Exhibition Place
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Exhibition Place is on the Toronto lakeshore, a few kilometers west of the central downtown. Every August the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) is held on the grounds, with games and a midway being the primary attraction. The CNE is one of the largest and most successful fair of its kind in the entire North American continent and is an important part of the culture of Toronto and Canada itself. The grounds have been partly protected from further development because of the considerable amount of heritage associated with the annual fair and the many buildings it is held in; several of those buildings are protected.
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[edit] The Site
Exhibition Place is a large area of land to the West of the downtown Toronto city core. The complex has a variety of buildings, open spaces and monuments. It plays host a very wide variety of activities all-year around. It is most famously known for hosting the annual summer fair: Canadian National Exhibition. The site has also had a long history of having stadiums that been the primary venue for major league baseball and Canadian football teams. Currently under-construction is a new football (soccer) specific stadium.
The site is home to Direct Energy Centre (formerly the National Trade Centre), Canada's largest trade centre, and Ricoh Coliseum, home to the American Hockey League's Toronto Marlies. The site plays host to various international events such as the Molson ChampCar Grand Prix Toronto, The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, along with many corporate and public trade shows.
The eastern entrance to the Place is marked by the Princes' Gates (a beautiful structure that was named after H.R.H. Edward, Prince of Wales, and his brother, Prince George, who visited in 1927). South of the grounds is Ontario Place, a Government run theme park.
[edit] Transit
The grounds are well connected with city and regional public transit systems. There is an commuter rail system connection with the Exhibition (GO Station) on the grounds. Exhibition place is also connected to city transit with the streetcar loop on the Harbourfront line that connects the Ex with the Toronto subway system's Bathurst and Union Station stops.
[edit] History of the Grounds
Exhibition Place is probably as old as the Canadian Nation Exhibition which is held yearly on the grounds, dating back to the 1880s. None of the original buildings survive today, but the oldest buildings are just turning their hundredth anniversary.
[edit] The Post World War I Years
Arguably the start of the trend for a new style of architecture was becoming already evident in the construction of the Automotive Building in 1929, the first building that tried to break free of the Beaux Art design common to many of the other buildings on the grounds, mixing clean modern lines with classical ornamentation. Subsequent buildings and structures turned were strikingly modern, and propelled the CNE into an institution design to embody technological progress.
[edit] The Second World War
During the Second World War the CNE became Toronto's main training grounds. The CNE fair, and virtually all other non-military uses of the lands ceased. The CNE was not held between 1942 and 1946, when the land and its facilities were turned over to the Department of National Defence as a training ground. After World War II, it was used as a demobilization centre.
The CNE would resume again in 1947, as the Canadian military returned the grounds back to its civilian administrators. Soon, the CNE turned away from a provincial, agricultural focus, and moved towards an increasingly modern, cosmopolitan look and feel.
[edit] The Modernist Movement
The first opportunity to place a modernist look to the CNE grounds post-war came in 1946, when the third Exhibition Stadium burned down. In its place was built the fourth Exhibition Stadium, a massive concrete construction and monumental cantilevered steel roof was a sharp contrast to the other buildings around it.
The modernist trend continued with the construction of other buildings and monuments typifying the modernist style including the Food Building 1954, the Shell Oil Tower 1955, Queen Elizabeth II Building 1957, the Princess Margaret Fountain 1958 and the new Dufferin Gates 1959. The modernist design trend culminated in the Better Living Centre, built in 1962, which came with a distinctive Mondrian-inspired ornament on its roof.
[edit] Recent History
In the early 1970s a permanent amusement park called Ontario Place was built on artificial islands to the south of the Place. Its features are more 'kid-friendly' and based on a more creative sense of fun; it was also home to Canada's famous warship the HMCS Haida until 2003 when it was moved to Hamilton.
In July 2005, the City of Toronto asked for aquarium proposals from private enterprises. The only two respondents, Ripley's Entertainment and Oceanus Holdings, suggested that they would be interested provided the location was closer downtown, or had better transit access and parking.
Exhibition Place is also home to the WindShare wind turbine, and is home to an annual Champ Car race, the Molson ChampCar Grand Prix Toronto, formerly known as the Molson Indy Toronto.
[edit] The Stadiums of Exhibition Place
Exhibition Place was also home to Exhibition Stadium, which was built out of the fourth Grandstand by adding two extra wings of seats. The original grandstand had been constructed in the late 1800s and was re-modelled, replaced, or destroyed over the years. It served as home to the CFL's Toronto Argonauts between 1958 and 1988 and the Toronto Blue Jays (AL) between 1977 and 1989. The two teams left for SkyDome (now Rogers Centre) in 1989. After it lost most outdoor concerts to the nearby Molson Amphitheatre at Ontario Place, its usefulness was at an end. Considered an eyesore by some — although architecturally attractive, particularly in the original Grandstand section — the stadium was demolished in 1999 and now serves as parking and allows a more sprawling midway at the CNE. However, on October 26th, 2005, the city of Toronto approved the construction of a 20,000 seat soccer stadium on Exhibition Place land. This stadium will house Toronto FC, a Major League Soccer team set to begin play in 2007 and owned by MLSE, and will be the centrepiece venue for the 2007 FIFA World Youth Championship.
[edit] BMO Field
See main article: "BMO Field"
The new "National Soccer Stadium at Exhibition Place" known as BMO Field is a currently under construction soccer-specific stadium. It will be home to Toronto FC, the new Major League Soccer (MLS) team in 2007 as well as the Canadian national soccer team. When built, it will be have a capacity of approximately 20,000 people and will be owned by the City of Toronto. National Soccer Stadium is projected to open in the Spring of 2007, coinciding with the start of the 2007 MLS season. The site will be to the south of the 'Food Building', on the site of the former Hockey Hall of Fame.
[edit] Exhibition Stadium
See main article: "Exhibition Stadium"
The CNE has been host to four grandstands since its inception. The third grandstand, designed by G.W. Gouinlock, was built in 1907 and had a capacity of 16,000. It burned down in 1946, subsequently leading to the construction of the fourth, Exhibition Stadium built in 1948. Designed by architects Marani and Morris, this building was the first of what would prove to be several Modernist buildings built on the CNE grounds, its distinctive and bold cantilevered truss roof dominating the grounds for over 50 years. It initially housed 22,000 people, but was expanded over the years to a maximum of 54,000 in order to accommodate the additional seating required for major professional sports teams who made the Grandstand their home. It became the home base for the Toronto Argonauts football team, and later, to the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team.
In addition to sports, Exhibition Stadium was the stage for many entertainers over the years. Famous comedians who were featured there included Bob Hope, Victor Borge, and Bill Cosby. Similarly, many well-known musical acts made an appearance at the venue, ranging from Duke Ellington, Guy Lombardo, Benny Goodman, The Beach Boys (appearing there 11 times between 1974 and 1990), The Monkees, Sonny and Cher, to Melissa Etheridge, Sinéad O'Connor, Billy Idol and Nine Inch Nails.
The Blue Jays left the open-air Exhibition Stadium for the roofed Skydome (now, the Rogers Centre) in 1989. By that time it was recognized that the building was beginning to visibly decay, and was little used in its final decade of existence. Though it was the earliest of the modernist-style buildings on the grounds, it was the only one not to be become a historically listed building. It was finally demolished in 1999.
[edit] The Buildings of Exhibition Place
While the CNE only lasts for a few weeks at the end of the summer, many major permanent buildings and other structures have been built over the years to house specific venues, or to commemorate specific events.
[edit] Buildings Overview
In the West Block there are five fair buildings designed by architect George Gouinlock: the Horticulture Building (now leased as a club), the Dominion Government or Arts, Crafts, and Hobbies Building (which has for the past decade hosted Canada's only Medieval Times), the Music Building (occupied by Immersion Studios), the Press Building, and a Firehall. The Ontario Government Building (currently operated and refurbished by the Liberty Grand event corporation) was created in 1926 and is one of the most architecturally stunning structures on the grounds. There are also two bandshells, one of which is an historic building, and a fair-sized park for relaxation. All of these buildings date from close to the turn of the 20th century.
The Central Block contains the more modern 1950-1960's buildings, which are larger than the fair buildings from the West; the Better Living Centre (a very large exhibition space), the Queen Elizabeth Building (originally the Women's Building but, like the Princes' Gates, was renamed in honour of a royal visit), the Food Building (considered the heart of the CNE experience), and the Halls of Fame Building (which was home to the Hockey Hall of Fame from 1961-1993 and now serves as the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame). There are two large fountains here; the centrally located Princess Margaret Fountain and the southern Shrine Monument Fountain.
The East Block is dominated by Direct Energy Centre (which hosts large trade shows). Direct Energy Centre has swallowed the two buildings behind it, the Coliseum (recently remodeled and reopened as the RICOH Coliseum) and the Industry Building. The Horse Palace (which adjoins the Coliseum and is used for equine shows and quartering), the Automotive Building (which was once used for car shows but currently hosts the Farm, Food, and Fun exhibits during the annual Ex), the Stanley Barracks Officers Quarters, and the General Services Building are all older exhibition buildings dating from around the 1920s.
The other main gate into Exhibition Place is the Dufferin Gate; it heavily resembles the world-famous St. Louis Arch, but is actually several years older.
[edit] Automotive Building
The Automotive Building was constructed in 1929, designed by local architect Douglas Kirkland. Located immediately inside the entrance to the Princes' Gates on the south side of Princes Boulevard, the building was initially used to display the latest car models to the public.
During World War II, this building was the home to Toronto's naval reserve, known as HMCS York. A commemorative plaque to this can be found on the north side of the building.
Its original purpose was arguably superseded in 1973 when the Canadian International Autoshow appeared elsewhere in the city during the spring, closer in time to when new car models appear than in late August when the CNE starts.
In more recent years of the CNE, the Automotive Building has regularly hosted the "Farm, Food and Fun" displays, which had previously been hosted in the Agricultural Centre across the street. The building is often open for special events during the rest of the year, including an annual clothing show.
[edit] Bandshell
Inspired by the Hollywood Bowl, the Bandshell on the CNE grounds was built in 1936. It is situated on the west side of the grounds, and over the years has been host to many famous acts, including Guy Lombardo, Louis Armstrong, The Guess Who, and Joni Mitchell. More recently the likes of Susan Aglukark, Moxy Früvous, and Bob Newhart have played the open air venue.
The adjacent park is known as Bandshell Park. It also hosts a carillon on its grounds.
On August 25, 2003, as part of the CNE's 125th anniversary celebrations, and as part of Kid's Day, a Guinness World Record was set by the Bandshell as Sesame Street's Elmo hosted the largest Hokey Pokey song and dance routine.
[edit] Better Living Centre
Another of the classic Modernist buildings on the site, the original purpose of the Better Living Centre was introduce new ranges of consumer goods to the baby boomer generation, making it a "space of encounter between consumer and product". For many people attending the CNE, the building hosted their first encounters with such technologies as colour television, transistor radios or home computers. It also became the place where people would expect to see the latest models of various consumer goods, ranging from vacuum cleaners to kitchen appliances.
The building's stark modernist architecture, made up of large white forms, a vast flat roof and harsh angles, suited its futurist themes. The building was designed by architects Marani, Morris and Allan and was opened by Toronto mayor Nathan Phillips on August 17, 1964. It was built on the former site of the Manufacturer building, which burned down in 1962.
In recent years, the Better Living Centre no longer serves its original purpose of introducing consumers to the latest and greatest products. Instead it has been divided in two, with one half now devoted to a casino, the other to the Rogers Sportszone, where indoor demonstrations of such things as scuba diving and BMX bicycling are staged.
[edit] Dufferin Gates
The Dufferin Gates are the western-most pedestrian entranceway to the CNE grounds. Named after Lord Dufferin, the original gate to the CNE grounds was named in his honour, situated at the bottom of Dufferin Street. The original gateway was erected in 1895, and was superseded by a more permanent, ornate Beaux-Arts style triumphal arch built in 1910, and officially re-opened by Lord Dufferin in 1914.
When Toronto's Gardiner Expressway was built in 1956, the gates had to be demolished in order to make way for the roadway. In their place a modernist-style parabolic arch was erected 50ft south of the previous gates in 1956, designed Philip R. Brock. The current arch is built around a steel frame and concrete, with brick at the base. It is 65ft high and spans 74ft in width. The star decoration that hangs from the top of the arch was added during Canada's centennial celebrations in 1967.
A plaque from the Ontario Heritage Foundation commemorating the history of the CNE can be found just inside the gate.
TTC Route 29, originating at Wilson Station heads down to this entranceway from the Dufferin TTC station.
[edit] Fort Rouillé Monument
See: Fort Rouillé
A large obelisk marks the spot where the original French-built Fort Rouillé (also known as Fort Toronto) was erected in 1750 and 1751. Its construction was ordered by the Marquis de la Jonquière, then governor of New France, in order to further establish a French presence in the area, and to intercept the trade of Indians traveling towards an English fur-trading post in present-day Oswego. It was a small palisaded fort with a bastion at each of its four corners, and containing five main buildings: a corps de garde, storeroom, barracks, blacksmithy, and a building for the officers. A drawing[1] purported to date from 1749 shows the fort adjacent to Lake Ontario, whereas today it is situated on top of a small hill a hundred meters or so from the lake's current shoreline.
The fort was abandoned and burned by the French garrison in July 1759, who were retreating from invading English forces. Vestiges of the fort remained for many years afterwards, but the site was graded over and sodded in preparation for the establishment of the nearby Scadding Cabin in 1879.
The grounds were excavated in 1979 and 1980 by the Toronto Historical Board, and again in 1982 by the Youth Committee of the Toronto Sesquicentennial Board. The outline of the original fort has been marked out in concrete around the obelisk. Two commemorative plaques — one in English, and one in French — are attached to the base of the obelisk, placed there by the Ontario Heritage Foundation. To the north a third plaque commemorates the excavation done on the site, and to the west a fourth plaque commemorates a visit to the site by Bertrand Delanoë, mayor of Paris, on September 6, 2003.
The obelisk is surrounded by two cannons and a mortar, dating from the 1850s. Perhaps ironically, they are all British.
[edit] Press Building
Originally named the Administrative Building at its inception in 1905, until 1957 it was home to the CNE Association. In 1957 it was re-named the Press Building and it became the headquarters for the various media that would attend and report upon the annual fair. Additional telephone and press wire equipment was installed to handle the demand placed on it by the media. More recently the building has returned to its original function as home to the administrators of the CNE.
This building was designed in the Beaux Art style by architect G.W. Gouinlock, who also went on to design several other buildings on the grounds. A plaque dedicated to Gouinlock can be found on its grounds. It was once part of a formal plaza that originally boasted the Gooderham Fountain, which was also design by Gouinlock, which was replaced by the Princess Margaret Fountain in 1958. In 2005 the building celebrated its centenary. The building has been designated a National Historic site. Tours of the building are available.
[edit] Princes' Gates
Often mistakenly called the "Princess Gates", the Princes' Gates were officially opened by two English princes: H.R.H. Edward, Prince of Wales, and Prince George on August 31, 1927, during that year's CNE. They were built to celebrate Canada's 60th anniversary after Confederation, and were originally to be called "The Diamond Jubilee of Confederation Gates", but the name was changed when it was found that the Princes were touring Canada the year of its dedication. First to pass through the gate was a Veterans Parade, a tradition which later became the annual Warriors' Day Parade.
The gates are made of a mix of stone and concrete. The statue at the top of the arch is the "Goddess of Winged Victory", an interpretation of the original Winged Victory of Samothrace, designed by architect Alfred Chapman and carved by Charles McKechnie. In her hand she holds a single maple leaf, a symbol of Canada. There are nine pillars to either side of the main arch, representing the nine Canadian provinces in existence at the time of construction. Flanking the central arch are various figures representing progress, industry, agriculture, arts and science. The gates were designed by the architectural firm Chapman & Oxley in the Beaux-Art style.
During the fall of 1986 the Winged Victory statue was taken down and found to be seriously deteriorating. It was subsequently replaced by a glass-reinforced polymer plastic copy in 1987, designed to withstand the elements for over a century. That same year the gates officially became a listed building under the Ontario Heritage Act.
[edit] The Scadding Cabin
This small building, located adjacent to the Fort Rouillé Monument and in the shadow of the wind turbine can be found in the western grounds of the CNE. It is not only the oldest building on its grounds, but the oldest building in Toronto. It was built by the Queen's York Rangers in 1794 on behalf of John Scadding, who served as clerk (essentially, an executive assistant) to the first lieutenant governor of Upper Canada, John Graves Simcoe.
It is a squat, two-storey log cabin with low ceilings, designed to retain the heat from the fire in winter close to its occupants. It is said that John Graves Simcoe, who was over 6ft tall, had to stoop in order to enter the building.
Scadding was given a plot of land from what is now just north of Gerrard Street East in the north to the waterfront. The cabin was built close to the Don River, on what is now part of the Don Valley Parkway, just south of Queen Street East.
Scadding sold the property in 1818 to William Smith. In 1879, his son William Smith offered the cabin to the York Pioneers, a local historical society. Around this time someone mistook the information concerning the original owner for the cabin, leading to it being erroneously called "The Govenor Simcoe cabin". The original cabin was disassembled from its original site and rebuilt by the York Pioneers, along with an adjacent cabin made out of new logs, on the current site, just in time for the original Industrial Exhibition in 1879.
John Scadding's youngest son, Henry Scadding wrote an early history of York/Toronto and set the record straight on who the original owner of the cabin was. When he died in 1901, the York Pioneers renamed it "The Scadding Cabin", in honour of this son of the original owner, who had also been a past president of their society.
The building as it now stands is little changed from its original construction. Apparently an additional 7ft extension that would have appeared to the south of the building was not moved. The second cabin constructed next to it by the York Pioneers was built using wood that was too green, and it was demolished a few years after construction. Over the years some of the timbers have been replaced, and the cabin was remounted on a stone foundation in the late part of the 20th century. Inside the cabin are furnishings appropriate to a house in Upper Canada in the 1830s, and contains some furnishings known to have once belonged to Simcoe.
[edit] Shrine Peace Memorial
This monument, depicting a winged angel holding aloft a laurel crown and standing upon a globe held aloft by female sphinxes, was presented to the people of Canada on June 12, 1930 by the Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (better known as the Shriners) as a symbol of peace and friendship between the United States and Canada. It is also meant as "an ongoing reminder that Freemasonry actively promotes the ideals peace, harmony, and prosperity for all humankind"[2].
The monument was originally dedicated on the final day of a Shriners summit held in Toronto that year. It was dedicated by the Imperial Potentate of the Shrine of North America, Leo V. Youngworth, and formally received by George S. Henry, who was the Potentate of Rameses Temple No. 33 of Toronto. Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King was present at the dedication ceremony and over the radio publicly thanked the Shriners for the gift to the city of Toronto and to the Canadian nation.
The statue was created by sculptor Charles Keck, who was a member of the Kismet Temple of Brooklyn, New York. A bench surrounds the statue, bearing the words "PEACE BE ON YOU", and its response "ON YOU BE THE PEACE", both of which make up the Shrine motto. The statue and bench is surrounded by a circular fountain.
In 1962 the monument was relocated and re-dedicated at its current location. It was again re-dedicated by the Shriners in 1989. The surrounding gardens and fountain were erected by the Toronto Parks Department, which was re-dedicated to the cause of peace by then Canadian Prime Minister John Diefenbaker on August 20, 1958.
It is situated immediately south of the Bandshell, and is the focal point of the surrounding rose garden.
[edit] Other buildings and structures
- Direct Energy Centre is the newest building at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Canada . It has 10 exhibit halls with 1 million square feet of space. It is connected to the Ricoh Coliseum and the Automotive Building. Home to the Toronto International Boat Show, the National Home Show, the One of A Kind Show, and the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.
- Coliseum (1922, now part of the Ricoh Coliseum)
- Exhibition Stadium (no longer extant; originally 1879, fourth and final version demolished 1999)
- Fire Hall & Police Station was built in 1912 by George W. Gouinlook and used by Toronto Police, Toronto Fire Services and Toronto EMS during the CNE.
- The Food Building was originally built in 1921, current building dates to 1954
- The Medieval Times Building in Toronto, Canada was formerly known as Government Building and later as Arts, Crafts and Hobbies Building. it was built in 1912 by architect G. W. Gouinlock, in a similar style to the Horticulture Building.
- Horse Palace (1931)
- The Horticulture Building was built in 1907 to replace the Crystal Palace. It is similar in style as the Medieval Times Building, but without the towers at the sides.
- The Liberty Grand Building is a banquet hall and events theatre building. The Beaux-Art structure was built in 1926 by Chapman and Oxley as the Government of Ontario Building.
- The Immersion Studio in Toronto was formerly known as Music Building. Built in 1907 by architect George W. Gouinlock for the GTR, CN and CP Railways. It was nearly destroyed by a fire in 1987 and since then restored for private use.
- Princess Margaret Fountain (1958)
- The Queen Elizabeth Building was completed in 1957 as the Women's Building. The Exhibit Hall is used year round and the offices were once occupied by the CNE Association and Board.
- The CNE General Services Building was built in 1912 for Ontario Hydro and now used to house the CNE Archives.
- Ricoh Coliseum, indoor hockey rink and multipurpose facility. Home to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL.
- Exhibition Place Turbine - North America's first urban wind power gereration unit, run by WindShare and built in 2003.
- CNE Flagpole Erected in 1977, to replace the original flagpole installed in 1930. Atop the CNE Flagpole is a copper ball with a time capsule with materials from the 1930 and 1977 installations. The copper ball was manufactured by James Gow and Company of Toronto, and is the same one that sat atop the 1930 flagpole.
[edit] Transportation
A two car shuttle train (pulled by a tractor) operates during the CNE with stops along two routes:
- South Route
- Automotive Building
- South side of the Midways near bridge to Ontario Place
- Exhibition Park - west end of the Midways
- Princess Margaret Fountain
- North Route
- Automotive Building
- Exhibition Park - west end of the Midways
- next to the Princess Margaret Fountain
- Kids Midway on the northeast side of the Press Building
- Food Building north entrance
- TTC/GO Transit Loop - behind the Horse Palace
- East entrance of the Direct Energy Centre
[edit] Roads and Gates
The roads on the grounds are named for the provinces and territories of Canada:
- British Columbia Road
- Alberta Circle
- Saskatchewan Road
- Manitoba Drive
- Ontario Drive
- Quebec Street
- Nova Scotia Avenue
- Nunavut Road
- Yukon Place
- Prince Edward Island Cresent
- Newfoundland Road
Only the Northwest Territories and New Brunswick are not used. Canada Boulevard and Princes' Boulevard are the other names of roads on the grounds.
Other gates in the park outside of Princes' and Dufferin Gates are:
- British Columbia Gate - formerly Confederation Gate
- Ontario Gate
- Newfoundland Gate
- Manitoba Gate
[edit] Demolished Buildings and Attractions
- Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, built 1961 as the joint home of the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame and Hockey Hall of Fame. The latter moved in 1993.
- Mighty Flyer, a wooden rollercoaster, built in 1953 by Conklin Shows it was a permanent fixture that lasted until the early 1990s.
- The CNE Electrical Building was built in 1928, about the same time the Coliseum and Automotive Building were being built. The building was demolished in the 1970s, the site is now occupied by the National Trade Centre.
- The Shell Oil Tower (1955-1986) and was also known as the Bulova Tower. It was demolished in 1986. ([3])
- Alpine Way - A series of cable cars allowed visitors to view the Ex. The system consisted of four rows of cars (blue, green and red) carrying 4 passengers. The system was taken down in 1996 and placed into storage in 1998.
- Manufacturer's Building was a building used to house exhibits of household appliances, fixtures and furnishings. It burned down in 1962 and was replaced by the Better Living Centre.
- Women's Building was built in 1957 and renamed Queen Elizabeth Building.
- Transportation Building was burned down in 1960s and now occupied by Bandshell Park.
- original Dufferin Gate - replaced by current gate in 1959; previous gates built in 1895
and again in 1910.
- original Food Products Building - built in 1921 and replaced by current building in 1954
- Gooderham Fountain built in 1910 and replaced by the Princess Margaret Fountain in 1958.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Ontario Plaques - The Princes' Gates
- Ontario Plaques - Fort Rouillé
- Ontario Plaques - Stanley Barracks
