The Grand Old Lady of Toronto’s Lakeshore ages well. Still vibrant and dynamic; Still able to excite and thrill the young and the young at heart. She brings us back to the good old days, easier times, simpler living.
The Grand Old Lady delivers her promises of fun, laughter and foods we shouldn’t eat. She’s wonderful.
Enjoy her while you can. She’s being eyed ‘modernization’ profiteers, by ‘cosmopolitan dreamers.’ Her site is the dream of developers, a jewel that will fill their idolized coffers with dreams of more money. Political leaders are worshipping at the altar of modernization with waterfront revitalization plans. The Grand Old Lady’s days may be numbered.
But the Grand Old Lady is not done yet. As the 2024 version comes to a close, hear their words of remembering and reminiscing about the Grand Old Lady, the EX.
As a child the family would go down on Warriors day. My mother along with my sister would sit in the grandstand stand watching the many veterans march into the stadium. Once my father and his Regiment marched in off we would be allowed to leave and hit the midway. The Flyer was our first ride once we hit the height restriction. The wild mouse, ferris wheel, caterpillar and finally the Derby were all of the rides we would go on. We could only eat in the food building and the freebies were great. In high school we looked forward to the great line up of concerts – The Beach boys and America were the only tickets I could get.
George Turner
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Being a cottager, I am seldom around for the Ex. I haven’t been to the Ex since I was 16 plus no desire to go. So, I really can’t comment on the Ex. G.A.
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Haven’t been to the ex for ages! Don’t miss it at all, looking forward to reading about it though. P.L.
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I loved going to the Ex as a child. I probably haven’t been back since the early teenage years, when I started up with summer jobs.
My favourite memory was being 12, and finally allowed to go without adult supervision, and was accompanied by my younger brothers. We had a blast! Going on all of the most gut-wrenching, chilling rides we could find!
One other memory – mid high school, I was invited to see The Carpenters perform at the was a very special show. Karen Phillips
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I’ve got so many memories of the Ex, where to even begin.
I’ll narrow it down to concerts.
The magic that is The Grandstand. One of my earliest memories was seeing Shaun Cassidy at the CNE Grandstand, 1978. What the heck was a 6-year-old doing there, I have no idea? I suspect it was because my older sister was a huge fan of the Hardy Boys TV series that my parents took us. He had a massive white grand piano on stage and I’m fairly confident that every teenage girl in the audience felt he was singing only to them.
In high school I couldn’t wait for the CNE to start to ride the Polar Express! Holding on screaming “faster, faster” as the sounds of Alice Cooper or REO Speedwagon blared out across the midway, with the bark of the carnies luring you to try your luck echoing through. “Doggie, Doggie!”
I have seen so many incredible concerts over the years. The Cure, Love & Rockets, The Pixies, Siouxsie Sioux & the Banshees, and of course, The Rolling Stones when they brought their Steel Wheels tour to Toronto.
Indelible moments brought to life a spark that turned into a lifelong obsession with music, that ultimately led to my career as a co-owner of an independent record label through the 90’s. It was full circle the first time I ever saw one of my roster acts perform on The Grandstand stage. It was 1978 all over. Same level of awe and excitement.
Also, that feeling of soaring high above the Ex on The Gondola skyride with your friends, giggling over cute boys and fabulous fashions, peering down with no more concern than what to wear on the first day of school.
It is tradition. It is important. It is Canadian. Thank you, CNE, for giving me some of my life’s greatest moments thus far. Linda Cook
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We went to the EX Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024 to attend the Warriors’ Parade and the fair itself.
Arrived at 9 am and walked the entire fairway to the west end to buy a specific crystal of my wife’s 3D image. This process meant we had to return to the vendor about 1 1/2 hours later. We had time as the rain held off.
Next we went to the Food Building to see what was new and what was old. I settled for a cabbage roll, perogies and a sausage. My wife Darlene had some capped mushrooms. Not her first choice. The deep fried apple cheesecake machine had broken down and was like that all day.
Then we went to the Enercare building to explore their wares. We covered 3/4 of the floor before we began to get tired of walking.
So, we decided to return to the crafts building to retrieve our crystal. We were not disappointed.
From there we took the ONE train/trolley around the fairway back to the Princess Gates area and to the parking lot to retrieve our car. Traffic was good leaving around 1 pm. drove the Gardner to the DVP north to the 401 and home.
That evening we found on social media that we missed the rain and the DVP flooding!
Whew!!! Bruno Gauweiller
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I have only been to the ONE about 3 times and it was too commercialized for me. Heather Stuart
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I grew up in Toronto, the municipality of York near St.Olair/Dufferin, and every year we would ride the red rocket down Bathurst St. to the ONE. Since moving to Pickering, the last two years I have gone by boat to watch the “air show” from a different perspective. Last year I launched from Bluffer’s Park and after leaving the protective harbour, we ran into a wall of dense fog, and 2 foot waves. It was scary because yachts were also converging on this same location but visibility was about 10 feet away with no time to get out of the way. It finally cleared at the foot of Woodbine Ave. We watched the planes for about an hour before heading back but this time I went in just off-shore till we reached Bluffers and safely home. Paul White
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We didn’t attend the EX or ONE this year—I never have been a fan although we’ve visited once or twice over past years. But, my knees would no longer take me around; they
protest, just like your hip. Are we old? Maxine Libich
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Each year memories the EX transport me back in time to my childhood school days. When we were in elementary school, at the end of June the older children would receive a ticket allowing free entry to the EX on the designated ” children’s Day”. Our parents had to work,they could not take the day off to accompany us to the EX. They knew where we were going and trusted us for the day and to be back in time for our family supper.
As I recall, children’s Day was usually on a Monday. I suppose that after the busy weekend, this was the slowest day of the week. My younger brother and I would take the Bloor streetcar to Dufferin, and then the trolley bus to the EX.
Once there, we would start by visiting the various buildings: flowers, horses, international… But our most enjoyable one was the food building. Every food company, every stand there would offer samples of food. There was no need even to buy a lunch. The variety of tastings were plentiful and fun.
Then there were the rides. My stomach could only stand the ferris wheel– not those double or triple wheels that go at high speed and now stand out in every theme park. It was a simple, enjoyable ferris wheel ride.
Later, in my teens, the EX offered a day spent with my friends. And as an adult a fun day out with the parents. A reversal from those grade eight days.
I haven’t returned to the Ex in many years. Now, I just enjoy hearing about it, and seeing how the current generations are having fun as they all go to the EX.
Nadia Girardi
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[PHOTO GALLERY: Thank you Nancy Van Rooy]
