Funny Picture: GTA

Showing posts with label GTA. Show all posts

Feb 27 Winter Storm

Downtown #Toronto escaped the worst of the latest blast of snow but the surrounding GTA got hammered overnight with approximately six inches to a foot of the heavy, wet stuff. Lake Ontario and all the steam grates helped keep the financial district in rain and wet snow that left a smidgen of slush on the ground. Getting out of your GTA home in the early morning required pushing the door against the blanket of snow, then walking through snowbanks to public transit, or you could take a chance on slippery roads and highways.

York Street, south of Queen Street West

A GO Transit train plows through the new layer of snow over the rails while only the main road throughActon is plowed so early in the day.

Highway 7 Mill Street in Acton (Halton Hills)

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Motorcycle Ice Racing

Knobby tires full of studs grip the ice as motorcycles rip up the white stuff on the frozen surface of Rice Lake. The Oshawa Competition Motorcycle Club (OCMC) had a George Jones Race Number 1 on Saturday, January 27, 2013 and the sudden warming caused a pressure ridge crack that filled about a third of the course with freezing cold water. The series runs from January to March.

Held in Bewdley, Ontario the ice racing course has two tracks; one for youth and one for adults, with the adult track being considerably more challenging and a lot more corners. The tires have an inner tire to provide depth for the double flat, slotted head screws which are used as ice studs. The orientation of the screws provide outside angle studs for corners and the middle studs are used for braking.

Posted by Joe Hamilton. See more of ice racing after the jump.

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Acton BIA welcomes passengers to new GO train stop

Nancy Wilkes, Chair of the Acton Business Improvement Area, joined other celebs and politicians as the GO Transit commuter train returned to Acton on January 7, 2013. Metrolinx commitment to bring the trains back to the GTA town of Acton was fulfilled when the 6:28 am train from Kitchener pulled into the new transit stop beside the (Olde) Hide House. The GO Kitchener Line, formerly known as the Georgetown Line, makes stops in Guelph, both Acton and Georgetown (Halton Hills) before heading into Brampton, Mississauga and Toronto.

Politicians greeting passengers at the new stop included MPP Ted Arnott, Mayor Rick Bonnette (both pictured at top on the first train), MP Michael Chong, Halton Region Chairman Gary Carr and several municipal/regional Councillors including Clark Somerville, Jon Hurst and Bryan Lewis. The representatives worked hard at all levels to get the transit stop and provided a land lease to the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority (Metrolinx). There were treats like muffins, coffee and juices as well as a gift bag from the BIA filled with valuable coupons and other items from local businesses like Acton Optical.

The first GO Transit train pulls into the station on January 7, 2013 since 1993

"We are pleased to bring GO rail service to Acton and provide additional options for travellers in this very busy corridor," said Gary McNeil, GO Transit President. "With the addition of this new station, we are making it easier for residents to choose to leave their cars at home and use GO Transit."

For now the train service in Acton features two morning trips eastbound and two evening trips west towards Kitchener. "This is great news for Acton and area residents," said Town of Halton Hills Mayor Rick Bonnette. "The addition of this service in our area gives commuters and students in our area a public transit choice for traveling to work or school. We are very excited for the restoration of train service to Acton after an absence of nearly 20 years."

The early winter morning highlighted the importance of the new heated platform shelters.

Michael Chong says "The new service is made possible by the federal government’s $15 million investment in 2009 to improve the Credit River bridge on the GO Transit line through Georgetown. The provincial government matched this federal investment, providing a total of $30 million to add a second track to the Credit River, as well as provisions for a third track. These bridge improvements, which were completed in 2010, were critical to support the increasing local demand for public transit and vital to the future expansion of GO Transit service in the region, including the new Acton station."

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Desperately seeking Fall

I was extremely happy during the recent days of record high temperatures in #Toronto, then we get hit with tiny snow and dropping temperatures, with a little wind chill thrown in for good measure. The end of Fall doesn't really come until the Winter Solstice begins, which apparently, or maybe allegedly, is on December 21, 2012 at 6:12 am EST. I say it that way because I really don't trust that magical date, especially so close to the date when the real Santa speeds through the sky delivering presents to everyone that has been nice.

No, Fall is gone because the leaves in the trees have died and been blown down to the ground by Sandy, or they hang on for dear life, dried and blah, ready for the next big wind to come - like those in the little courtyard of the Church of the Holy Trinity tucked in beside the Eaton Centre.

When it starts to get near or below freezing that my friends is winter, and so winter is now. Here, for your viewing pleasure, is a look back at some of the lovely leaves found in the GTA that really told us to run; winter is coming.

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Falling for you

The #Toronto area is seeing bright splashes of colour as peak fall conditions advance across Ontario. You can check out the weekly Ontario Ministry of Tourism fall colour reports at their website.

The trees in front of Ryerson University are turning yellow and the pond has been drained

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Acton Fall Fair 2012

I couldn't get enough of the CNE so when the midway comes to our little town I am all over that. Today was education day and the Miss Acton contest. Tomorrow the tractor pulls start (highway truck pulls and 4x4 pulls go Sunday). As a photographer there is so many things to take pictures of in a fair and the night time ride shots are fun to photograph.

Winners of the Miss Acton Contest

Cotton candy and games of chance mix together for a September 14-16, 2012 weekend of fun. On the Thursday I checked out the park which had been set up for the fair and just waiting the opening on Friday. It was so peaceful and empty. This is the 99th Annual fair and it is held in the Prospect Park Fairgrounds in Halton Hills. This year's theme is Tractors: Harvesting 99 Years of success.