It’s CNE time again. It’s one of the things I miss about living in Toronto. I had been going to it since I was a little kid. Eventually, I worked there, as a guard on the Prince’s Gate. That was the job title. The description was, well, standing around all day not doing anything but watching the babes. I did that for three different summers, and the last one, they offered me a year-round job in the Parking Department. I did that for about 3 years. One of those days, I went home about 10 minutes before the riot happened in Exhibition Stadium. Was it a Stones concert? That’s what I seem to remember hearing. It was a long time ago.
It’s a very different place now, with a giant new buildiing, and the Bulova Tower has been gone for years. As I recall, from the last time I was there, that the Horticulture building isn’t even having that exhibit anymore. One of the most heavenly smells on earth was walking into that building with all the scents of the flowers mingling, the lavender and potpourri closest to the door.
I remember when the Food building had free samples. But even after those were but a distant memory, you could go there and get stuffed on lots of food you wouldn’t ordinarily be able to find. The main entrance had a waterfall over it, and people would gather outside the window to watch tiny donuts being deep-fried, rolling down a conveyor, powdered with sugar, and boxed. The Food building might be the first place I ever had pizza (early 1960s).
So, if you live there, do you go? If you don’t, have you ever been? Got any memories to share?
(Not to bring down the tone of this thread right off, but seeing as how it is CNE time, is the TTC going on strike? If they are going to, this is the time they usually pick.)