The Dad Thread - Page 26

O-tacular · #**501** Posted **Jul 28, 2023, 4:45 PM**

Is La Ronde still popular for family outings in Montreal? Last time I was there it looked like it's been bought by Six Flags?

esquire · #**502** Posted **Jul 28, 2023, 4:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by O-tacular

I may shit on Edmonton a lot but the water park in West Ed is still awesome!

There's not really any outdoor waterparks in Calgary anymore. Our last one (Banzai Waterpark) closed in the 90's. Closest one left is in Sylvan Lake a 1.5 hour drive away.

Yeah, Winnipeg falls short on this too. We had a couple of mid-sized waterparks that also closed down in the 90s... now it's just municipal pools with a slide or two each.

WEM's waterpark is almost up there with Disney as a standard middle-class Winnipeg family vacation destination to check off.

le calmar · #**503** Posted **Jul 28, 2023, 7:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Is La Ronde still popular for family outings in Montreal? Last time I was there it looked like it's been bought by Six Flags?

I haven’t been there in like 20 years, but I’m pretty sure it’s still very popular. I think Six Flags are taking good care of their properties, and they added quite a few new rides over the years. They also got rid of a few of the older ones.

O-tacular · #**504** Posted **Jul 28, 2023, 9:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by le calmar

I haven’t been there in like 20 years, but I’m pretty sure it’s still very popular. I think Six Flags are taking good care of their properties, and they added quite a few new rides over the years. They also got rid of a few of the older ones.

Pas la maison hantee j’espere!!!!

harls · #**505** Posted **Jul 28, 2023, 10:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Is La Ronde still popular for family outings in Montreal? Last time I was there it looked like it's been bought by Six Flags?

I went there in 2018. My kid is scared of heights now.

Harley613 · #**506** Posted **Jul 28, 2023, 10:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Is La Ronde still popular for family outings in Montreal? Last time I was there it looked like it's been bought by Six Flags?

It's old and tired, but there are still thrills to be had. My daughter absolutely loves it, she doesn't notice all the closed rides and cobwebs at all.

Hackslack · #**507** Posted **Jul 28, 2023, 10:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by O-tacular

I may shit on Edmonton a lot but the water park in West Ed is still awesome!

There's not really any outdoor waterparks in Calgary anymore. Our last one (Banzai Waterpark) closed in the 90's. Closest one left is in Sylvan Lake a 1.5 hour drive away.

Sylvan lake doesn’t have the water park anymore. It’s been a few year I think since it being removed.

lio45 · #**508** Posted **Jul 29, 2023, 12:33 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by O-tacular

I may shit on Edmonton a lot but the water park in West Ed is still awesome!

There's not really any outdoor waterparks in Calgary anymore. Our last one (Banzai Waterpark) closed in the 90's. Closest one left is in Sylvan Lake a 1.5 hour drive away.

My gf and I bought summer passes for the one near here (in Bromont), we just got back from spending yet another (part of a) day there as I type this

Been at least 10-15 years since I went to the Valcartier one which is bigger but also much farther away.

I like the atmosphere in water parks -- very "vacation". We might go to la Ronde later this summer, it's also been 10+ years since I last went. Pretty sure it's been in the Six Flags portfolio for a long time now, and they've been good stewards for it. I don't think typical users would even notice -- if anything, a bigger corporate parent means more additions of new rides (as le calmar pointed out).

O-tacular · #**509** Posted **Jul 29, 2023, 4:08 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harley613

It's old and tired, but there are still thrills to be had. My daughter absolutely loves it, she doesn't notice all the closed rides and cobwebs at all.

Is the wooden rollercoaster Le Monstre still running? Wasn’t it the largest wooden one in the world? I remember the tight overlapping track sections where it seems like a taller person could lose their head.

What about Le Dragon? Most overrated crappy ride! They had ads for it all summer one year in the 90’s and it was so underwhelming.

O-tacular · #**510** Posted **Jul 29, 2023, 4:09 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hackslack

Sylvan lake doesn’t have the water park anymore. It’s been a few year I think since it being removed.

Sad. I’m guessing Covid put them under?

O-tacular · #**511** Posted **Jul 29, 2023, 4:11 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lio45

My gf and I bought summer passes for the one near here (in Bromont), we just got back from spending yet another (part of a) day there as I type this

Been at least 10-15 years since I went to the Valcartier one which is bigger but also much farther away.

I like the atmosphere in water parks -- very "vacation". We might go to la Ronde later this summer, it's also been 10+ years since I last went. Pretty sure it's been in the Six Flags portfolio for a long time now, and they've been good stewards for it. I don't think typical users would even notice -- if anything, a bigger corporate parent means more additions of new rides (as le calmar pointed out).

Sounds fun. Pools and slides are more popular in Quebec it seems. Alberta’s crazy weather and previously (not this year) cooler summers made them less popular here.

kwoldtimer · #**512** Posted **Jul 29, 2023, 12:53 PM**

Interesting piece on CBC radio this morning about the benefits of training kids in "adulting", starting with pre-teens. Aparently the current generation of parents is so concerned with raising "great kids" that they end up doing everything themselves and the kids are ending up in university with few life skills.

Just curious - those with teens/pre-teens. Are you teaching (forcing) them to prepare their own food, manage money, clean house, attend to basic car maintenance, understand their medical/dental care, etc, etc?

Hackslack · #**513** Posted **Jul 29, 2023, 5:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Sad. I’m guessing Covid put them under?

2016 was it’s last year. Closed due to maintenance costs and buildings codes/regulations it needed to be updated to I guess.

O-tacular · #**514** Posted **Jul 31, 2023, 4:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hackslack

2016 was it’s last year. Closed due to maintenance costs and buildings codes/regulations it needed to be updated to I guess.

Too bad. Seems like a lot of those old water parks had safety issues.

O-tacular · #**515** Posted **Jul 31, 2023, 4:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by McKellarDweller

I’ve got a full pass for Calgary Folk Fest this week. Are you going at all?
Will be dancing with my 3 month old.
Lower priority for stage proximity and high volumes of beer consumption this year

Then off to Nova Scotia and PEI for a summer trip starting next week. I need it. I haven’t taken any parental leave yet, or any holidays since January. The burnout is real.

How was Folk Fest? Was a hot one this weekend.

O-tacular · #**516** Posted **Jul 31, 2023, 4:49 PM**

Had a rough start to what ended up being a fun day on Sunday. Had the kids all loaded and ready to go to the zoo in the morning and had just gotten some Starbucks. Waiting at the light leaving my neighbourhood I went to grab my cup of coffee (from the top down). It exploded everywhere. Shittiest lid ever. Good thing it wasn't Tim's or McDonald's or my wife and I would have had second degree burns. Took 45 mins to clean. Car still smells like coffee.

Got to the zoo hours later than planned and trapped in 32 degree heat. Word of advice for any Calgary dads going into the Canadian Wilds section while the polar bear enclosure is under construction: Avoid it at all costs. Saw multiple toddlers having meltdowns as we entered. It's a trap. The loop is closed and dead ends at the Bugtopia playground where the kids never want to leave and the only way out is to backtrack where you came from. We've visited the playground twice and it ended in disaster each time. The design is terrible for kids under 5 as they climb to the top of the tree and get trapped in places you can't help them, since adults won't fit.

Thankfully we had a BBQ with grandparents later in the day that went very well and ended things on a positive note.

esquire · #**517** Posted **Jul 31, 2023, 4:55 PM**

^ Sorry about the coffee incident! Starbucks and Tims cups and lids are annoying... at least McDonald's is good in that regard.

I visited the Calgary Zoo with my kids a couple of years ago, it was a huge hit. Such a great zoo, almost perfectly sized in some respects. Big enough to have a very wide range of animals on display, but not so big as to be overwhelming. We were there on a hot day though, so some exposed parts were tough to take. Bugtopia was a smash with the kids, they still talk about it to this day, haha.

My weekend was pretty good... lots of family/kid stuff. Goldeyes baseball with the family and my inlaws on Friday night, indoor playground with the youngest and her friend on Saturday, my son and wife had a basketball night at the Sea Bears game on Saturday night so I stayed home with the youngest and watched the most recent Puss N Boots. I didn't like it all that much, I nodded off pretty quick. Beach on Sunday and then a family viewing of Paddington Sunday night... now that's a great family movie! An enjoyable summer weekend all in all.

MolsonExport · #**518** Posted **Jul 31, 2023, 5:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Got to the zoo hours later than planned and trapped in 32 degree heat. Word of advice for any Calgary dads going into the Canadian Wilds section while the polar bear enclosure is under construction: Avoid it at all costs. Saw multiple toddlers having meltdowns as we entered. It's a trap. The loop is closed and dead ends at the Bugtopia playground where the kids never want to leave and the only way out is to backtrack where you came from. We've visited the playground twice and it ended in disaster each time. The design is terrible for kids under 5 as they climb to the top of the tree and get trapped in places you can't help them, since adults won't fit.

McKellarDweller · #**519** Posted **Aug 2, 2023, 4:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by O-tacular

How was Folk Fest? Was a hot one this weekend.

It was lovely, thanks! Yeah, tricky weather. Full rain gear Thursday and Friday nights, and then hanging out in shade in the heat all weekend. I missed Bahamas closing on Sunday unfortunately- my little girl had enough before then. Looking forward to next year's already.

samne · #**520** Posted **Aug 2, 2023, 5:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

Interesting piece on CBC radio this morning about the benefits of training kids in "adulting", starting with pre-teens. Aparently the current generation of parents is so concerned with raising "great kids" that they end up doing everything themselves and the kids are ending up in university with few life skills.

Just curious - those with teens/pre-teens. Are you teaching (forcing) them to prepare their own food, manage money, clean house, attend to basic car maintenance, understand their medical/dental care, etc, etc?

Yes. 1 teen and 1 pre-teen. Started with easy things like make your own breakfast on weekends. Cereal and juice not hard. My son loves to cook like me. Proper clean up is tough. Chores around the house for money. Trying to teach them about credit and investing. Whether any of this sinks in remains to be seen..