Guelph, ON
I heard that as Guelph, “The Royal City”, is home to the veterinary college, it is very dog friendly. Dogs are even allowed in class! Rita and I decided to put it to the test.
Originally spelled as “Gwelph”!
Crane Park We began our day with a walk at a spot south of the city: Crane Park. This is one of eight leash-free unfenced areas in the city. It was really a forest trail, where dogs are allowed off. This is exactly what I needed for Rita, as at home in N. Ireland most parks/forests don’t require dogs to be on a leash and she would have visited every few days for a good run. There is a loop around the park, partly wide paths and partly tracks through the trees. As it is bordered by the river on one side, there are a few places for dogs to jump in and have a swim and a splash! As for parking, there is a small car park at the corner of College Avenue W/Stone Rd W, or on-road parking on Dovercliff Rd. We really enjoyed this park and intend to visit again.
Get crafty Next we headed to downtown Guelph for some urban fun! We had booked a session at Play With Clay. This is a pottery-painting and clay-building studio, which accommodates drop-ins, birthday parties, pottery classes, and even adult evening parties (they have a licensed bar at the back!). However, their best session on offer is paw prints! The assistant rolled out a slab of clay, and together we got Rita to press her paws in. She made her mark in more ways than one! Unfortunately we have to wait 3 weeks to pick it up; it needs to dry, be put in the kiln, painted, and then fired in the kiln again. But I’m sure it will be worth the wait! I will update with a photo of Rita’s masterpiece when we receive it!
2021’s answer to Michaelangelo
Update: The end result!
Eating Although I had listed a lot of dog-friendly places during my trip preparation, it seems to be the norm that this is restricted to the outdoor patio due to ON law. And of course, just as I was getting peckish, it began pouring with rain! Nevertheless, I figured I would continue to Grassroots Wellness Hub and could at least grab a takeaway and find some shelter or return to my car to eat. Although the rain had mostly subsided by the time I arrived, they did not have their outdoor seating area in use. So I tied Rita up and ran in asking for a takeaway. Hong, who owns the place with her partner Ryan, noticed I had my dog outside and invited me to bring her into the back seating area as there were no other customers about. This is not normally permitted, but they said in better weather, dogs are welcome on the patio. As for the food, it was delicious! I got the vegan Roasted Roots Fuel Bowl with tofu; apparently it’s one of their most popular. They also serve beer, operate a small market and have a yoga studio at the back!
Nameste? More like Nom-maste
Nourishing in all aspects!
Sightseeing The main sights of Guelph are in the downtown area. The most notable is Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate, designed by architect Joseph Connelly in the style of Cologne Cathedral. Rita and I got some good shots outside and said hello to a newly-wedded bride! Close by is Wilson Street, home to four murals which were created in 2019. Pellvetica, a husband-and-wife duo from Kitchener, was awarded the commission for one such work of art, a pair of Monarch butterfly wings. Other sights nearby include the Market Square and the Family and Blacksmith Fountains.
An immaculate lady at Lady Immaculate
Is it a dog? Is it a butterfly?
About a 20 minute walk from downtown is the Art Gallery of Guelph. We were particularly interested in visiting the surrounding Donald Forster Sculpture Park, Canada’s largest outdoor collection. I think Rita was more intrigued by the squirrels than the art, but we got some fun photos. We returned to downtown via the Lattice Bridge, one of Ontario’s last remaining covered bridges. From here, we joined the Downtown Trail (which connects several parks: Heritage Park, John Galt Park, Goldie Mill Park, Joseph Wolfond Park, Herb Markle Park) alongside the river, and got to see more interesting sights: Allan’s Mill, reconstructed ruins of an old Mill which was originally built for “Canada Company” which founded Guelph in 1827; Locomotive 6167, a restored train which was used during WWII for transportation and leisure travel; and the ruins of Goldie Mill, a 19th century sawmill, together with an old chimney which has been adapted to allow for swifts to nest.
Is this what lattice-based cryptography is, mum?
Locomotive 6167, along the Downtown Trail
