Lower Bay Station, Toronto’s ghost subway station, will set the stage for a show featuring noises deep below the rumbling of the city. These sounds have also been associated with paranormal activity and ghost sightings.
A-9 — Lower Bay TTC Station, Installation entrance at Cumberland St. and Bellair St.
While there is not an official list of Toronto’s Top 10 Tourist Attractions, given the difficulties measuring attendance at some venues compared to others, many lists and online surveys feature the same “must sees” for both visitors and residents. Here is Toronto Community News’ list of attractions, compiled from information from Tourism Toronto and a number of other tourism websites, and presented in no particular order.The attractions we list are located within the geographic boundaries of the City of Toronto:
• The CN Tower: Once the world’s tallest free-standing structure (that honour has recently been taken by a building in Dubai), the CN Tower dominates Toronto’s skyline and is an obvious magnet for visitors. Standing more than 500 metres tall, the tower receives approximately two million visitors annually. Address: 01 Front St. W.; visit www.cntower.ca.
• Toronto islands: Made up of Wards, Hanlan’s Point and Centre islands, the Toronto islands have been a playground for generations of residents and visitors. The islands can be accessed by ferry boat rides from the terminal at the lake just west of Yonge Street and feature numerous activities for visitors including an amusement park on Centre Island. Visit www.centreisland.ca.
• Ontario Place: Opened in 1971, the 96-acre facility south of Lake Shore Boulevard and west of Bathurst Street features water parks, a concert theatre, activities for children and the iconic golf-ball shaped Cinesphere theatre. Address: 955 Lake Shore Boulevard W.; visit www.ontarioplace.com.
• Toronto Zoo: Located on Meadowvale Road, north of Hwy. 401, the zoo opened in 1974 and is home to some 5,000 animals. The 710-acre facility receives about 1.2 million visitors annually. Address: 361A Old Finch Ave.; visit www.torontozoo.com.
• Black Creek Pioneer Village: This recreation of a Canadian pioneer settlement from the 1790s to 1860s is located in the Keele Street and Steeles Avenue area adjacent to the York University campus. Address: 1000 Murray Ross Pkwy.; visit www.blackcreek.ca.
• Casa Loma: Built by Sir Henry Pellat starting in 1911, Casa Loma took three years and more than $3 million to build. Today it stands as an imposing castle the city. Address: 1 Austin Terrace; visit www.casaloma.org.
• Ontario Science Centre: Opened in 1969, The Ontario Science Centre provides a wide variety of experiences for visitors young and old. Along with exhibits, there is also a domed IMAX theatre. 770 Don Mills Rd.; visit www.ontariosciencecentre.ca.
• Royal Ontario Museum: Now featuring the new Michael Lee Chin Crystal as part of its dramatic new facade, the ROM has been Toronto’s museum since 1914. The ROM features numerous displays and exhibits. Address: 100 Queen’s Park; visit www.rom.on.ca.
• Hockey Hall of Fame: A mecca for fans of the game from around the world, the facility covers all aspects of hockey’s history, including the honoured members of the Hall of Fame, and features numerous interactive exhibits. The Hockey Hall of Fame is also the permanent home of the Stanley Cup. Address: 30 Yonge St.; visit www.hhof.com.
• Rogers Centre: When it first opened as the SkyDome, the stadium drew crowds just to experience its retractable roof opening and closing. The stadium is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts. The facility also features restaurants and a hotel looking onto the field of play. Address: 1 Blue Jays Way, visit www.rogerscentre.com.
Last night hubby and I were running a bit late and didn’t end up going out for dinner until past 9:30pm! We headed downtown looking for a place that served Steak & Seafood. I suggested the Keg Mansion because the food is good, there is a lot of history, the ambiance is wonderful and it’s said to be haunted! My husband loved the idea too so we drove right over. Parking for customers is free so that was great and we were seated right away, but not before I got some information from the hostess. I asked her where the most activity was. She answered casually stating that we would find some if we went up the staircase to the second floor by the bar. I was like, “no”, “I meant paranormal activity”. She responded, ”so did I”! She went on to tell us that we could eat on the main floor and then go upstairs to see. She went on to tell us that the 2nd floor lady’s bathroom is another spot and that sometimes woman have been locked in the stalls because “that is where Mrs. Massey died”. She said to go up to the 3rd floor and take a peek too, even though it is locked. I was so excited, I couldn’t even wait for dinner to be over! The meal was very good and the room we were in was so amazing, with the detailed wood work, stain glass windows, fireplace encased with glazed colorful tiles. Every inch of that room had such fine hand craftsmanship, so much so, that I could not stop looking around. The feeling I was getting was very strong energy and I felt very alive! I wasn’t afraid at all and I kind of felt that the spirits there liked all the attention or energy the Keg patrons were giving them. After our meal we were left to venture about the mansion! It was so wild and such a trip. I went to the ladies room and instructed my husband to save me if I wasn’t back in 5 minutes lol Nothing happened, I didn’t see any ghosts at all, so I met him outside. I was very drawn to this oval like vestibule that overlooked the main entrance. I referenced Haunted Toronto by John Robert Columbo and found out that’s where one of Mrs. Massey’s maids had hung herself after finding Mrs. Massey dead. Then after our look around the 2nd floor we headed up to the 3rd. A couple of fellows were right behind us and talking about how the Keg Mansion is haunted. I was right up front in center peeking in the locked glass door, it was dimly lit and I could make out a large painting and a couple other rooms. My husband was right behind me shining his cell phone over my head to help me see better. The two gentlemen asked if we saw anything… I responded, “nope”. Even still, just being in such a grand and charming home, like the Keg Mansion, was enough for me. Next time maybe I’ll bring my Ouija and go up to the middle of the 2nd floor, by the window, and have a seat at the built in cushioned bench. lol Honestly I am too chicken to mess with Ouija! I heard demons actually communicate and not spirits so I think it is best to leave it alone. Anyways, I rate the Keg Mansion 4.5 stars out of 5! I will be back and if you see someone with a Ouija there, or Tarot cards, then you’ll know who it is :D
Haunted Keg Mansion In Downtown Toronto
For more information on the Keg Mansion please pick up a copy of Haunted Toronto
For California resident Ted English, yesterday’s 200th anniversary of Toronto’s oldest building meant even more for him because it involved the celebration of family.
The western end of Toronto Island is home to the 200-year-old Gibralter Point lighthouse, and English is a member of the Durnan family, which has a long history with the island and its lighthouse.
“It means an awful lot,” said English, 79, who organized a reunion of more than 50 of his Durnan relatives, some of whom he had never met, to coincide with the event.
Completed in 1808, it’s the oldest working lighthouse on the Great Lakes and the second oldest in Canada. (The Sambro lighthouse in Nova Scotia began operating in 1759.)
The third keeper of the Gibralter Point lighthouse was English’s great-great-grandfather James Durnan.
“It’s much more than a lighthouse,” said English, a former Toronto Island resident himself. “It’s a keystone of the whole family”
There is more than 170 years of Durnan history on the island, English said, and for some of his ancestors the lighthouse acts as a headstone.
“You walked over Durnans there,” he pointed out.
Yesterday’s celebration was co-hosted by Heritage Toronto and Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation.
Ceremonies began with a theatrical account of the lighthouse’s history by Shadowland Theatre. The crowd of a few hundred were then marched over to the landmark by fife and drum.
Behind limestone walls 2 metres thick rises an 80-step spiral staircase, and visitors were invited to climb to the top after the ceremonies.
Ray Skema, 53, was in the first group to make the ascent, and he said as a Torontonian it felt great to be up there.
“This is like the best time ever just to be in this historic building,” Skema said. “It was cool to be here for the anniversary and be part of the first 10 people to tour it.”
The building is said to be haunted by the ghost of John Paul Rademuller, the lighthouse’s first keeper.
City Councillor Pam McConnell said the Rademuller haunting is a great story for kids, but the building means a great deal to the city.
“It isn’t just a children’s story,” she said, adding it’s great to bring Toronto’s stories to people in a simple way. “It really is about the beginnings of our city of Toronto.”
Heritage Toronto unveiled two commemorative plaques at the base of the lighthouse.
