Guelph
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The first day of spring - and the first day of College Royal, the University of Guelph's open house. This is the event of the year, attracting thousands of people of all ages.
This small city of just over 100,000 people is known for its arts and culture. There is
Hillside Music Festival, the
Guelph Jazz Festival. There is an annual
doc fest, and held close to Guelph each year is the
Eden Mills Writers' Festival, and the
Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival. All events have found renown across Canada, and are not to be missed.
But the biggest event is one that has little to do with culture, but instead showcases science and education. And that is the University of Guelph's open house, known as College Royal. The free two day event is hosted by University clubs, who showcase educational and recreational pursuits at the University, and of course there are some events that focus on culture. The open house got
started in 1925, and there are no signs that it will ever end!
This year College Royal opened on the first day of spring. Unlike the unseasonably warm weather which Guelph residents had enjoyed all week long, Saturday was dramatically cooler, with threatening skies and a few snowflakes tracing down to the ground to melt quickly. As usual, the weather did not impact attendance at College Royal. The university says 30,000 people visit during College Royal every year.
This writer has a set tour of College Royal, always heading straight for the live animals, which are the most popular part of the open house. The university is the proud home to the Ontario Agricultural College as well as the
Ontario Veterinary College, so there are plenty of farm animals to take in.
Learning what a sheep feels like at College Royal, Guelph.
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Some of the oldest buildings on campus exist because of the Ontario Agricultural College (OAC), which was founded in 1874 in Guelph. One favourite is the barn.
This classic barn is now nestled amongst modern university buildings.
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In the barn, visitors can see breeding sows, as well as chicks, piglets, ducks, donkeys, ponies and llamas. There is a spinning display put on here each year.
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The cow with a window to her rumen. The university uses these windows in cows to learn about how cows digest food, among other things.
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The exhibit put on by the Horticulture Club is next up. The moment one walks into the building, one is hit with a wall of flower scent. And no wonder, there are flowers everywhere! The greenhouse is another popular site for visitors, with its warm exotic beauties, such as hibiscus and orchids and many other flowers and trees, as well as some astonishingly large cacti. This is also where guests can plant a tomatoe or have fun with a small pot of grass. Visitors are usually given one cut tulip as a parting gift when they leave the Horticulture Club, a geture everyone loves!
A Horticulture Club member in the greenhouse at the University of Guelph.
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On the way to the Wildlife Club, one can come across the anatomy rooms. That's an elephant femur in the foreground of the photograph (below).
Some of the bones one can view at the University of Guelph.
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The line-up for the Wildlife Club was long. But well worth the wait, as once in, there are many live animals to meet and learn about.
This is Einstein, a Great Horned Owl. The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was a human, so she can never live in the wild. The beautiful Einstein doesn't know she is an owl. Her siblings, however, kept their eyes shut! She is 15 years old.
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There is no end of interesting exhibits and demonstrations.
Members of the Medieval and Renaissance Club dress in costumes they've researched and made. In the foreground, two knights practice fighting techniques.
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Ambling over to the athletic buildings, there is a synchronized swimming demonstration, which is well attended. The cheering for the performers during the routine is non-stop and very infectious.
Two of the performers on the synchronized swimming team.
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The team actually started their routine prior to entering the pool.
The team begins their synchronized routine.
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There is something for everyone, and that is no exaggeration, as you can see from the very popular peddle-powered tractor ride.
The open house celebrates the University of Guelph's accomplishments, so it is no surprise to encounter displays such as this one for the
Biocar Initiative.
This display shows some of the products that can be made with plant polymers taking the place of plastic.
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The engineering students were showcasing their two hot rods. The other racing car was inside the lobby of the engineering building, and was hooked up to a computer so that visitors could simulate driving. That was very popular, as was the free cotton candy the engineering students were whipping up for their visitors.
One of the two racing cars the engineering students were exhibiting.
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The university has so much to offer during the open house.
Events missed include lectures, the square dance competition, the cat show, the chemistry magic show, molecular science, marine animals, figure skating, the livestock shows, food sciences ... and so much more. It is safe to say that two days for this event simply are not enough.
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