I travelled to Petrolia in mid-July to visit a high school friend, his family, and his newly opened brewery. I remember when it was just an idea with a business plan in 2016. After much time, investment, and hard work, Black Gold Brewery (BGB) was finally operational in late 2020. And then COVID-19 had to come along and make things difficult. Thankfully, the brewery has been surviving thanks to the support of its patrons.
My friend, the owner, gave me a tour of BGB. The location, layout, equipment, merchandise, and beer selections are very impressive. The brewery features: outdoor patio, indoor seating, a merchandise store, many beers on table, and free popcorn & hot dogs. I got to see the very large beer tanks in the back. I did try several of the beers and found the Liquid Gold flavour to be the best. My friend admitted it’s the most popular flavour at the moment.
He and his investors really struck gold just from the location. The brewery sits in the heart of downtown Petrolia next to the Petrolia’s Farmers’ Market. He hopes his brewery will revitalize business and increase pedestrian traffic in the city centre. If you happen to be passing through Petrolia in the future, stop by Black Gold Brewery for a cold one.
My friend also showed me the mansion featured in the horror movie Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark. I didn’t know it was in Petrolia . . . and next to the main road that runs through town. You don’t see that in the movie; the film crew positioned the camera so that the mansion appears in a secluded forest.
We went to Sarnia for a few hours one day. We ate a good lunch at Los Puntas Cantina and checked out the Alexandra Bridge that crosses over to the USA. The last time I saw the tall bridge was in 2016. It was being fixed at the time. I filmed the large and long American barge Maumee passing under the bridge, on its way to Detroit. We bought French fries to go from Bluewater Bridge Fries before returning to Petrolia. Apparently, it’s something you have to do when visiting Sarnia.
I bought the last BGB cooler in the merchandise store and filled it with various beer cans. I also bought several t-shirts and a hat. I thanked the owner for the tour, his wife for putting up with me, and wished them all the best in promoting & expanding the business.
Dundas Square
Union Station
I stopped in Toronto to take a break from driving, relax, and walk around the city centre. It’s my favourite area because of the tall buildings. Some of the places I saw were: Aura Tower, Dundas Square, Nathan Phillips Square, Union Station, CN Tower, and Eaton Centre. Union Station has been undergoing an expensive revitalization project for many years and the project looks almost complete. I didn’t take the elevator to the top of the CN Tower this time. I just photographed people doing the EdgeWalk. There were plenty of masked shoppers at the Eaton Centre.
CN Tower
Eaton Centre welcoming back shoppers.
The last town I visited on my road trip was Kingston, Ontario. I think the last time I was there was in 2007? Kingston is known for hosting many current & former penitentiaries. There are currently six of them in operation. The most notorious one is Kingston Penitentiary, a maximum-security prison that opened in 1835 and closed in 2013. It’s now a National Historic Site. I always thought the infamous prison was located outside of Kingston. Well, I quickly learned it’s actually located in the heart of the city. You can pay to tour the facility, but I chose not to. Maybe next time. I also walked by and photographed the Prison for Women facility. It opened in 1934 and closed in 2000.
Prison For Women
The last trip of the summer was to Regina, Saskatchewan, in early August. I visited extended family, and watched a Roughriders football game. It was their first game of the season and they faced off against the BC Lions. The last time I saw a game at Mosaic Stadium was in 2018.
Streams of people wearing green filed into the stadium, eager & excited to see the Roughriders back on the field. Our seats are close enough to the field, but not too close to become targets for the tv cameras. There were a few BC Lions fans in the stands. The Lions were introduced first. The Roughriders were given a grandiose entrance, complete with music, lights, and plumes of fire. The emcees recognized & acknowledged the presence of the Aboriginal community and the fact that the stadium sits on Treaty 4 territory. Two CF-18 fighter jets flew twice over the stadium after the singing of ‘O Canada’. Those jet engines are loud!
Overall, the football game was alright. The Roughriders started with a strong lead, but lost it near the end. However, they didn’t give up, and narrowly beat the Lions 33 to 29. Hopefully, the team will make it really far this season, perhaps all the way to the Grey Cup!
And just like that, my summer vacation came to an end. Now I’m back in Arctic Bay, getting ready for the upcoming school year. I’m glad I didn’t have to spend two weeks isolating in a hotel. The Government of Nunavut made the decision in mid-June to allow fully vaccinated Nunavummiut to return to the territory by applying for a Travel Declaration Form. You present this form to the airline when checking in. You’re also required to wear a mask for 14 days after you return to the territory and self-monitor for any symptoms of COVID-19.
End of Summer 2021 mini-series.
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