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

khristopher said:
I'd like to see a huge aquarium built on the Lakeview site in Mississauga.
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Featuring Mississauga fish perhaps?

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ProjectEnd said:
That's fine, but why would the local aquarium featuring predominantly local fish and other marine life be so divorced from our local body of water. I suggest we create stronger connections between the fish in captivity and their 'free' counterparts by placing the Ontario Aquarium (working name) on or beside Lake Ontario? The starchitect-constructed star-quarium could reside in its initial place beside our other 'star' attraction (2-for-1 tickets?).
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Because the site located by the CN Tower isn't nearly big enough, and locating a landmark aquarium beside two other landmarks would lessen its impact. A landmark aquarium on the waterfront would be the perfect development to really bring hordes of people to an emerging redeveloped waterfront.
 
I know you guys dream of landmark architectural expressions, but I am more interested in the institution itself even if it is to be housed in an architecturally insignificant facility. Ultimately, these types of facilities generate most of their revenues by featuring the same type of info-tainment displays, but at it's core an aquarium should be involved in research. It's not like the existence of an aquarium here in Ontario is decadent. There are few areas on earth with a more extensive exposure to fresh-water marine environments, and the province borders one Ocean directly (to the north) and one indirectly via the St. Lawrence.
 
If the developer of this development is called "Oceanis Australia Property Group", I won't expect any local species (i.e. from Ontario) to appear in this aquarium plan. Perhaps the aquarium would have some tropical fish in a Great Barrier Reef recreation, or stingrays, or even sharks.
 
egotrippin said:
Because the site located by the CN Tower isn't nearly big enough, and locating a landmark aquarium beside two other landmarks would lessen its impact. A landmark aquarium on the waterfront would be the perfect development to really bring hordes of people to an emerging redeveloped waterfront.
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First off, how do you know that the site beside the CN tower is too small? An international developer of aquariums selected this site and if anyone would know, it seems to me it would probably be them (Multiple-story!??). Furthermore, I believe that such a concentration of 'landmarks' would not dilute any one insititution since each preforms a specific function.

The way your post is worded also implies that an Ontario aquarium would be less of a draw than its international counterpart. Is there something about the waters of our fine province which you find a little boring?
 
While not opposed to an aquarium, why must this attraction be a copy of something done in so many other cities? If one is to establish such an institution ostensibly for educational purposes, could it not be something more original than this?
 
What do you suggest Hydrogen? It's just that edu-tainment so rarely works, wouldn't it be better to start with something more manageable?
 
Hydrogen said:
While not opposed to an aquarium, why must this attraction be a copy of something done in so many other cities? If one is to establish such an institution ostensibly for educational purposes, could it not be something more original than this?
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Got to remember this is entertainment if you dont have the product you do not get the people.Why would anyone invest if its not profitable.
 
ProjectEnd said:
First off, how do you know that the site beside the CN tower is too small? An international developer of aquariums selected this site and if anyone would know, it seems to me it would probably be them (Multiple-story!??). Furthermore, I believe that such a concentration of 'landmarks' would not dilute any one insititution since each preforms a specific function.

The way your post is worded also implies that an Ontario aquarium would be less of a draw than its international counterpart. Is there something about the waters of our fine province which you find a little boring?
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Not boring, but how often would you or the general public visit a zoo of Ontario animals? If there really is a chance for a Toronto aquarium, I personally, and a lot of people are going to want something really special. When I go to aquariums, the sharks and seals (and pretty much any exotic species that I can't catch while fishing) are what I want to see.

No doubt either a wing in the aquarium, or a smaller second aquarium focused on our province's waters would be a great thing. The real draw, however, would be a big aquarium with whales jumping through hoops on fire, and man eating sharks scaring children as they rip apart their food during feeding time.
 
egotrippin said:
Not boring, but how often would you visit a zoo of Ontario animals. Or the general public, rather. If there really is a chance for a Toronto aquarium, I personally, and a lot of people are going to want something really special. When I go to aquariums, the sharks and seals (and pretty much exotic fish that I can't catch while fishing) are what I want to see.

No doubt either a wing in the aquarium, or a smaller second aquarium focused on our province's waters would be a great thing. The real draw, however, would be a big aquarium with whales jumping through hoops on fire, and man eating sharks scaring children as they rip apart their food during feeding time.
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As Frank Lloyd Wright told Philip Johnson upon his first visit to Taliesin West, "now you're on the right track."

Seriously though, I think that an Ontario wing makes much more sense than a separate aquarium since funding, space and other constraints which plague such institutions wouldn't impede as much. Furthermore, as you have argued, few would go to see a zoo full of raccoons, deer and all the other Ontario wildlife. By creating a separate building one sets a precident for how much space and how many species the istituion can hold. If a large, separate building is created, it could have the accidental effect of seeming empty and therefore would be less of a draw. By having a smaller 'aquatic-Ontario' wing, the aquarium would have a chance to really fill the space and create the draw.

When the time is right, the wing could escape and fill its own building and at that point perhaps introduce a laboritory into the mix. For the time being however, I'd say start small and be ambitious rather than allowing misplaced provincial-pride to fund a potential failure.
 
ProjectEnd said:
As Frank Lloyd Wright told Philip Johnson upon his first visit to Taliesin West, "now you're on the right track."

Seriously though, I think that an Ontario wing makes much more sense than a separate aquarium since funding, space and other constraints which plague such institutions wouldn't impede as much. Furthermore, as you have argued, few would go to see a zoo full of raccoons, deer and all the other Ontario wildlife. By creating a separate building one sets a precident for how much space and how many species the istituion can hold. If a large, separate building is created, it could have the accidental effect of seeming empty and therefore would be less of a draw. By having a smaller 'aquatic-Ontario' wing, the aquarium would have a chance to really fill the space and create the draw.

When the time is right, the wing could escape and fill its own building and at that point perhaps introduce a laboritory into the mix. For the time being however, I'd say start small and be ambitious rather than allowing misplaced provincial-pride to fund a potential failure.
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Well it looks like we both agree then. However, the location is still my primary concern. Comparing the size of the space, with the size of several other North American aquariums (using Google Maps), the site besides the CN Tower would maybe fit something half the size of Chicago's aquarium.

Continuing on the Ontario waters species theme, another idea I had (which would require a lake front location) is an actual underwater portion, completely glass walled, looking into the lake. It would be enclosed within the lake as well, to keep the fish within a viewing distance, but the exhibit would create a sense of realism as you're actually looking out into the lake. It'd be taking the idea of the Spadina Slip underwater portion to a new level.
 
egotrippin said:
Continuing on the Ontario waters species theme, another idea I had (which would require a lake front location) is an actual underwater portion, completely glass walled, looking into the lake. It would be enclosed within the lake as well, to keep the fish within a viewing distance, but the exhibit would create a sense of realism as you're actually looking out into the lake. It'd be taking the idea of the Spadina Slip underwater portion to a new level.
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That sounds like a fantastic idea. It would probably take a great deal of effort to keep the viewing area clean, but it would be worth it none the less.
 
ProjectEnd said:
That sounds like a fantastic idea. It would probably take a great deal of effort to keep the viewing area clean, but it would be worth it none the less.
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Thanks! Perhaps some weekly cleaning divers could be deployed, as I assume algae and other build up on the windows would be the biggest issue.

Now I'll have to head on over to Oceanis and WATERFRONToronto to pitch the idea. For anyone else here who's always hoped for a Toronto waterfront aquarium like I have, perhaps we could start a support group for the idea.
 
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