Little Canada was one BIG surprise!
Heading to Toronto as an invited guest for a Highway of Heroes bridge dedication on Tuesday, November 9, 2021 at a location I’d never heard of, I never expected to be almost pulled away not wanting to leave.
Little Canada is located on 10 Dundas Street East, just a stones throw away from the Eaton Centre.
From the moment my daughter and I walked into Little Canada to the time we walked out we were both amazed at the facility.
Jean-Louis Brenninkmeijer is the founder and visionary for Little Canada.
Brenninkmeijer, immigrated to Canada and began about it when helping his children out with school projects. The more he learned, the more he loved and appreciated Canada.
Inspired by a visit to Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg, Germany, Brenninkmeijer’s vision was set in motion. Next it was finding people to help him along his journey to create a miniature Canada.
Dave MacLean, a University of Toronto-educated civil engineer and two-term president of The Model Railroad Club of Toronto soon joined and the journey was started.
Now with more than 200,000 hours put into creating Little Canada by experts in the field Brenninkmeijer’s journey is not quite half-way complete.
Destinations including Toronto, Niagara Falls, Niagara on the Lake, Ottawa, Gatineau and parts of Quebec are shown in exquisite detail.
The locks of the Rideau Canal, Parliament Hill, Byward Market, Chateau Laurier Hotel, St. Lawrence Market, CN Tower, Rogers Centre (where the dome open and closes during a Blue Jays game), Union Station, Scotiabank Arean (where the Raptors are playing a game) and so many other attractions.
It’s hard not to get wrapped up in each display looking for anything out of the ordinary, like Dracula dragging a coffin to a waiting taxi outside Union Station, or Maria from the Sound of Music singing in a wooded area of Ottawa.
Every 15-minutes the day turns into night giving a different atmosphere. In the background depending what area you’re in, you hear everything from crickets to sirens.
There is also a Littlization Station where you can get “littlized” and be placed anywhere in Little Canada and stay forever.
Brenninkmeijer and his team of visionaries have created something that people of all ages are sure to enjoy for hours.
For more on Little Canada visit little-canada.ca.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
