It’s amazing—I mean, the serendipitous discoveries one can make just by reading a hotel brochure. Two summers ago, on our way back to Toronto from Canada’s Maritime provinces, my wife and I found a brochure for a multi-acre prehistoric playground that was on our way home anyway so we decided to drop by. Whether you’re traveling northeast or southwest along either the busy 401 highway or the more scenic Highway 2 by the St. Lawrence River, Prehistoric World is easy to get to because you can either drive south from the 401 or north from 2. It’s almost equidistant between those two major transportation arteries. It’s also halfway between the two Canadian cities of Kingston and, farther northeast, Montreal.
If you happen to be in the Ottawa area, Prehistoric World is about 90 minutes southeast— Triceratops about 80 kilometers (50 miles). Two friendly retired brothers, Paul and Serge Dupuis, have been running this attraction for 38 years (as of this writing in May 2019).
We arrived at the parking lot of 5446 Upper Canada Road on the 21st of June, the first day of summer when the kiddies were still in school—so we had no busloads of school children to contend with and the place was sparsely attended. We went into the house, paid our entrance fee, and spoke to Paul. The Dupuis family have constructed over 50 life-sized figures of prehistoric creatures and scattered them along a one-kilometre trail that winds through a forest and grassy clearings. Paul reminded us of the need for bug spray, as the skeeters can do a number on you if you’re not prepared. I looked outside as we rubbed on the spray and noticed an unfinished model of what appeared to be a Moschops. Never one to pass up a chance to show off, I asked Paul if that was, indeed, intended as a Moschops. He confirmed it. A little online research has shown that the model is now painted and nearly complete.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
What's New in review
Papo of France creates highly detailed prehistoric animal figures (if not always the most scientifically accurate.)
The Thunderbird
Today we have an excellent, new kit based upon a scene from Ray Harryhausen's cowboys vs. dinosaur film, The Valley of Gwangi.
WHAT I DID ON MY LOCKDOWN
A tyrannosaur in the local area? How cool!
The Forgotten Dinosaur Art of Robert T. Bakker
A renaissance marks a shift in the attitudes and behaviours of an entire society.
Sauropelta
A flock of Deinonychus dart from the dense forest they had been moving through across the broad floodplain to the tree line on the far side.
Reminiscing Over Dinosaurus!
“Alive! After 70 million years! Roaring! Walking! Destroying!” (Ad line for Dinosaurus!)
Longisquama
“Determined to travel from the North Pole to the South Pole, Amos Barrett and his team of adventurers have arrived in the Late Triassic to drive the length of Pangea, the only time in the planet’s history when the continents had fused into one giant landmass.
How to Draw Dinosaurs
Putting it all together, the body of Ankylosaurus
Dinosauriana Imagined 13
Dinosauriana Iberiana (A Spain-ful Endeavor)
Paleoracism
With the nation and much of the western world contending with the fallout of the chronic problem of racism, this is as good a time as any to take a look at the issue within the world of vertebrate paleontology.
