One-Tank Trip for March 26/16
(c) By Jim Fox
A harbinger of summer and a ritual for
Ontarians preparing to open their lakeside retreats is the Spring Cottage Life
Show.
For cottage doers and dreamers alike, the
show from April 1 to 3 at the International Centre in Mississauga is Canada’s
biggest with more than 550 exhibitors.
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| Sunrises, vivid sunsets are part of cottage life, with Cisco keeping watch. (Jim Fox photo) |
The show helps those preparing to head off
to the lake, stream, cottage, cabin and bunkie with insight into what’s for
sale and how much for those entering the market or moving up to a year-round
retreat.
“The show reignites the excitement of
heading back to the lake with everything a cottager needs and wants,” said
publicist Peggy Sheffield.
This includes boats, docks, water toys,
paddle sports, decor and furniture as well as hundreds of experts in cottage
building, renovations, septic systems, water treatment and green-energy solutions.
Among the special features are walk-through
model cottages, grilling demonstrations, a dock party, kids’ activities and
special appearances from Cottage Life show celebs.
It’s one-stop shopping for all of cottage
country, with more than 100 realtors showing everything from new builds, a
turnkey cottage or a cozy cabin ready to renovate.
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| Whatever floats your boat at the Spring Cottage Life Show. |
There will be two model cottages that showcase
the growing trend of factory-built modulars from Guildcrest Homes, Sheffield
said.
“The high-quality, energy-efficient cottages
will give a first-hand look at the big appeal of buying affordable and contemporary
retreats with small footprints that disturb less of the natural landscape and
provide more opportunity to enjoy outdoor spaces,” she said.
Contractor Wayne Lennox is back showing how
to build an outdoor shower.
Look,
up in the sky
New is a stargazing exhibit that brings the
night sky inside in a mobile dome that uses projection technology and astronomy
software.
From the Ontario Planetarium, the dome can
seat 30 people as space journalist and children’s author Peter McMahon and
astro-photographer Rick Stankiewicz tell all.
Topics include the Earth’s seasons,
constellations, tides, the solar system, Northern Lights and Chris Hadfield’s
mission to the International Space Station.
 |
| Children can select and prepare a white spruce seedling to take home from the show. |
The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
& Foresty’s Learn How to Fish mobile unit has a casting pond, fishing
simulator and do-it-yourself lure machine.
Visitors can learn about the underwater
ecosystem and explore tanks filled with 13 varieties of regional fish.
The Cottage Wildlife Centre includes a bird
rehabilitation and educational unit from Wild Ontario at the University of
Guelph.
It features owls, falcons, ospreys and other
birds of prey while Scales Nature Park will show reptiles and tell of their turtle
hospital on Georgian Bay.
 |
| Loula gets into the swim of things at the cottage.(Lisa Fox photo) |
Come
and get it
The Cottage Kitchen will have demonstrations
and new food ideas.
The Masters of the Grill program has Ted
Reader’s step-by-step instructions on how to clean and cook fish.
The cooking stage has Chef Naz Cavallaro sharing
grilling tips to get the most out of a barbecue or smoker.
 |
| Cottage life includes dock parties on the water. |
Cottage Life magazine’s Jane Rodmell of All
the Best Fine Foods and recipe tester Tony Armstrong of Headwaters Community
Farm and Education Centre cook up recipes from the magazine.
There will also be peanut butter recipes using
Adam’s Natural Peanut Butter.
On
the main stage
The show has Cabin Pressure’s design duo
Colin and Justin; What’s for Sale? with Rob Serediuk; decor maven Debbie Travis;
Citytv gardening expert Frank Ferragine (Frankie Flowers); and Michelle Kelly, Cottage
Life magazine editor-in-chief.
The social hub is the Cottage Life Dock
Party with beverages from Muskoka Brewery.
The Family Activity Centre, in partnership
with Camp Mini-Yo-We, will offer nature-themed crafts and the Tree Planting
Zone is where kids can select and prepare a white spruce seedling to take home.
A play area offers two hours of free child care
for children two to 12.
If
you go
The show is at the International Centre, 6900
Airport Rd. at Derry Road.
Hours are: April 1, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; April
2, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and April 3, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission: $18; $9, ages 13 to 17; free, to
age 12; $26, weekend pass.
Tickets for seniors (65 plus) are $13 on
April 1 and there is a $4 discount on adult tickets after 4 p.m. on April 1 and
2. Free parking. cottagelife.com/shows
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Jim Fox can be reached at onetanktrips@hotmail.com
For more One-Tank Trips: http://1tanktrips.blogspot.ca
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