Pam S

Whilst I really enjoyed this indoor tropical garden, I was a little disappointed by the aviary aspect. It was not quite as per advertising - "free flying tropical birds". The tropical birds were in various locations on the one-way route through the lush gardens, and they did not fly - wings clipped? They were beautiful and colourful and lovely to admire, just not how I had imaged the scene. I only spotted a few other birds. I'm not sure where the "over 100 exotic birds" were hiding. The tropical plants in the garden were beautifully landscaped. It was still a worthwhile experience.

We had read about the Digital Orca, but were still not exactly sure what to expect! Certainly the size (8m) of this killer whale sculpture left us feeling dwarfed! It makes for a great photo opportunity with the beautiful mountain and blue sea backdrop. Well worth a stop if you're walking along the waterfront.

The gardens in front of and behind the Municipal Buildings were beautifully laid out and maintained. It was peaceful to walk along the little paths meandering through the flowers beds and beside streams. There were little bridges and quite a few steps as the area is terraced, so it's not suitable for prams, wheelchairs or mobility scooters. There was also a large area of lawn and trees. There were stunning views of the surrounding peaks, in particular Cascade Mountain. The Municipal Building was an attractive structure too!

The exterior of this grand historic building, constructed in Romanesque style in 1889 (completed in 1899), with a prominent clock tower, is impressive and one can spend a good deal of time admiring the details of its design. The building appeared to be locked, but we pushed open a heavy door to discover that it was indeed open. There were strict security procedures in order to enter, as the building now operates as a court house - the largest and busiest in all of Canada. The magnificent interior with its mosaic floor, columns, gargoyles, old elevator shaft, caricatures of Councillors, staircase and stained glass window was well worth a visit.

The modern "new" City Hall is an attractive complex with an interesting architectural design - two curved towers around a central domed building, said to resemble a giant unblinking eye from above! It is free to enter the foyer of the complex and I would suggest you do, if only to view the Metropolis on the right side wall of the foyer area. It is an intriguing art piece fashioned from more than 100,000 nails!