August 17, 2007 / 10:54
I think as sad as this will sound they should close it down and use all the prime property for something useful it make no sense to keep all that property there to be used for only 2 weeks a year
Who owns the property?
Is it the city of Toronto?
If it is they could sell that property and make enough money to makeup for the short fall in there budget
I haven't been to the EX in over 20 years and from a quick poll in my office neither have most of them
Every one says that they miss the concerts that they used to have there was a concert every night And that brought people who normally wouldn't go
August 17, 2007 / 11:02
Doggy Doggieee...Oye Oye Oyee....Now those were the days. Your right Fred, it has gone down hill. I have only been the the Ex once with my kids and that was for a Blue Jays game. (long time ago eh?) Back in my late teens/early twenties a bunch of us would make the trek from Burlington 2 or 3 nights a week. The one good thing is, with general admission you can get in Ontario place. A co-worker asked if I was going to go this year (we get discount tickets at work) I sighed and said "I don't know......maybe....."
August 17, 2007 / 11:06
don't be a cheap bastard - take some empties back from the trailer park and you can re-introduce your family to the ex again.
Why should you pay?
-for Free April Wine
-for Free David Wilkox
- for the Free Ice Show
- for the Free Horse Show
- the Air show
- the Dog show
- the HUMAN Cannon Ball
Some of the stuff you old farts enjoyed in the 70's is gone - like the Bulova tower and the Alpine way- but there is lots of new stuff!
You, Fred, have to make the effort to go and take the kids- don't be a curmudgeon in your Brampton enclave- pull yourself away from the trailer and go!
August 17, 2007 / 11:18
Have you seen Wilcox?
Or April wine lately
I wouldn't pay to see them
They are way past there sell by date
The rest of the shows are just poor carnival acts
That can't gain full time employment
I am sure I will see them back on Spadina next month with Tim's cup in hand looking for handouts
I say close it down and build condos
August 17, 2007 / 11:26
I heard an ad promoting the Ex on 640 this morning, and the act they chose to tempt the masses was The Village People.
The Village People?! I may be an old white guy like Fred, but I remember when the biggest performers around were an annual fixture at the CNE. Last year we took my 10 year old and his cousin to the Ex. Hadn't been in years. The thing reminded me of a massive flea market with every "attraction" little more than a shabby effort to sell something. We won't be going this year.
August 17, 2007 / 11:27
The Ex suffered deficits in early 90's and rebounded with profits from 1999- the Ex currently generates 48 million a year revenue for the City and 66 Million for the Province.
But there seems to be a nostalgia stigma attached-generated by old baby boomer's that miss the Flyer and the Alpine way.
August 17, 2007 / 11:43
Yes. But the Big performers like the Beach Boys, Yes and Supertramp were not free with admission.
You do not have to pay extra to see: Wilcox, April wine and the Village people- you can get your Big Performers at the Amphitheater.
Not to mention Ontario Place is far better now than it was in the 70's
August 17, 2007 / 14:32
I love the CNE and I'm a Gen X'er, but they need to drop the flea market row, they need to bring back the days when new cars, electronics and all that type of new stuff got rolled out!
As for admission I agree drop it! you end up spending money on other things inside anyway! Could care less for ontario place no matter what they do it reminds me of the 60-70's they should hire a entertainment management group such as MGM too build a huge resort casino with a permanent indoor midway,so that it could generate revenue for the rest of the year....then Toronto's money problem will also be solved! I will go with my family at least 2x this year ....Let's go to the EX oh BTW i love a mitch's corn dog; you must try one!
August 17, 2007 / 21:38
The Ex is like a trip to a strip mall in Brampton's Springdale. But you have to pay for the Ex.
August 19, 2007 / 22:39
Fred: You admit you haven't gone to the EX in years. That being the case, I don't think you're qualified to comment on whether it's worth the money or not. I go every year, and no one forces me to pay admission - I'm happy to do so...
August 19, 2007 / 22:56
I could not disagree with you more and I don't even know where to begin. The Ex is fantastic and you can't compare it to Wonderland. The things to do and see at the Ex are endless and having just been there yesterday, I can tell you it's not suffering for visitors. The place was packed. I think you better revisit and you can get in for $5 after 5pm. Don't be cheap and negative!
August 20, 2007 / 12:36
I hate Wonderland because it's ugly and there's nothing there for me. Not since the days of the Kingswood Music Theatre, where you could stroll in on a late Sunday afternoon and buy prime seats to see CFNY bands like Talk Talk and the Psychedelic Furs. What great times those were! I drove past Wonderland a few weeks ago and it's even more ugly - it looks like one of those plastic town sets for troll figurines. Horrible!
Now - the Ex is beautiful! Go over to Ontario place and check out the Ex's skyline at night, Fred. The view of spinning midway is absolutely beautiful and worth the price of admission. There are other things about the Ex - the nostalgia of aging 1950s architecture, the cool wall sconces that adorn the exterior of the Food Building, the art deco candy booths, the beautiful beer garden and view of the lake. Sure it's not what it used to be, but what is?
August 20, 2007 / 19:50
I have to admit that I am going to the ex this year twice. We go to do clothes shopping for the winter. We go over to Ontario Place to take a walk. End up at the food building to feed our faces at least twice a day. We enjoy going and have been going since I was a kid. I live in the country now and going to the city is fun and for some girls who need to get out and away from the kids it is still fun for us. Ya we have to pay but we pay 10 bucks and ya we pay for the go but who cares. We have to pay for places like wonderland and Ontario place without the ex plus everything else these days why not the ex. They have changed a lot of things down there through out the years and yes at times we think it is crappy but we still have fun.
The Canadian National Exhibition opened this morning and as anyone who lives in the GTA knows, it's the first indication the summer is drawing to a close.
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