Manning Depot Memorial Plaque

 

Location: Coliseum, CNE grounds

Date photo taken: 16 August 2025

If you're visiting the CNE grounds you have to wander a little off the beaten track to find this plaque. It's located in the Coliseum building, near the offices of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. It hangs there because during World War II, much of the CNE grounds were given over to the war effort and this building in particular was used by the Royal Canadian Air Force as a Manning Depot. 

This plaque reminds us of this history, and thanks to efforts to collect oral histories and reminiscences there are some snippets online that illuminate life at Manning Depot. One man remembers being assigned to help clear out the stalls to prepare them for the new arrivals - prior to the RCAF coming in, the building was used for cattle and horse shows. Another man recalls that recruits were bunked four to a stall and that many of the city boys found the accommodations more aromatic than they were used to. 

Text of the plaque:

In honour of one hundred & thirty nine thousand seven hundred & fifty two members of The Royal Canadian Air Force who passed through Number 1 Manning Depot R.C.A.F. during the war 1939-1945.

Erected by the Officers.

Flyer

Location: Princes' Blvd, Canadian National Exhibition

Date photo taken: 24 August 2024

For those with an interest in heritage, there is always something to appreciate at the Ex. Most of the time it's in the background, like the Charles McKechnie figures in the Heritage Court or the outline of Fort Rouillé in the southern garden, but this year history is deliberately more in focus. An exhibit in the Withrow Common Gallery looks back at the relationship between the CNE and the AGO, and in the Enercare Centre, the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Association of Fairs and Exhibitions is celebrated with an exhibit dedicated to carnivals. On display are photos, ephemera and artifacts from past midways, including cars from the Flyer, a roller coaster built on the CNE grounds in 1953. The cars, like the illuminated letters pictured here, were salvaged when the Flyer was dismantled in 1992. The CNE Association refurbished the sign and restored the cars and both are now ready for your selfie moment. 

Fun at the Fair

 

Location: The Farm, Canadian National Exhibition

Date photo taken: 1 September 2022

After a pandemic-related hiatus, the CNE is back on and it seems that Toronto has really missed it. I know I have. Going during my usual mid-week evening I was shocked at the number of people in attendance. Even the Farm building, usually an oasis of calm and quiet, seemed busy. That's where this sand sculpture is located. Unlike previous years, there was no butter sculpting (a long tradition at the CNE - just search "butter" in their photo archives if you don't believe me) and no international sand sculpting competition, but Karen Fralich's oversized sculpture of the farm animals kicking back and having fun at the fair provides lots of viewing pleasure. 

Capital

Location: Berkeley Street, south of Front

Date photo taken: 30 August 2020

It's CNE time again, which is how I often refer to this last few weeks of summer. Except of course that summer really continues for a few more weeks, and oh yes, the Ex has been cancelled for another year. Rather than digging out something from a past visit, I thought this week I would share a piece of CNE history that exists outside of the fair grounds. Back in 1928 the Electrical and Engineering Building was added to the Exhibition. Inside were featured modern wonders made possible by electricity. Outside were decorative columns and oversized figures created by Charles McKechnie, the same person responsible for the iconic winged figure atop the Princes' Gate. The building was demolished in 1972 but some of the decorative items were salvaged. Some can still be seen at the CNE, but somehow at least three ornamented capitals found their way to Toronto's Free Theatre (TFT). Perhaps it was just good timing. The theatre was founded in 1971 and it began performing out of the converted Consumer Gas building on Berkeley shortly after. In the 1980s TFT merged with CentreStage and Canadian Stage was born. The Berkeley Street Theatre is still a Canadian Stage venue and the capitals are still on the front lawn. 

Tribute to Labour

Location: Heritage Court, Enercare Centre, CNE

Date photo taken: 25 August 2015

Attending the CNE has been a yearly tradition for me for countless years now and warm days turning to coolish nights makes me nostalgic for the fair. As COVID has cancelled the fun this year I've gone back through my files and dredged up this image from the flower show at the Ex 5 years ago. This figure positioned among the prize winning greenery in the Heritage Court was designed by Charles McKechnie in 1928 to adorn the new Electrical and Engineering Building. Eight statues in total, consisting of four matched pairs, stood dramatically atop the entrance and each was a tribute to labour. They were fabricated from poured concrete and were salvaged when the building was demolished in 1972. The four on display in the Heritage Court have come home in a way, as the Enercare Centre is located where the Electrical and Engineering Building once stood.

If you're feeling nostalgic for the CNE, they have some wonderful archival material up on their website, including photos of the figures sitting atop the entrance to the Electrical and Engineering Building. There are also some fantastic images from the Midway over the years. Browse and you never know what you'll find. For example, I was surprised to see that in 1954 there was a Midway attraction called Striporama!

Butter Sculpture - Tyrion Lannister

Location: The Farm, Canadian National Exhibition

Date photo taken: 24 August 2015

Each year at this time I like to post an image or two taken during my annual visit to the CNE. Yes, I go every year. I love the Midway at night, the music, and all of the weird stuff that is packed into every day. Like butter sculpting. This is a regular event held each year in the Farm building. Artists are invited to create a master work in butter, based on the year's theme. They do their work in a special chilled enclosure to ensure that the butter doesn't get too soft to work with. As I can't make it this year, I present instead this work in progress from 2015 by Maria Cupani. If you're curious about the final version, check out this Flickr image.

Enercare Centre Living Wall

Location: Enercare Centre, Canadian National Exhibition grounds

Date photo taken: 24 August 2015

This beautiful wall of greenery isn't your typical indoor display of carefully designed synthetic plants. All of the plants on this wall are real and together they work to clean the air inside the Enercare Centre. The Living Wall Biofilter is a system designed to increase indoor air quality and eliminate the need for pumping fresh air in from outside, which saves on heating and cooling costs. It's not the actual plants that clean the air, they just look nice. It's the microbes on and around their roots that do the actual work. Together they make for a wall that is both pretty and pretty cool. The system was designed at the University of Guelph's Controlled Environment System Research Facility and financed in part by the Canadian and European Space Agencies. 

Food at the Ex

Location: The Midway at the Canadian National Exhibition

Date photo taken: 26 August 2015

For many, one of the biggest draws of the CNE is the food. The Food Building was always a favourite with me as a child - I still remember the year that President's Choice launched their Decadent Chocolate Chip cookies and bags could be bought super cheap - and a day at the Ex was not complete without at least one package of Tiny Tom donuts.  While family favourites abound, presenting at the CNE also gives vendors a chance to experiment and each year there are new and often over-the-top offerings. This year is no exception. For the those who love all things pig, there's a fried pig ear sandwich or the pulled pork cinnamon roll. If you prefer your food on a stick, there's The Big Pickle Dog, an ingenious cross between a corn dog and a deep fried pickle. For the indecisive in the crowd who can't decide between dinner and dessert, there's the Philly Steaklair. And if you want to sample the food of the future, head over to Bug Bistro and try their Bug Dog.

The Midway - Zipper

Location: The CNE Midway

Date photo taken: 24 August 2015

This week, another of my favourite Midway rides at the CNE. The Zipper is a classic that's been around since the late 1960s. It features three different movements: the central boom rotates and the cars, which are free spinning, move along and around the boom on a cable. Check out this YouTube video to see one of these rides in action. The passenger capsules have been remodeled and the overall ride toned down since it was first introduced due to a number of fatalities occurring when the doors of the cages released during operation. That's scary stuff!

Sand Sculpture 2015

Location: Garden Show, Enercare Centre, Canadian National Exhibition
Date photo taken: 24 August 2015

One of my regular stops during my yearly visit to the CNE is to check out the entries in the International Sand Sculpting Competition. This year, the Ex is hosting the Pairs Competition, and four teams from around the world are competing. Each team is transforming 20 tonnes of sand into a work of art and it was fascinating to watch the artists in action. Each one I watched was employing a different technique. Eva Sazuko McGrew from the U.S., pictured above, was sculpting this nose with a trowel. Her partner was using a stick and string to sketch out gears on the other side. The men on the Canadian team were using straws to blow away the sand they were pulling out to create fine fur detail. The work is probably complete by now, but the sculptures will remain until the end of the Ex. If you visit, be sure to vote for your favourite!

The Midway - Starship 4000

Location: The CNE Midway
Date photo taken: 25 August 2014

Experiencing the lights of the Midway at night is one of my most anticipated summer rituals. Viewing them while passing by on the Lakeshore or the Gardiner is a treat but nothing beats wandering in among the rides for sheer sensory overload. While I rarely ride at the Ex these days, I do still have my favourites. Starship 4000 is one of them. Its classic graphics and the blur of its lights while spinning perfectly combine Midway fun with a great retro sci-fi vibe.

The Ex is open until September 1 and then the rides will be packed up and whisked off to their next event. The Midway attractions are provided by North American Midway Entertainment, based out of Indiana.

Livestock Medallion - Pig

Location: Direct Energy Centre, Canadian National Exhibition grounds
Date photo taken: 24 August 2013
Image 4 in the Remnants Series

This cast stone medallion is one of many roundels that once decorated the Livestock Pavilion at the CNE. Built in 1926 as an addition to the Coliseum (now known as Ricoh Coliseum, home of the Toronto Marlies) the Livestock Pavilion consisted of the Cattle Palace, the North Extension or Swine Pavilion, and the Fraser Pavilion. The building, also known as the Industry Building, was demolished to make way for the new Direct Energy Centre. I'm happy that the faces of the pigs, cattle and sheep that adorned that original building remain to remind us of the pride of place that livestock displays and competitions once held at this national exhibition.

Sand Sculpture - Maasai Hunt

Location: Heritage Court, Direct Energy Centre, Canadian National Exhibition
Date photo taken: 24 August 2013

One of the many attractions at the Canadian National Exhibition is the International Sand Sculpture Competition. This year six competitors were invited from around the world to compete. Each was given 10 tons of sand and 6 days to create a masterpiece. This sculpture by Ilya Filimonstev of Russia took first prize in the judged competition. While you've missed the chance to see the sculptors at work this year, you can still visit the sculptures at Heritage Court until the close of the CNE and cast a vote for the Fan Favourite. One lucky voter will win a trip to Riviera Maya courtesy of Transat Vacations.