Railway-themed mini golf course opens inside St. Thomas, Ont. mall
You can putt through a replica of the CASO Station, or play alongside Jumbo the elephant in St. Thomas’ newest attraction.
Railway 1856 Ultimate Mini-Golf is a course which winds through Elgin Centre and pays homage to the city’s railway history.
“1856 was the year the London-Port Stanley Rail first went through St. Thomas and so that's where the name came from,” explained Andrew Buttigieg, who owns the business alongside his father Joe.
“All 18 holes have kind of a railway theme to it. Whether it's the rail crossing, conductor or we have a fiberglass train as well. It's all train-related and we're really excited for people to check it out,” he added.
Much like the former course in London’s Masonville Mall, the 18 holes are not in a store front but right through the centre of the mall.
They have added extra brick and lattice fencing in hopes of preventing the balls from going astray.
Using the accessible putter, Randy Brown prepares to hit through a fiberglass train obstacle at Railway 1856 Ultimate Mini Golf at the Elgin Centre in St. Thomas, Ont. on Nov. 30, 2022. (Brent Lale/CTV News London)
One of the key features to the new business, is it is accessible.
Randy Brown, who is in a wheelchair, has been testing out the holes and new bendable putters in preparation for opening weekend.
“I’ve been going through the whole thing to see if I can find any things that are a little bit more difficult and we're going to let them know,” said Brown, who plays sledge hockey for the Elgin Imperials. “I hate to say this, but they're one of the very few businesses in St. Thomas [that] have moved in here and made it accessible, and it cost them a lot of money.”
The Buttigieg family has been working towards opening the mini golf course for more than a year, and felt accessibility was a key ingredient.
With a St. Thomas, Ont. theme, one of the obstacles on the mini golf course is a replica of the historic CASO Station. (Brent Lale/CTV News London)
“At first we were just going to do maybe nine holes of accessibility but we were happy to make it all 18,” said Buttigieg. “We have putters, grabbers and of course just being able to putt aside the hole, this course is open everybody and we're really excited for that.”
This attraction is the latest in the revitalization of the mall. A new hotel is being built, and they are adding some more franchises.
“It's a great idea,” said Marty Hancox, owner of Fan of the Sport in the mall, which is located right next to the hole with the replica of Thomas the Tank Engine.
He added, “Anything that helps bring the people to the mall is awesome, and I’m looking forward to playing because it looks like a lot of fun. I think the owners have done a great job, and I think it will be huge when the hotel is done.”
A soft opening will see players on the course for the first time Thursday, with the grand opening this weekend.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.