The Maple Leaf Lounge

[Owain Taggart]

Does Tim Horton’s still make those strawberry summer treats? My favourite was the tart with the giant strawberry!

Sorry, just saw this now. I don't think they've made them for decades. I think the last time I remember the tarts was from the late 90's-early 2000's. Around the same time they stopped making cakes. At some locations, they would have cakes on display and allow people to order custom ones. But that's from a different era where they would actually bake things on-site.

 

[Sparkle Fabulosa]

@Owain Taggart Oh wow! I could’ve sworn I had one in the 2010s but then again I might be thinking of the pumpkin spice cream cheese muffins, which were equally delicious!

 

[Owain Taggart]

Oh yeah, those pumpkin spice muffins are awesome. Though those seem to have been made regular seasonal items and return each year.

The tart might have been brought back in a limited fashion at some point around the time you remember it, so that might be why. They do love to bring back items for a limited time these days. But it's interesting because I know earlier on, some items were never offered at all locations. Kind of similar to how McDonalds in Canada offered the Shamrock shake long before it became an official thing.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

You know, it just hit me:

Since I'm about to take a vacation in Toronto, I might actually be able to watch L&O:TOR! If it's on in my hotel room, that is.

 

[Owain Taggart]

If the Hotel has access to CityTV, then you'll be able to. I'd check the schedule ahead of time though.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Is it a thing in all of Canada that if there is lightning nearby, an airport’s jet bridge cannot come out to the plane? Or is it just Toronto?

After we landed at Pearson, that’s what the captain said. We waited for an hour before we could taxi to the gate. Le sigh.

 

[Owain Taggart]

It sounds like a security policy they have in place for the airport itself. Then again, I've never flown, so I don't know if it's a common thing across Canada.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

If the Hotel has access to CityTV, then you'll be able to. I'd check the schedule ahead of time though.

I can indeed get CityTV in my room but the channel guide doesn’t HAVE any schedule information for that channel. So I have no idea when the show is on!

Fortunately I can watch it on my iPad from City’s site. While I’m here, anyway.

Probably won’t have much time though. I love this city and I will definitely not waste time holed up in my room all week.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Yeah, I meant see if you can find the schedule online and scout it out ahead of time rather than rely on the hotel room's guide for the schedule

And if you ever end up in my area, give me a shout.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

The Ontario Science Centre is permanently closed

And if you ever end up in my area, give me a shout.

Where’s that?

 

[Owain Taggart]

In Northern Ontario, located about 4 hours north of Toronto. And we have our own science museum, Science North, designed to look like two snowflakes. We've had a great influx of visitors since the OSC closed.

Home

Northern Ontario's most popular attraction invites you to learn about science with fun, hands-on exhibits, live animals, IMAX Theatre, Planetarium & more!

www.sciencenorth.ca

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

uh oh…

I’m sorry,I don’t think I can make it out that far. I wouldn’t have the slightest idea how to get there

 

[Avro Arrow]

The Ontario Science Centre is permanently closed

Sorry. You should have mentioned that you were planning to visit. We could have given you a heads-up.

The closure was sudden and unexpected, and you are nowhere near the only person upset about it.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I still plan to visit the ROM but I’m afraid it will try to assimilate me.

Sorry. You should have mentioned that you were planning to visit. We could have given you a heads-up.

I did…

 

[Owain Taggart]

uh oh…

I’m sorry,I don’t think I can make it out that far. I wouldn’t have the slightest idea how to get there

Not on this trip, of course.

 

[Avro Arrow]

I still plan to visit the ROM but I’m afraid it will try to assimilate me.


I did…

Sorry, I knew you were visiting Toronto in general, but I meant should have mentioned you were going to visit the Science Centre specifically. I wouldn’t have thought to mention the closure unless I had seen you say something about wanting to go there.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Fortunately I found out before I went all the way out there. I was looking for the bus line I should take (since the ing Eglinton line STILL isn’t done yet ) and then I found out. So at least it spared me the trip…

Wasn’t kidding about the ROM. The front entrance looks EXACTLY like a crashed Borg cube.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Ontario's been a bit of a mess lately due to dear old Doug. His government has also been making cuts to the provincial parks system, going so far as cutting programs and demolishing park infrastructure. I think the idea is they want to promote the year-round parks like Algonquin while demoting the smaller ones. Our astronomy club used to do outreach at some of these parks, and regular park attendees would end up asking for us by name as it had become popular event. But now the park doesn't even want to officially sanction it, even going as far as saying that if we do something, we can't advertise it. They've torn down their amphitheatres too, which we've used to do presentations in.

So now, it makes it very hard for us to do any outreach, and what the government doesn't realize is that by limiting us, it limits education in general, and it's a bad look.

 

[Timewalker]

Ontario's been a bit of a mess lately due to dear old Doug. His government has also been making cuts to the provincial parks system, going so far as cutting programs and demolishing park infrastructure. I think the idea is they want to promote the year-round parks like Algonquin while demoting the smaller ones. Our astronomy club used to do outreach at some of these parks, and regular park attendees would end up asking for us by name as it had become popular event. But now the park doesn't even want to officially sanction it, even going as far as saying that if we do something, we can't advertise it. They've torn down their amphitheatres too, which we've used to do presentations in.

So now, it makes it very hard for us to do any outreach, and what the government doesn't realize is that by limiting us, it limits education in general, and it's a bad look.

Well, that's regressive of them, to stomp on your astronomy events. Did they ever say why?

Demolishing park infrastructure for no good reason (ie. it wasn't structurally unsafe or there wasn't an environmental problem in the vicinity) makes me wonder who that land is eventually going to be sold to, and how Ford intends to benefit politically and financially. Here in Alberta, following the money and the question of who benefits leads to O,G, and M (oil, gas, and mining).

 

[Owain Taggart]

Well, they don't specifically target us, but rather they've cut funding to programs and facility use that we've taken advantage of in the past, making it much harder for us to do anything. For instance, they would often advertise our events, usually with a sign right outside their office, which would in turn let park attendees know that something was happening in the park. But now that no longer will happen according to new park rules. We can't even mention that we're doing anything on social media. If we do anything at all, it has to be unofficially and without their help, and done on the down low.

Also we've for several years had a big outreach event happen in september/october that would attract a huge crowd in a rather big and popular park along with good speakers. It's been very successful for many years. One year we had Bob McDonald. The park was hoping to get designated with a special dark-sky status at one point, but now all that is up in the air, and there is no indication of the event happening at all this year.

But yeah, it is regressive of them, and to be honest, it feels rather reckless with no forward thinking at all.