Preparations for April 8 total solar eclipse continue in Brockville, Ont.

Eclipse countdown in Brockville Preparations for a total solar eclipse on April 8 are ongoing in the City of Brockville. CTV's Jack Richardson has more.

The city of Brockville continues to prepare for a once in a lifetime total solar eclipse that will pass over the region on April 8.

The eclipse is now 15 days away, and Brockville is joining other municipalities to prepare for it. Kingston and Cornwall, will also experience the path of totality, which means viewers in those regions will see the eclipse in its entirety. Viewers in Ottawa and most of Toronto will only experience a partial eclipse.

Last week, the city of Kingston asked residents to watch the eclipse from their backyards, as it is expecting nearly 500,000 people to visit for the event.

While Brockville isn’t expecting large crowds, preparations are still in place.

Brockville's Mayor Matt Wren says the city will be a unique viewing location for the eclipse.

“There's very few Ontario municipalities that are in the path of totality of the eclipse and Brockville is directly in that path. It'll be a perfect place for those that live outside of the path of totality to come into view," Wren told CTV News on Sunday.

The city has designated Blockhouse island, just south of downtown, as the location for an eclipse viewing party. The mayor is reminding residents and visitors that the eclipse can be viewed anywhere in the city, amid concerns there will be significant crowds and traffic.

"If everybody tries to converge on Blockhouse Island and downtown Brockville, we will have a problem," Wren said.

The Aquatarium at Tall Ships Landing, a science and education centre, will provide telescopes safe for viewing the eclipse.

Thomas Harder, executive director of the Brockville Aquatarium says he's an eclipse enthusiast and has seen three total solar eclipses in his lifetime. He's excited to see his fourth.

“It's just it's awe-inspiring. If you've never seen it, I don't know how else to explain it. You’re about to see a cool thing," Harder said.

Harder says the telescopes will provide a unique way to safely see the eclipse up close.

"Once we're into full coronal coverage with the moon in front of the sun, you can start to see the solar flares and the discharges that kind of go out around the edge of the sun that you really just can't see with the naked eye," he said.

Food vendors will be setting up trucks and there will be live music throughout the afternoon as well.

The city plans to hand out solar eclipse glasses for free at the event, which are required in order to view the eclipse safely.

The total solar eclipse in Brockville is expected to last for 2 minutes and 47 seconds, starting from 3:23:28 to 3:26:15 p.m.

More information on how to view the eclipse safely is available on the Canada Space Agency's website.

CTV News Ottawa will have special live coverage of Monday's solar eclipse.

Watch CTVNewsOttawa.ca from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on April 8. You can also tune in to Newstalk 580 CFRA for continuing coverage.

CTV News will have coverage from Kingston, Brockville, Ottawa and the Niagara Region.