Early Fake Lake reviews, photos

After weeks of build-up about the Harper Conservatives; $57,000 fake lake inside a conference centre at the CNE in Toronto, it's unlikely the reality can live up to the hype. Or can it? With G20 weekend upon the Big Smoke and media beginning to set-up at the conference centre, early reviews and, yes, real pictures of the fake lake, are beginning to emerge.

First off the mark was a crack investigative team from the National Post, which eluded $1 billion worth of security in a secret mission to infiltrate Fake Lake and smuggle out photographic evidence. Here's the goods:

The CBC got in a little closer, and even managed to try-out the Muskoka chairs (apparently they're not fake chairs) and snap this picture:

And here's another, more guerrilla camera-phone shot from a CBC reporter:

Gee, $57,000 really doesn't get you much these days, does it? I'm sure it will look better though after some time at the fake lake open bar, where the beer and wine will be anything but fake.

Here's some early reviews from those who have gotten up close and personal with the fake lake.

From the Toronto Sun:

We seen the vaunted G20 Fake Lake, and the thing stinks.

The $57,000 pool and $2 million set up to give journalists a true feel of Muskoka is built and ready to go for this weekend but our interlopers said it looks more like there was a small flood on the floor of the Direct Energy Centre at Exhibition Place.

“It’s really pathetic,” said one staffer. “It’s almost like a wading pool for kids — and not a very good one.”

The National Post:

“Our bosses went to go see it,” said an RCMP officer sitting nearby. Said another: “I wonder if they’ll import any mosquitoes?” And a third: “What a waste of money.”

And then there it was: the majestic fake lake, or most of it, since an amicable though vigilant young security person denied the Post a full, unfettered frontal preview.

“You guys aren’t supposed to be in here,” she said. “You aren’t even supposed to get close enough to smell the chlorine.”

And the CBC:

Huntsville Mayor Claude Doughty...figures the display is sure to inspire foreign visitors to travel to the Muskoka area.

"If you're sitting here, how can you not want to go there?" he said.

If that was meant as sarcasm from the good Mayor, I say bravo. Sitting in front of a six-inch chlorinated kiddie pool in a cavernous convention centre would make me me want to get the heck out of there and head for cottage country too. Sadly, I think he was being serious.

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