Toronto Windpower

Where all the hot air comes from. Windmill on the grounds of the Canadian National Exhibition. Called Windshare, this is a project of the Toronto Renewable Energy Coalition. In a 50/50 partnership with Toronto Hydro, Windshare owns this ExPlace turbine and the power it generates.

This is a noble cause and no question there are opportunities for windpower to help reduce power costs in office buildings, condos, etc. But the reality is VERY modest - as in powering the lobby lights in these buidings - not running them. Europe in particular is much further ahead of North America in this regard. However, Ontario/Toronto is living on the edge of an acute energy shortage, for which unfortunately, windpower will not be the answer. Currently, there only is one answer - but nobody wants it. Nuclear. This answer is so politically incorrect that it has stymied the building of any new power generating sources in the Province of Ontario for many years. As a result, Ontario purchases much of its power requirements from others, at costs well above the ceiling set by the government for consumers to pay. Everyone knows there's a crisis coming but no one so far is smart enough or ballsy enough to do what's required to fix the situation.

TAGS: Toronto, Windpower, Alternative Energy

Christopher Columbus Discovers Toronto

Arrives just in time for Caribana. Toronto is a multi-ethnic city but this may confuse the hell out of him! This weekend TO will look a lot like some of those southern islands some of Chris' buddies banged into searching for the new world. Of course, this is actually tourist ship. The sails are for show. Boat is really diesel powered.

Picture - BCE Concourse

View looking up the elevator of the funky concourse, BCE building. Once you start noticing, you'll see this concourse everywhere, particularly print ads, photo shoots. Probably better known for the Hockey Hall of Fame just behind to the left of where this picture was taken.

Drinking in Toronto Harbour

Best view of Toronto waterfront from a bar. The Docks. Doesn't get any better than this. Staff are friendly. Beer is good although there isn't any draft and everything is Labatt's!! On a day like this - who cares??!

Mini-Golf in Toronto Harbour

Mini-golf course at The Docks. Docks is an 'entertainment complex' - bars, driving range, swimming pools, soccer pitch, muscle beach north, drive-in theater - just off Cherry Street at eastern end of Toronto waterfront. Great place for a beer and pretty decent people watching. Big enough (huge) to attract a lot of corporate outings.

Sailing in Toronto Harbour

Parasail overtakes an Albacore. This Albacore was lead boat in a fleet of about 50. Parasailer very skilled and worked his way through fleet several times.

Tranquility Base

Finally, the heat has broken. A beautiful Saturday morning in Toronto.

Last of the Muskoka pics

Classic Muskoka. Trees and water. Old boat house and bunkie (what you can't see is the new multi-$million super-cottage just off to the right). Have noticed an interesting trend on this blog to evening pics. Could it be that this is the best light for my little Canon A520?...or, is it just a passing fad?

What lifes all about!

This is one of my favourite Muskoka views. From the BBQ overlooking Lake Joseph. Nothing more relaxing than a nice glass of wine after a tough day on dock. I gotta get a cottage like this! Need the bucks to acquire a decent place in Muskoka. While cheap compared to Europe, some US lake country, properties here range up to $10 mil. Nice ones go for $1.5 to $3 million. Can get some 'starters' for $500K but probably stuck on a river somewhere with boats blasting by your dock. Check it out!

Muskoka sunset

Great Muskoka sunset over Lake Joseph. Wenonah II in the background on one of her overnight lakes cruises. Muskoka is cottage country north of Toronto. Bunch of lakes but the most popular are Lakes Joseph, Rosseau and Muskoka. Goldie Hawn, Martin Short and more than a few hockey players with summer places up here. Towns in Muskoka include Bracebridge, Port Carling, Rousseau. Getting to north end of Rousseau takes approximately 2 hours from Toronto. Worth it. Along with great swimming, scenery also excellent lodges/resorts, outstanding golf, decent fishing.

Ken and Barbie Go Cruising

Nice fake boat. Radio control model approx a meter long. It's sailing in a foot of water on a pond at Toronto Harbourfront. Bunch of old guys with their models have been doing this for years. Tourists love it. Actually, there were a bunch of nice (real) boats in town this weekend. Normal for summer plus Molson Indy weekend. Saw one from San Francisco. That boy's a ways from home!

Fun Rogers Centre Gargoyles

These gargoyles greet you as you enter the Skydome from Front Street. Actually, Skydome is now called the Rogers Center. Rogers is the Canadian purveyor of lousy internet access, cell phones, digital cable, etc. Probably a decent company but despised fairly broadly for their terrible customer service. Everyone has a story. When it was built, Skydome was a modern wonder although that has mostly faded. Skydome's funkiest feature is it's retractable roof which can open to the elements or close to shut them out in something like 20 minutes. Home teams in the Skydome include the Blue Jays (baseball) and Toronto Argos (CFL football). The Blue Jays won back to back World Series here. For sports nuts, there's a hotel that looks out over center field. In early days before tinted glass, etc fans occasionally got the unexpected thrill of watching couples getting it on high above center field. Great fun for the kids and no extra charge! The facility had been in fairly steady decline until Rogers purchased it a couple of year ago - to go along with their purchase of the Blue Jays who had also been in steady decline. Here's the Rogers Center website.

Fiery Toronto Summer Sunset

Taken from Lake Ontario over western part of Toronto. Double sun affect was real - not just bad photography. Seems to be caused by interference from clouds?

Topless CN Tower

Top of the tower is gone in some low hanging cloud. Picture taken looking from Islands which are south of the city on Lake Ontario. White dome is the Skydome. Tower is over 1800 feet tall and is billed as world's tallest building?? Here is website with more info.

Toronto Skyline

Great view of the skyline taken from an evening cruise on Lake Ontario. CN tower defines the skyline and the city. Skydome is the other big attraction downtown. Skydome is the white, round, ghosty thing in front, to left of CN Tower. Tallest building are all bank buildings - Bank of Montreal to left, black TD Towers in the middle, Scotia Tower just hidden by CN Tower. Royal Bank Tower is gold building to right. Good banks in Canada thanks to limited competition, government protection.