The Tournament Capital of Ontario



Brantford is known as the Tournament Capital of Ontario, and with good reason. Some of the best sporting events in all of Canada are held right here. Numerous arenas, skating rinks, playing fields and more make Brantford a popular sporting destination all year round.

The true centre of sports in Brantford, however, is the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre. Containing 3 ice surfaces, an Olympic sized swimming pool, 2 softball fields, 3 tennis courts, 2 football fields and much more, you'll never find yourself bored here.

The Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre is also home to the Sports Hall of Recognition, a place where Brantford recognizes some of the many sports heroes it has produced as well as other sporting greats. The Hall hosts rotating exhibits featuring 28 athletes at a time with a variety of fascinating artifacts from each one. The one permanent exhibit is that of Wayne Gretzky, showcasing a collection including his Los Angeles Kings jersey.

The Grand River

Brantford is located on the beautiful Grand River, which provides many things to do in Brantford. Water sports such as swimming, boating, canoeing, fishing: you name it! You can even have fun out of the water with hiking, biking and more.

One of the great places to visit along the Grand River is the Brant Conservation Area, located right in the bend of the Grand River. A popular camping destination, it is makes and excellent home base for plenty of fun to be had in Brantford, the Telephone City.

History

The city of Brantford is a place with a very powerful history. One of its nicknames is the Telephone City, in honor of one of its greatest residents: Alexander Graham Bell. Immigrating to Brantford with his family as a young adult, much of his work on his most famous invention was done right here in the city. The Bell Homestead is now a national historic site , where you can take a tour guided by staff in authentic 19th century dress, to get a feel for Bell's home as it would have been when he lived in this very house.

Fun for the Whole Family in Brantford

There are plenty of great places to bring the family in Brantford, such as the Ben Mar Family Fun Centre. Miniature golf, go-karts, enclosed driving range, batting cages, arcade, a ferris wheel and much more can be found at the Ben Mar Family Fun Centre. Located in between Paris and Brantford, it is a great place to spend a day of fun and excitement.

More fun can be found at the Earl Haig Family Fun Park. An exciting go-kart track, mini-golf and batting cages are just the tip of the iceberg here. The star attraction are its amazing water attractions, including a 60' water slide, a gigantic wet and wild leisure pool and the 600' Lazy River Ride.

Copyright (c) 2008 Wes Fernley