addition, during the two-year construction timeline the project is forecasted to generate more than $25 million in taxes for all three levels of government;
  • When operational, the Aquarium will generate 300 to 350 jobs and have a projected annual economic impact of more than $35 million on GDP;
  • During the first 20 years of operation, the Aquarium is expected to generate more than $220 million in tax revenues for all three levels of government.
  • The Aquarium will be open 365-days-a-year, starting in the summer of 2013
Click to expand...
 
Other interesting bits of information from that article:

"Although it won't start out fully stocked, the 5.7 million litre attraction will be able to accommodate 13,500 sea creatures, or about 450 total species."

"Ripley's also plans to implement breeding and conservation programs for endangered species, which will include a tag and track program for sand tiger sharks."
 
Here's our first story with more renderings…

with yet more to come in following days.

42
 
Did anyone else notice this little tid bit about the upgrade to John St????

"Support is coming from all three levels of government. Canada Lands Company, the federal Crown corporation which owns the CN Tower and the land that the aquairum will sit on, will spend $10 Million to upgrade the John Street corridor with new signage and infrastructure improvements to bring more pedestrian traffic to the site from Front Street."
 
bar1967 said:
Did anyone else notice this little tid bit about the upgrade to John St????

"Support is coming from all three levels of government. Canada Lands Company, the federal Crown corporation which owns the CN Tower and the land that the aquairum will sit on, will spend $10 Million to upgrade the John Street corridor with new signage and infrastructure improvements to bring more pedestrian traffic to the site from Front Street."
Click to expand...

I did notice it... and am extremely pleased that some effort will be made to clean up the mishmash that makes up the approach to the CN Tower from Front.

What I don't understand is why they aren't taking this opportunity to connect the skywalk to the CN tower?
 
"•The main exhibition space will include a tropical reef tank, along with Great Lakes exhibits and Atlantic and Pacific habitats
•It will also feature aquatic life-support systems with special recovery basins that reclaim, clean and re-use water;
•Marine and freshwater science education and conservation programs designed to build understanding of the aquatic world"

I'm liking the sound of this- the latter especially has potential. Also the Great Lakes exhibit part, and I'm sure I'll be liking the tropical reef in january.

I wonder if they'll need divers to clean the big tank- heck i'd do it for free.
 
Can't really comment on the building design - aquariums are not quite the same as standard condos or office blocks. However, for those that do a bit of travelling, the area and capacity of the aquarium are about 20 percent larger than the aquarium in the Bangkok Paragon shopping mall. What Toronto will get then is about the same as what Bangkok has.

Overall, not a bad thing. Worth an initial visit to see and then something to which one takes visitors to town.

What Bangkok offers is a chance to dive with the sharks for a hundered dollars and a glass-bottom boat ride.

I think that what can make the difference between a tourist spectacle and a serious aquarium are the number of small tanks with specific species. This will be up to the Ripley people.

Overall a good thing.
 
yyzhyd said:
What I don't understand is why they aren't taking this opportunity to connect the skywalk to the CN tower?
Click to expand...

My personal pet peeve of the area. The Skywalk should go right up to the Skydome.
 
I think Ripley's would be well-advised to consider a different brand name for their aquarium properties. Ripley's gives off a kind of carnival atmosphere that makes the aquarium seem less serious.
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top