TORONTO | Ripley's Aquarium | 200,000 square feet + 50,000 square feet retail

[J. Will]

-193,750 square feet on the east side of the CN Tower
-50,000-square-foot retail and restaurant complex on the west side of the CN Tower

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/746937--plans-to-make-big-splash-with-aquarium-at-cn-tower

"Plans to make big splash with aquarium at CN Tower

"The CN Tower is statistically the most trafficked man-made tourist facility in Canada," McIvor said. "You've got a built-in international audience as well as a lot of schoolchildren. Obviously, an aquarium has a huge academic audience."

Ripley's proposed development would see an aquarium encompassing 193,750 square feet on the east side of the tower and a 50,000-square-foot retail and restaurant complex on the west side.

The proposal has been filed with the city, and politicians will begin reviewing the plans at next week's meeting of the Toronto and East York community council."

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v455/mongo62aa/ScreenShot002-1.jpg

[MolsonExport]

About time they expanded the attractions at the base of the CN tower. Canada's biggest two cities lack aquariums. Montreal once had a fairly decent one, but then converted it to some crappy amusement.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_Aquarium
http://expo67.ncf.ca/expo_alcan_p1.html
And the Biodome doesn't count.

[Rail>Auto]

Would this be built on the land that currently has that nice pond/creek area with steps around it?

Is there a master plan for everything around the CN Tower. I agree that they need to put some more things around it.

[JG1324]

Would this be built on the land that currently has that nice pond/creek area with steps around it?

Going by the Rendering, it looks to be about here.

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/416/cntower.jpg

[Obey]

Why would Ripley's make an aquarium?

[blacktrojan3921]

Why would Ripley's make an aquarium?

They actually already made a couple of Aquariums down in the U.S.

[MolsonExport]

Believe it, or not!

[glowrock]

Current construction progress, from the CN Tower's glass floor. Taken this past Friday, December 23rd.

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt324/glowrock/Toronto%20from%20the%20CN%20Tower/DSC_0567.jpg

While I think it's a fantastic thing that Toronto's going to get a pretty major aquarium, I think Ripley's is being a bit overzealous when they call it "world class" and "one of the largest aquariums in North America." Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, for instance, is pushing 6 million gallons of water, though about 4 million of that is for their enormous whale shark exhibit. There are many, many aquariums in the U.S. in the 1.0-1.5 million gallon range, including such locations as Boston, Baltimore, Denver, Long Beach, Chattanooga TN, and a number of others. New Orleans as well, just for one more. Also, the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago is, I believe, in the 3-4 million gallon range.

The location IS really good, no doubt about it. The base of the CN Tower? Why the heck not?

Aaron (Glowrock)

[Jonovision]

I didn't know this was already under construction. Toronto continues to amaze me every day.

[JBinCalgary]

Cant wait to visit there one day. Then head over to the roundhouse for a beer

[Dwils01]

Ripley's Aquarium seen thourgh the trees.
http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m498/DWils01/Toronto%20Ontario/DSC03272.jpg

A close up shot.
http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m498/DWils01/Toronto%20Ontario/DSC03270.jpg

Pics by me from Sunday February 12, 2012.

[THE BIG APPLE]

So the Rogers Centre (former Skydome), isn't an added feature to the surroundings of the CN Tower. It was a long time ago. I'm actually surprised at the lack of aquariums in Canada. The more the merrier (i guess).

[Dwils01]

Ripley's Aquarium of Canada at the base of the CN Tower.
http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m498/DWils01/Toronto%20Ontario/DSC03474.jpg

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m498/DWils01/Toronto%20Ontario/DSC03475.jpg

Photo's by me from Wednesday March 07, 2012.

[Dwils01]

Ripley's Aquarium from the CN Tower.
http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m498/DWils01/Toronto%20Ontario/DSC03809.jpg

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m498/DWils01/Toronto%20Ontario/DSC03811.jpg

Pictures by me from early April.

[Dwils01]

Construction progress from August.
http://urbantoronto.ca/sites/default/files/imagecache/display-slideshow/images/articles/2012/08/6307/urbantoronto-6307-20256.jpg
Source: http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2012/09/topping-august-2012-whats-hot-urbantoronto

Construction progress from last month: (sorry image is so large)
http://themeparkcanuck.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/IMAG0678.jpg
Source: http://themeparkcanuck.com/2012/10/15/ripleys-aquarium-of-canada-update/

[Ch.G, Ch.G]

An aquarium chain? And the other locations are Gatlinburg, Tennessee and Myrtle Beach? This is an embarrassment for a global city like Toronto.

[vinchops]

i wouldnt call this an embarrassment at all this is great. toronto is finally becoming a great tourist destination.

[DrNest]

An aquarium chain? And the other locations are Gatlinburg, Tennessee and Myrtle Beach? This is an embarrassment for a global city like Toronto.

The big embarrassment was that Toronto didn't have an aquarium of any significant size. This will be great for Toronto, and in a prime tourist location. I'm excited for its construction.

[Dwils01]

Update on the Aquarium.
http://i.imgur.com/rbgIdC2.jpg

Work around the CN Tower
http://i.imgur.com/nrsjtJz.jpg

Source for both: http://urbantoronto.ca/forum/showthread.php/9589-Aquarium-of-Canada-amp-CN-Tower-Retail-Pavillion-(Canada-Lands-Ripley-3s-B-H)/page87

[MercurySky]

This is a great location for this. It was too barren at the base of the tower.

[ih8pickingusernames]

Wait a minute. Is the aquarium connected to the base of the CN Tower?
They also really need to clean that concrete it looks horrible. I think it is also time for FCP to clean that junk off it's roof.

[Dwils01]

CN Tower entrance and Ripley's Aquarium of Canada
http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m498/DWils01/Toronto%20Ontario/DSC04327_zps671868b4.jpg (http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/DWils01/media/Toronto%20Ontario/DSC04327_zps671868b4.jpg.html)

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m498/DWils01/Toronto%20Ontario/DSC04328_zpsd31a15a6.jpg (http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/DWils01/media/Toronto%20Ontario/DSC04328_zpsd31a15a6.jpg.html)

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m498/DWils01/Toronto%20Ontario/DSC04326_zps7748e70d.jpg (http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/DWils01/media/Toronto%20Ontario/DSC04326_zps7748e70d.jpg.html)

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m498/DWils01/Toronto%20Ontario/DSC04324_zps24822522.jpg (http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/DWils01/media/Toronto%20Ontario/DSC04324_zps24822522.jpg.html)

Pictures by me.

[Dwils01]

Ripley's Aquarium of Canada at the base of the CN Tower on Bremner Boulevard.
http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m498/DWils01/Toronto%20Construction%202013/DSC04824_zps5053d105.jpg (http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/DWils01/media/Toronto%20Construction%202013/DSC04824_zps5053d105.jpg.html)

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m498/DWils01/Toronto%20Construction%202013/DSC04822_zps1e9bbea7.jpg (http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/DWils01/media/Toronto%20Construction%202013/DSC04822_zps1e9bbea7.jpg.html)

Pictures by me.

[Dwils01]

Ripley's Aquarium of Canada on Bremner Boulevard just west of Lower Simcoe Street at the base of the CN Tower, now open.
http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m498/DWils01/Toronto%20Construction%202013/DSC05199_zpsd35e6fad.jpg (http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/DWils01/media/Toronto%20Construction%202013/DSC05199_zpsd35e6fad.jpg.html)

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m498/DWils01/Toronto%20Construction%202013/DSC05200_zps65f0ef82.jpg (http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/DWils01/media/Toronto%20Construction%202013/DSC05200_zps65f0ef82.jpg.html)

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m498/DWils01/Toronto%20Construction%202013/DSC05201_zps0a7d7810.jpg (http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/DWils01/media/Toronto%20Construction%202013/DSC05201_zps0a7d7810.jpg.html)

Pictures by me.