Fort Henry, Kingston Penitentiary open 2022 event season
Major tourist attractions in the city of Kingston opened for the season Saturday.
Visitors spent the day flocking to places like Fort Henry and the Kingston Penitentiary, which launched the 2022 season.
At Fort Henry, the historic landmark is a former military fortress from the 1800s, which overlooks the St. Lawrence River.
This season, guided tours are back after they were paused during the COVID-19 pandemic. Guests can catch marching exercises, learn how people lived and learned at the time, and see how they dressed.
The Stott family was one of the first few in the door Saturday with their three kids, who found the rifle demonstrations a thrill.
Visiting from Trenton, Ont., they say it’s a great chance for their young children to learn about history.
“The outfits and the demonstrations and stuff it’s all very well done,” says dad Chris Stott.
Mom Collette agrees.
“I think it’s just nice to expose them to Canadian heritage as much as we can,” she says. “And just get (the kids) out of the house. We’re not house people, we’re outside people,”
While across town at the Kingston Penitentiary, Canada’s oldest prison also has some newer tours.
They include an architectural tour, as well as an entertainment tour, which tells visitors all about the Hollywood movie and TV shows that have been filmed on site.
For those like Annie Aube-Hardy, coming for the regular tours, it’s getting to learn all about the history of the Pen, and hear from former guards, who now work as guides.
“I think it was really amazing,” she says. “It’s not just someone reading a storybook.”
The attractions are now up and running through the summer, and with high demand, officials suggest getting tickets ahead of time.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.