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Friday, May 17, 2019

Free things to do at Peterborough: Peterborough Lift Lock and Riverdale Zoo

We drove an hour and a half from Toronto to spend the day at Peterborough. We have seen the lift lock before but decided that the system is worth seeing many times.

Peterborough Lift Lock
The Peterborough Lift Lock is the highest hydraulic boat lift in the world, raising boats 65 ft (20 m). It is always a marvel to look at. It is Lock 21 on the Trent Severn Waterway. While of course, you would need to pay if you are going on the lift lock cruise (yes cruise boats actually go on the lift) or if you have any other watercraft that passes the lock, you have to pay lock fees. There is no admission to view this engineering wonder.

The Visitor Centre is also free and there you can learn about Trent Canal Superintending Engineer R.B. Rogers, who led a team that built the giant lift lock over eight years beginning 1896. Apart from the exhibits, they also have videos, demonstrations and a gift shop!

If you plan it well enough (or if you were lucky like us), you can catch a boat race, which you can watch for free! By the shores of Little Lake, hundreds of spectators cheered as the power boats raced courses for Ontario Power Boat Racing Association (2017 was the first time they put the race back on from 1992!). Truly a sight to see!
Power boat race @ Little Lake, Peterborough
A few kilometers away, we went to the Riverview park and Zoo, a member of Canada's Accredited Zoos and Aquariums - Aquariums et Zoos Accrédités du Canada. CAZA-AZAC is an organization that promotes the welfare of animals, and encourages the advancement and improvement of zoological parks, aquariums and related animal exhibits in Canada as humane agencies of recreation, education, conservation, and science. Best of all, it is free!  

Riverview Park and Zoo, Peterborough
They had a snack bar, splashpad, gardens, a mini-train ride, trails, and how amazing is this: they had a playground which had equipment for physically-challenged children! They thought of everything!

Accessible play equipment @ Riverview Park and Zoo, Peterborough
Of course, the main attraction was the zoo which featured over 25 exhibits and more than 48 species. They had a cute potbellied pig and porcupine. 

our favourite, Vietnamese pot bellied pig @Riverview Park and Zoo, Peterborough
we truly found this porcupine adorable, despite quills, @Riverview Park and Zoo, Peterborough
Plus they had many other interesting species like the bobcat, serval, various reptiles (python, tortoise, etc) and birds (ibis, macaw, etc). They seemed well-cared for. 


Meerkats @ Riverview Park and Zoo, Peterborough
Peafowl @Riverview Park and Zoo, Peterborough

Giant slide which the kids enjoyed @Riverview Park and Zoo, Peterborough
It was an amazing gem so close to downtown Peterborough! Did I mention it was free?


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