A Look Back at 2016
In 2016 we saw a lot of new interest in visiting Brockville and the 1000 Islands. With the soft-launch of the Aquatarium in March , Brockville’s newest attraction and 1000 Islands discovery centre, just in time for March-break visitors, word spread like wildfire by news outlets, and social media about the great time being had in Brockville. When our staff attended the National Women’s Show in Ottawa in April to promote Brockville, we couldn’t believe how many people had already heard great things about the Aquatarium and had plans to visit.
In in the summer, we also saw the opening of the new Zipline Adventure Park, Skywood Eco Adventures, just outside of town along the 1000 Islands Parkway. With ways to zip through the trees for all abilities, interests, and ages, we have seen a renewed interest in people wanting to experience the outdoors and see the natural beauty of the region. Additionally, a new way to explore the Brock Trail along our waterfront came about with the opening of new segway tours starting at the Tall Ships Landing building at the waterfront.
A number of new festivals and events sprang up in Brockville this past year as well. We saw the return of the Tall Ships in September, new downtown street events throughout the summer, and the Red Hot and Blue Rockabilly Festival relocate to Brockville. The Brockville Arts Centre received all new sound and digital film equipment and was able to increase the number and type of films that they could show in their beautiful theatre.
With all of these Brockville assets coming together in one year, it’s no wonder we saw so many people out exploring Brockville in 2016.
In 2017, as Canada celebrates its 150th, Brockville will see the re-opening of Canada’s First Railway Tunnel in August and a grand opening ceremony will take place during the new Rails to Trails Festival.
We look forward to watching the growth of our new attractions as they enter their second year of operation and seeing what the new season has in store.
