Montreal's Expo 67 Was A Landmark Moment in Canadian History

[@carolann5338]

I went to Expo 1967 almost every evening after work....... and also every weekend....!!!! I was 22 years old when it opened in April........!!!! It was for me THE BEST YEAR OF MY LIFE....... and I am now 79 years old...... and I will never forget this......and the city where I was born..........!!!! Thank you Canada for such an incredibly year.....!!! BRAVO......!!!!

[@VladislavBabbitt]

It was amazing!

[@eric7922]

Bravo indeed. I love Paris and NYC but Montreal is truly a world class city and will always be my favourite.

[@carolann5338]

@@eric7922 Thank you for saying this about the city where I was born.....!!!!

[@Humb7757]

I approve your comments…I was barely 10y.o… and I also testify that spring 1967 and Summer too! Was the most Magical Memorable year of my lifetime!

[@carolann5338]

Bravo to you my friend..........!!!!@@Humb7757

[@Alley00Cat]

Montrealer here, born way after 1967. It's wild, but Expo 1967 lives on. I've been hearing about it my whole life, and its remnants are everywhere, notably the artificial islands created for it and the Montreal Metro completed in time for the expo. Today, the metro is one of the crown jewels of the city. The city has been a huge cultural hub ever since, despite all the fiascos around language laws and corruption and bad planning (looking at you Big O). I still cannot believe it was all done in 4 years. It really is mind boggling, and would never be possible today.

[@sglenny001]

Montreal Is a city I wanna go too

[@carolann5338]

You are welcome to Montreal anytime.....!!!!@@sglenny001

[@dodovomitory3496]

The language laws are not strict enough imo

[@JSebastien94]

​@@dodovomitory3496 It depends on what you mean

[@Rockawaysiren]

I agree-I found the 4 year timeline incredible! That's all from scratch, too-building the islands first THEN plumbing, power, buildings, trains...never never would happen now!

[@hublocker849]

After a brief period of juvenile deliquency at 13 in my small BC village in 1966, my parents decided I should be exiled out of town for a year and sent me to live with relatives and go to Catholic school. In Montreal in 1967! Some punsihment. I was 14 and Expo 67 was on and i met all kinds of cool young people at the Youth Pavillion and a hippie cafe in the city. Changed my life. I changed from being a confused little small town bad boy into the writer and musician I am today.

[@Jorjafox1000]

I was 9 years old, our family took the train across Canada from British Columbia to Montreal for EXPO67. I do recall many things about this gigantic adventure we took, enjoying every moment of it!! So proud of Montreal for the feat they accomplished in record time. To this day still have my Passport. 😁🇨🇦 Thanks Montreal for recalling many great memories. Luck had it my husband and I took our small family to Vancouver for EXPO86, another great holiday had. 😁🇨🇦

[@wd1598]

Born in Montreal - I was 9 years old in 1967. My parents (not with a lot of disposable income) they pulled every available $ and bought season passes for Expo 67 - we went every Monday and Saturday afternoons/evenings - my Dad was a baker who worked 6 days a week, but short days on Monday and Saturday (well not really short starting at 2am those days). I feel so fortunate to have been able to experience Expo 67 - AMAZING! Season passes were fashioned like “passports” - brilliant

[@Caspiankhw]

What an excellent documentary, thank you for bringing life to one of the most defining moments in Canadian history :)

[@peterschaffter826]

I was 10 when we visited Expo. I've never forgotten the experience. Towards the middle of the video, I found myself weeping for the Canada that used to be.

[@josephdarchambault6264]

this was before reagan and thatcher in the UK, noe-libertarian greed, un regulated free market greed has eroded what we used to know as normal. Monopolized corporations didn't rule the rust back then. Sad

[@2Sugarbears]

We will be back. Have faith. It ain't over til the fat lady sings.

[@GotoHere]

@@josephdarchambault6264 before pedo liberals created record inflation and allowed millions of illegals into Canada

[@ScareDe2]

​@@josephdarchambault6264 Libertarianism and capitalism are based on private production of goods and services with the incentive to generate maximum profit ; it is an economy of production and it is not what causes inflation and unaffordability you live now. People got brainwashed massively by the public system to believe privately owned businesses are responsible for this mess.

[@That90sShow]

@@josephdarchambault6264 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@waffles1ca]

Expo 67 an amazing event, amazing venue, I was so fortunate to attend with my mother and older brother as an 8 year old. I returned to the park in 2015, I was overwhelmed with the flood of memories upon seeing the old US pavilion. Montreal is a wonderful city to visit.

[@carolann5338]

Montreal is a gorgeous city where I was born.....!!!! BRAVO.....!!!!

[@Roadghost88]

Truly a spectacular chapter in Canadian history. I was a child in absolute wonder visiting Expo67. I lived on the South Shore of Montreal and we visited several times. Everything was new, the subway, the skyscrapers, the bridges, the highways, it was a city beyond compare. Canada's centennial, our best year ever, we never came close to that euphoria ever again. Seems like something we lost forever.

[@efoneofour]

WOW! I am floored. I have just seen the greatest show on earth. This version of Expo 67 is absolutely stunning. I thought the previous version would be the best I will ever see but this one brings the experience to another level completely. Breathless is how I feel right now. Like visiting Expo 67, viewing this video was itself a magical experience. And I know what I am talking about because I had a passport for the summer and was there on opening day.

[@carolann5338]

I was there on opening day and almost every evening after that.....!!!! It was stupendous.....!!!!

[@144wychwood]

Born in Montreal, as 3 year old, 1967 was first year of my young life that I had strong recollections of. A lot of great memories and Expo 67 was big part of it.

[@Slowpaws1389]

Same here, all I saw was legs and waists walking amongst the crowds. I wished for one of those kid dollies. I guess not having one made me the hard working guy that I became.

[@VladislavBabbitt]

@@Slowpaws1389 Those dollies were fun!

[@VEGTheAgingHippie]

I was 10 years old and lived on the west island of Montreal. The pride and optimism in Canada was such a far cry from today. Canadians no longer know how to dream. This video reminds me so much of what we have lost as a nation. Now every city in the nation has homeless encampments. Something that didn't exist in 1967. Our forests are burning and young folks can't even dream of owning a home. We could really use the same sense of possibilities and can do attitude that existed in 1967 again.

[@josephdarchambault6264]

this was before reagan and thatcher in the UK, noe-libertarian greed, un regulated free market greed has eroded what we used to know as normal. Monopolized corporations didn't rule the rust back then. Sad

[@VEGTheAgingHippie]

@@josephdarchambault6264 Yes, you are 100% correct. Nothing was the same by the 80s. What's truly sad is how governments all bought into the trickle down theory and no one stood against it.

[@2Sugarbears]

It will get better. It will.

[@michaelp9184]

Thank the morons currently running the country.

[@ThirdEyeClear]

All part of an agenda

[@dragon-shepherd]

I got to go 3 times - one school trip and two times with my family. It was GREAT.

[@VladislavBabbitt]

It certainly was!

[@fatmolerat3293]

Vidéo incroyable! Voir à quel point l'Expo aura sû impacter la société est bouleversant.

[@halasterthethrice-fried3610]

Makes me a lil angry when I see this and realize the modern mayors couldn't even get roads and bike lanes right. We are due for leadership that can pull this off again.

[@hectorlabbe]

Mayor Drapeau was the Man!!! Nobody like him gave Montreal so many successful projects! ❤

[@LynnSchlecker]

Agreed!

[@unowen-nh9ov]

​@@hectorlabbeHow long were Montreal Olympics in debt?

[@unowen-nh9ov]

Because my parents like so many others were '60's optimists, I was there. Now a lifetime later Toronto are doing it again, Don Portlands. Already did it once with St. Lawrence Seaway Tommy Thompson Bird Sanctuary.

[@hectorlabbe]

@@unowen-nh9ov To be honest I have no idea… But every project has its positives and negatives!

[@ricklachaine5406]

Wow. The ultimate flashback to when I was 7 years old in 1967. My parents took us a number of times from Ottawa. Watching this brought back so many memories. Makes me sad and happy at the same time.

[@yodorob]

Both of my parents (at the time growing up in two different American cities/regions) visited Expo 67 and had little idea that not only they would be married to each other less than a decade later but that they would move to Montreal in 1979. My sister was born there the year after their move and I was born two years after that.

[@hectorlabbe]

Loved it!!! What a great era for Montreal ❤

[@carolann5338]

Yes... the best era ever..........!!!!

[@storywriteronline]

Wonderful presentation. I was twelve when I attended Expo '67. It inspired me so much that it changed my life and I knew my passion was do the same for the world, to inspire through my writing.

[@pbrou]

As a young boy went with parents 48 times (they went 52) . Many visits from opening to closing in the evening almost every weekend from the opening in April to the very end. Interestingly with all those visits we never saw anything twice (though some huge pavillions like the French one required many visits). Of course we didn't just breeze through all the pavillions. We read the labels under each item and saw all the films. Also sampled most restaurants though some like the ones in the Belgium and Czechoslovakia pavillions were too expensive for us. Most countries did have their own restaurant in their pavillion with waiters and waitresses from their countries (or province as in the Ontario pavillion). The exposition was also linked to a set of cultural events in Montreal's downtown concert halls; as countries showcased their best dance troups, opera singers or orchestras in the city's landmark venues. Somehow I remember all of it as if it happened last year... All my life, It's been my "happy place" when I want to day dream and flashback to my best memories. So glad I was able to live through it. The computer center impressed me so much that it became my career choice from that very year. It's the ultimate proof that Expo 67 really did change my life.

[@robdedrick2052]

I was there on the Day it Opened and on the Day it Closed . Amazing ! After EXPO 67 my Family moved to Vancouver and I was there at EXPO 86 for Opening and Closing . Amazing ! AGAIN ! We seem to have a Gift of Doing Things Well Canada ! Let's keep it Up !

[@robdedrick2052]

I still have my Passports from 67 & 86 .

[@carolann5338]

Canada sure know how to put on THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH 1967......AND 1986...BRAVO......!!!!

[@jonmce1]

Drove there in my Austin Mini Four good sized guys with Camping gear on top. Absolutely fantastic.

[@AniMerDol]

I was expecting to get emotional watching this, but i'm severely overwhelmed at how deep my feelings go & the intensity of my tears. In '67, my family was living in the suburbs 46K north of the city. The year our country moved into triple digits, turning 100, i moved in double, turning the big 10. I'm extremely grateful for being old enough to have realized & appreciate at the time, not just the massive physical accomplishment, but also the social impact of celebrating the cultural uniqueness of a large diversity of nations while bringing them together into a peaceful, true global village. Having an 18 years old brother who introduced me to the music he listened to, i was a little more socially aware of the cultural revolution than my fellow 10 years olds. I remember thinking, San Fransisco could keep their 'summer of love', (i was too young anyway 😂), we had Expo 67!

[@vincentlussier8264]

I was seven years old and we went to it a few times on the weekends . Is till have some beer stiens and ashtray souvenires. The songs Crosstown Traffic, Purple Haze and other Jimi Hendrix "Are You Experienced" album remind me of Expo '67 because he came out that same year!

[@garneauweld1100]

I was there, and I was born in 1961. Of course everything was unique and unfamiliar, but I do remember the sphere and all of the color, flowers and planting. The ever varying architectural styles were a wonderful curiosity simply because I had never seen such buildings before. When turning in a full circle the vista was constantly varying with something new around every corner. The entire environment was a real wonderland for which I was profoundly impressed at the tender age of six. My attention was fully engaged for each and every step of my visit. Today, I feel honored for having been in attendance for such a globally popular event. Expo '67 was truly history in the making with Montreal at the center of it all.

[@sebsun]

These videos make me so happy!

[@carolann5338]

Me too.....!!!!

[@michaelcutcliffe437]

I was six years old when my family went to Expo67 and I remember many things from our visit. A truly wonderful experience!

[@noum03]

as a 20 something Casino de Montréal worker (the France pavillion 1:25) it’s so interesting to see how the island looked like almost 60 years ago! God, I love my city❤

[@gouinnathalie340]

J'étais en 3ème année et avec ma classe nous avons chanté devant le public et la télé la journée des célébrations de l'ouverture de l'Expo. Je ne me souviens pas de ce que nous avons chanté mais je me souviens d'avoir fait une petite obsession sur le monstre Girotron. 😁

[@snarkyenigma9219]

I was five yrs. old when we drove from St. Louis, MO to Montreal to see this thing call Expo '67. Although it's all pretty sketchy, I can still remember some of it, mainly the food; my first egg roll and Italian sausages wrapped in a pie-crust like bun. I also remember riding on the monorail. Thankfully, my dad was filming it all with his groovy new "Super 8" camera which we eventually converted to DVD for prosperity. I still have a souvenir of a little glass ashtray in turquois and pink that says "Montreal Expo '67".

[@flyingzone356]

As a Montrealer, I am so proud of this golden age of Montreal even though the Expo took place before I was born.

[@aprilbailey2793]

I was 3 when we went, I have memories of this that brought tears to my eyes. It’s too bad the world cannot come together like this anymore.❤❤❤

[@letsif]

Just think that in 4 short years this amazing man made island was completed pavilions, rail, and all. I was 18 at the time and traveled twice from staid old Toronto into a thrilling moment in our history. I will never forget that experience and the joy I felt being Canadian in what seemed like a foreign land.

[@nancymilawski1048]

I was at both Expo'67 and Expo'86 and I did feel like a foreigner in Vancouver when I was there. 😃😃

[@rogernoel1224]

I was 2. But I went each year following. It is there that I developed and cultivated my love for human geography and world history.

[@northernlight696]

Got to visit Expo on 2 occasions. I was 15 and loved every minute of it.

[@PeBoVision]

Such a hard hit of nostalgia that includes a profound feeling of pride nearly 60 years later. It is absolutely where Canada found its modern identity and sense of self, removed at last from the shadow of its neighbour to the south and allowed to shine in its own right. An identity that remains to this day. There is no need to compete when you've proven you're without equal. That is true of both Québec specifically and Canada as a whole. Personally, I placed the tip of my thumb on the tip of my nose, looked north toward Russia, and wiggled my fingers. Les Québécois(e), eat pressure and impossible goals for breakfast, and wash it down with a tall cup of 'enweille, allons-y"

[@2Sugarbears]

☺

[@bmw803]

As an American, I always viewed Canada as an extension of the U.S. Sure, differences exist, but over all, we are all from the same origin.

[@PeBoVision]

@@bmw803As we moved away from those origins towards our current zeitgeist, Canada took a very different path. We were both subject to the same Capitalist forces, but Canada kept a more humanist focus to America's myopic focus on amassing wealth. Combine that with America's revolutinary spirit and Canada's preference for negotiating our way out from under British subjugation, and you have two very different national identities. We are not an extention of the USA as much as the more level-headed, pragmatic & compassionate younger sibling in a dystopian family situation-comedy. America likes to think of itself as the greatest country in the world. Canada sees itself as part of a greater world where there are no "greatest" countries, just a single global community struggling to make sense of it all, in every shape, colour and language imaginable. (unless we're talking about hockey and/or lacrosse, then the USA can eat our dust.)

[@fabrikk60]

@@bmw803 America: "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness" (ie individualism above all) Canada: "Peace, Order, and Good Government" (ie co-operation towards a common good life)

[@jackgibson4542]

What a lovely video. I was lucky to attend when I was just six. I still vividly remember my wonderment and joy.

[@silirat]

Awesome video as usual.

[@stroye5438]

M. Jean Drapeau! L’Expo 67, les Olympiques, le métro!!… quel grand homme! Montréal est depuis devenu une risée planétaire, sans âme!

[@carolann5338]

Yes... so very true.....!!!! I agree.......!!!!

[@francoisst-hilaire222]

"Risée planétaire", c'est beaucoup trop excessif. Montréal se porte plutôt bien, elle continue de se distinguer de ses semblables en Amérique du Nord pour sa qualité de vie. Faut faire attention avec la nostalgie!

[@anhpam9205]

Visited from Nova Scotia. I was 9 and a half, and it really was a lot of fun. Two years later we moved to live in a suburb of Montreal. THAT was alot less fun. left after high school. Haven't lived in Montreal in over 50 years.

[@rosswatson9144]

I was eight years old and in British Columbia I missed expo… But remember so very well the train crossing the country as a mobile history, Museum, as well as the great truck convoy of exhibits… There were voyager canoes of each province crossing the country… The songs, the badges, the spirit of the year will always be with me… It seems like such a different country now!

[@VladislavBabbitt]

Yes, it was a great time!

[@rarearthman]

I remember it as the Centennial Train, & the Centennial Trucks going across Canada putting on displays in smaller towns. I think there were also Centennial ships in the great lakes, artic and west coast for Canada's 100th birthday! Yes there were big canoes with 30+ people paddling across Canada from coast to coast like the Couriers du bois !

[@biorage6670]

I was born in Montréal in 1967. I guess my parents were really into it..!

[@funkybassguy68]

My parents went there on vacation. They had so much fun, I popped out 9 months later. 😆

[@ehyouman]

Thank you for this montage, both my parents went. They'll love this

[@andrewscultety149]

Ya, been there, done that! Thanks for bringing back the memory!

[@RogerGratton]

I was 19 yrs old, was fortunate that my father had contacts , I was hired and started in march, about 1 month before opening, with a team we mounted rides at la Ronde, and I was Assigned on the Gyroton, for me it was a life experience, a party for 6 months, worked with a super young team by a great boss from Vancouver… I am now 77 yrs old and best time of my life….

[@fredericgill2347]

I was only 2 years-old in 1967, but the exhibition continued as Man and His World (1968...). I have a few memories that must date back from 1968. I hope there will be another EXPO in 2067!

[@NormanLor]

IT WAS A DREAM TO COME TRUE FOR THOSE OF US LIVING HERE. OUR PARENTS BOUGHT US ALL PASSPORTS AND THAT WHOLE YEAR WAS AMAZING. I BELIEVE THIS ONE FESTIVAL BROUGHT CANADA INTO THE WORLD'S EYE.

[@Frankaupolis]

I can barely believe it.. Wow!! Thank you so much for this video! =•)

[@michaelsapienza8749]

I found vintage monthly magazines about expo published that summer.

[@dadautube]

was only 9 years young when this happened ... i remember i was so excited about it even though i lived on the other side of the planet in the Middle East ... still want to visit this place although what happened back then will never happen again ...

[@joeldelamirande5792]

Thks for showing this i always wondered how it look like

[@arricammarques1955]

The age of civility before hyperinflation is dearly missed. Happy memories of visiting after 1967.

[@greghuibers945]

Fantastic video thank you!

[@lilyarmitage4168]

My first ride on an Hovercraft was still Expo '67.

[@RichardPaquette-kt2bw]

I'm wondering, who the hell made the ''maquette'' or model\plan. It was... I have no words. 🤩

[@Mark_72]

I wasn’t born back then, but it look so impressive even to these days.

[@Danger_N00dle]

My father went to Expo 67 when he was a 8 years old or so He told me a lot about it.

[@budsfan1970]

1967 was Canada at its absolute zenith. Everything was possible. Canadians from coast to coast oozed with national pride and unity. How far we have fallen as a nation.

[@Vinny_Gambini]

1967 wasn't Canada at its absolute zenith. 1967 was the vision of one canadian mayor, The Honorable Jean Drapeau. Canada didn't believe in this project, he did. Free education and free healthcare for 40 million + canadians while the 1st economy can't offer that to its citizens. Yeah! Sure, we're doing so bad 😂😂

[@rachelb2231]

​@@Vinny_GambiniI don't know where you live but there's no good Healthcare to be had around Montreal- unless you get hit by a bus and brought in by ambulance, even then it's not sure they'll get to see you that day.

[@carolann5338]

@@Vinny_Gambini Mayor Drapeau was a great Canadian....... he put Montreal on the WORKD STAGE WITH EXPO 1967.....!!!!

[@Vinny_Gambini]

@@rachelb2231 Born and raised in Montréal. I had 12 operations in my lifetime and numerous injuries. I experienced 16 hospitals in Montréal, Sherbrooke, Jonquière, even Gaspé and was treated like a human by humans. You're just like the lady that gets to a bodyshop and expects we stop fixing the cars in the bodyshop to do yours. You know there's 8 million people in our Province? BTW I had a back injury that needed an urgent surgery, days before Covid shut down our hospitals. 4 months later, i was the first operated when they re-opened. You have to go with the flow. If your throath hurts, go see the pharmacist, dont clugg our emergency wards. And stop complaining about the government and act or 🤫

[@Vinny_Gambini]

@@carolann5338 he sure did. I met him twice when I was a teenager and was very excited about it. Today's mayors seem to want to protect their asses more then take risks like Mr.Drapeau.

[@stevensilverthorne1555]

I went to EXPO 67

[@timtwoface]

I wasn't alive yet but I was definitely happy to attend Expo 86 in Vancouver for virtually every weekend from May 2 to October 13 that year.

[@spareadime5418]

EXPO 67 MAN AND HIS WORLD What a time to be alive how times have changed

[@suddenlysolo2170]

I was there as a 4 year old. We were statoned in St. Hubert with the military at the time.

[@VancouverBrainBleach-k5m]

I was 6 years old when we drove from Ontario to go see it.

[@larrybethune3909]

My parents took me to Expo '67 when I was in grade 3. I was fortunate enough to attend Expo '86 in Vancouver as well. Both great worlds fairs. Just wish that the debt burden wasn't so high.

[@casager]

I grew up in Ottawa, just down the road from Montreal. I was 12 years old when it opened and attended at least three times, if memory serves. I personally had NO idea until now, thanks to this video, of the actual history of the event and the incredible challenges that had to be overcome before opening day. Sadly, in those days, it seems that Quebec and Canada were much better prepared and certainly more determined to make this incredibly complicated event actually happen . . . and ON TIME than we seem to be today. Don't know what happened to us. For example, we have a rapid transit system here in Ottawa that has NEVER worked properly having opened only recently. Compared to the rapid transit in and around Expo, we've very much gone backwards. Very sad.

[@keroppicoqui3907]

Forever envious of ppl who got to visit. I wasnt even born until 30 years later! 😂

[@russvatcher4882]

I had a season ticket then. I think it was about $20. Went many times and did not see it all.

[@295g295]

6:16 - advertising in New York ... "Come one, come all - To Expo 67 Montreal!"

[@walteravrith7581]

My father worked as a film projector technician he had a coleman cart and went to the pavillions to take care of issues with projectors

[@Fernscape]

We met with chief Pokinfire in Oka to discuss a Totem pole but it never materialized

[@Marieruth333]

L'importance de rêver de ne pas être pessimiste de garder espoir pour l'avenir.

[@Logit4]

I remember that right up to opening day, Anglo media was bashing Expo as another Quebec boondoggle. The CBC even said that the name "Expo" was stupid. But as usual, as soon as American and British media started to rave about it, Anglo Canadians appropriated it. It wasn't in Quebec anymore. It bacame a great Canadian event!

[@bmw803]

Did they politicize shit even back then?

[@rolandsutter2451]

Lived in Montreal until th Summer of 66 my dad had had enough Expo and moved us to Vancouver

[@tobym9045]

Montreal was at it's very best ! It was indeed a great accomplishment. It was back when Quebec was "La Belle Province"...rather than the "Je Me Souviens" it has since become.

[@bmw803]

Back then, they spent time, money and effort on VISION. Today, it's STOOPIDITY. The difference when leaders had a vision vs leaders who only care about winning elections so they can steal even more.

[@mkds312]

I now work in one of the buildings that were originally there are the expo.

[@johnvermette9466]

Isn't this video a re-upload? I seem to remember that you've made one about Expo 67 before, didn't you Chris? 🤔😉

[@DiscoverMontréal]

Unfortunately I was forced to make some changes, so I spruced it up a little!

[@johnvermette9466]

I don't have a problem with that at all! It's just another opportunity for you to show the whole world, just how talented you are my friend!

[@paulstark1832]

I can recall a fraction of most of this liviving i the big city at yhe time

[@lilyarmitage4168]

Time to resurrect the Habitat building method - a view and a garden for every apartment dweller.

[@ChewyFrog]

The season pass for a child was $17.50. Which is the equivalent of $166.05 today. I still have a wallet from Expo 67.

[@robdedrick2052]

EXPO 74 Spokane . EXPO in Australia. Was it 88 or later ?

[@chazzcannon3614]

Where is the maquette now?

[@Fernscape]

I lived in Montreal and I could not stand the lineups ~ My guests saw Expo more than I did -The following year I visited what remained

[@cabaneencac5168]

4:19 Cité-Jardins en face de l'hopital Maisonneuve ( plus précisement ''Terrasse Maisonneuve '')

[@adellis24]

Please explain how Walt Disney (who died in 1966) was supposedly inspired by the Expo 67 American Pavillion for his Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow that featured no such dome in its initial planning and wasn't completed until 1982?

[@DiscoverMontréal]

I wondered that too, turns out the dome was under construction long before it was completed and was clearly visible when he visited for the last time in 1966. The Epcot plans were redesigned multiple times over the years before it finally went ahead, and they added the sphere because he was so fond of it. The only difference is Epcot has a perfect sphere that does not touch the ground, whereas the Expo pavilion does and is thus cut off from becoming a full sphere.

[@adellis24]

Kudos for the quick response. The discrepancy in time between the completion of EPCOT & E67 was what made me curious as I’ve seen plenty of early EPCOT concepts but didn’t realize Walt was so fond of the dome that they kept it in mind for over a decade until they began construction on EPCOT. Thankfully they didn’t go with the Expo on Mont Royal plan! When they built La Ronde was it possible to walk the around the entire lake, unlike the current setup where that isn’t possible?

[@DiscoverMontréal]

@@adellis24 I’m not sure, it’s hard to tell from the available images and video, but it may have been! It was likely closed off once the Fireworks Festival began in the 80s

[@adellis24]

I tend to think that it must have been for crowd flow alone. You're correct that it was closed off for the Fireworks section but that doesn't seem like a great justification to bottleneck the park at two points for the entire season. Shame, I hope they find a way (once again) to allow people to walk the full park, if only during the daytime hours of operation. As a video suggestion, I would love to see something similar to this about Mirabel Airport, the lofty plans that never came to fruition and eventual rebirth of Montréal-Dorval in response to that disaster. Cheers!

[@DiscoverMontréal]

@@adellis24 thanks for the support! I am planning to do a Dorval Airport video and the big expansion plans for the future but it’s gonna take some time 😛 hopefully by the end of the year!

[@jefftay9850]

i am so proud of us when i see this was born july 67 my parents almost called me EXPO .....i know right

[@dmbthegurl]

@Mert_Can this could be interesting for you. Long before Dubai there was Expo 67

[@glowbright]

34:41 In 2001 Montreal made a huge error selling La Ronde to Six Flags and leasing the land to them until 2065. La Ronde has just been an overpriced tourist trap ever since. Terrible decision by the city to lease such prime real -estate for such a long time.

[@bmw803]

No city administration should be in amusement parks business. Leasing the land makes sense, but NOT FOR SO LONG. Probably another crooked politician that pocketed big $$$ and the city collecting peanuts vs what they should be getting.

[@stevedolesch9241]

Oh que oui! as we say. My mon did murals for the Canadian Pavillon! My dear mom! My father stole all the money from commissions! I love her! RIP mom!

[@DavidHouvenagle]

It said that Walt Disney was inspired by the American Pavilion for Epcot. He died in 1966 prior to the Expo. Thus there is a little factual confusion from this, but it is otherwise a wonderful, inspiring documentary! My family has movies of me as a toddler at Expo otherwise.

[@DiscoverMontréal]

Disney visited Montreal while the site was still under construction, the dome had taken shape by then and he requested it for Disney World. Nice catch! I also wondered how he saw it if he died in 1966. It seems he did a little world tour of certain places he wanted to see once he knew he was sick.

[@VladislavBabbitt]

Many adult people born in Montréal do not even know that this nor the Olympic Games of 1976 took place in their own city.

[@SuperIronDan]

And now they take more time on fixing a single tunnel

[@rocobruno]

Magnificent

[@exiledzebra8740]

Man I can't believe I'm looking at Montreal, I feel like this was the height of the city which is now a shadow of itself

[@DiscoverMontréal]

People seem to ignore the parking lots that made up much of the downtown core back in 1967. Montreal is in far greater shape today than ever before.

[@joeldelamirande5792]

What the story why the dome burnt

[@fredthomson2384]

Canada at it’s peak. In 2024 that’s rather obvious.

[@richardblais5232]

Canadian history, is French-Canadian history ...

[@daveyboy_]

My family told me that all they remember was the lineups

[@klezmorim]

Great documentary although I wish something was said about how little was done to preserve all that cool,architecture. Nowadays, of the 90 pavilions, only a handful still stand. Mots of it was simply abandoned and left to rot until it was demolished in the 90's.

[@DiscoverMontréal]

Towards the end it’s briefly explained, none of the pavilions were built to last unfortunately as is the case with most World Fair sites, but some did avoid the wrecking ball!

[@deafviolinist]

this the most Canadian thing since that time Mike Bullard filled in for goalie in that lacrosse game with those french Canadian singing nuns