Ripley's Aquarium of Canada in Toronto
A New Tourist Attraction for Toronto
The City of Toronto is getting an exciting addition to its lineup of tourist attractions this year. As of October 16, 2013, residents and tourists will be able to visit the 135,000 square foot Ripley's Aquarium of Canada, right in the heart of downtown Toronto.
The Aquarium is expected to attract nearly two million visitors per year, and is sure to be a popular attraction for both local families as well as tourists visiting Toronto.
Located in the Heart of Downtown Toronto
Located in Toronto's downtown core, Ripley's Aquarium is located at the base of the CN Tower, and close to Toronto's Entertainment district, the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Rogers Centre and Air Canada Centre. It will be easily accessible by public transportation - trains and subway in particular, due to its close proximity to Union Station.
Construction on the 135,000 square foot facility began in 2011, with funding support from the City of Toronto, the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada. When finished, the Ripley Aquarium of Canada will be home to more than 13,500 marine creatures, comprising 450 different species.
Location of the new Ripley Aquarium in Toronto
Due to open in October of 2013, this 135,000 square foot aquarium will be a major tourist attraction in Toronto.
The Shark Lagoon Tunnel at Ripley's Aquarium in Myrtle Beach
Shark Lagoon
One of the highlights of the new Ripley's Aquarium will be the 750,000 gallon Shark Lagoon. Visitors will be able to walk through a 96 metre long see-through tunnel, surrounded by swimming sharks and fish. Similar tunnels exist at Ripley's two existing aquariums in the United States, located in Myrtle Beach South Carolina and Gatlinburg, Tennessee and are hugely popular with visitors.
The Shark Lagoon exhibit will feature a moving walkway, which visitors will be able to step off in order to view areas of the exhibit for longer periods.
Shark Lagoon tunnel
Other Exhibits
In addition to the Shark Lagoon exhibit, the Aquarium will also feature exhibits depicting a tropic reef, as well as Great Lakes, Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean habitats.
As well as a variety of sharks, visitors will be able to view a wide range of marine animals, including jellyfish, sea turtles, seahorses, and hundreds of varieties of fresh water and salt water fish.
There will be a variety of interactive displays, a marine and freshwater education centre, classroom spaces to accommodate school groups, a cafe and a gift shop.
The Aquarium will be open 365 days per year.
Ripley's Aquarium of Canada Facts and Stats
Ripley's Aquarium of Canada
| Stats
|
|---|---|
Size of facility
| 12,500 square metres / 135,000 square feet
|
Amount of water in exhibits
| 5.7 million litres / 1.5 million gallons
|
Number of species on exhibit
| more than 450
|
Number of sea creatures
| more than 135,000
|
Size of Shark Lagoon
| 2.84 million litres / 750,000 gallons
|
Number of operating days per year
| 365
|
Expected attendance
| 200 million visitors per year
|
Source: Ripley's of Canada Toronto Aquarium website and press release
Currently, visitors to Toronto who want to visit an animal attraction must leave the downtown core to do so. The closest major animal attractions are the Toronto Zoo on the eastern edge of Toronto's city limits and Reptilia in Vaughan. Both are a significant distance from downtown Toronto, and are not easily accessed by public transit other than buses. The new Ripley Aquarium helps fill this gap, for both tourists and residents alike.
