Vintage Film: 1964 Centre Island & The CNE - Toronto, Canada (Silent)

[@TheDeaconBlue]

Thanks for posting this; I was at the '64 CNE as a 6 year old. Back in the day, when for most families in our neighbourhood, a summer vacation away from home was practically unheard of, our annual trip to the CNE was a big deal. So the family (3 kids) and "Gramma" hopped into the old Austin Cambridge and headed up the 401 to Toronto from Galt (now Cambridge). We always parked somewhere under the Gardiner Expressway. And since my father was ex-RAF and an instructor at the local Air Cadet Sqn., we visited during the air show weekend. The RCAF in those days always put on a big show, a small part (a CF-101 Voodoo flypast, the C-130B with JATO demonstration, the T-33 Red Knight, and I believe the prototype DHC-5 Buffalo) being shown in the Airshow segment. I still have memories of the Argus flyby with the bomb bay doors open and the Flying Boxcar (which the Hercules eventually replaced), with it's distinctive 2 boom tail. One other trivial fact about the CNE '64, is that the Avro Lancaster (FM-104), that ended up sitting on the plinth outside the Prince's Gate for decades, was actually on display somewhere inside the CNE grounds, sitting on its landing gear. As a little tyke, I remember asking myself how could they have got this aircraft into the park; how could it fly in? Of course, years later, that mystery was solved. Thanks for the memories.

[@Sima47]

Lovely wasp Toronto nice and bright and white. Cool

[@PunchBuggyDreams]

I remember the Delta Wing aircraft flying over my street on Manning Ave that summer. I was only 8 but I thought it was a really cool, futuristic looking, flying machine. I loved the sights and the smells of the Midway in 64 and I think if I'm not mistaken, the remaining, living members of The Three Stooges performed there that summer. I also remember the game carnies were older, white men with striped shirts, striped, straw Jaxon hats and bow ties. Plus you could buy (or win) the most coolest prizes and toys. I loved going to the CNE back then.

[@brian13105]

Born and grew up at Springhurst & Jameson Ave's the EX was a huge part of my summers . My birthday was at the end of Aug. so I turned 13 that year . I would have gone to the Hockey Hall Of Fame several times that summer to watch the replay of the Stanly Cup Finals that they used to show each year upstairs { that hardly anyone knew about } and watch my beloved Leafs win their 3rd straight Cup . I now live in Swansea , not far from where I grew up but Toronto is barely recognizable from the peaceful law-abiding place where I grew up . But the fond memories are many , if somewhat bittersweet .

[@nickyalousakis3851]

the swings at centre island can you imagine these today? the airshow - look how close the planes are to spectators. the vulcan was a real treat.

[@KaspiansTravels]

Those swings are death machines. ...Bet (most) of the kids had a blast on them though! 😂

[@PunchBuggyDreams]

@@KaspiansTravels I know I did. I rode on them at Bellwood's Trinity Park, playground back then.

[@robertkeller7420]

I wasn't even born yet - 3 more years - 1967! Pictures of me in a baby carriage at Center Island - Watching this videos just makes me wonder where the time went.

[@KaspiansTravels]

I wasn't born either. That's my mom and dad's video and they didn't make me up until 1971.

[@PeterGonet]

I was 6 back then!

[@KaspiansTravels]

I wasn't born yet, but it's my mom eating a hotdog at 1:30. Everything looks so nice!

[@earlturner8174]

Wow. 1964 was right around the time that black and white transitioned to colour, and you can really see how excited everyone is about that.

[@Neville60001]

There has always been color 16mm film from the 1930's onward, IIRC.

[@earlturner8174]

@ thanks. It was just a poor attempt at humour. I can clearly see now that the happiness was from hearing sound for the first time

[@brian13105]

Glad you explained it cause it went over my head the first time but I got a laugh afterwards .

[@billsmith4153]

I was 4 moved to Richmond Hill. My mother always took Mr to Toronto to visit her friends

[@bskinny9009]

Nothing in Richmond Hill besides farms and Yonge/Major Mack.

[@argopunk]

Great stuff. Changes I could see: The Red Ensign was our flag; Maple Leaf came in '65. Permanent structures (rides and amusements) on the CNE midway, which were all torn down in the mid-80s, now it all folds up into trucks. I recall those swings still around in the 70s. Guys still uniformly wore their hair short (Beatlemania just kicking off in North America). And I was hard pressed to see fat people--now ubiquitous.

[@KaspiansTravels]

Good noticing, thanks! Someone else remarked that the planes in the air show flew much closer to the crowds than they do today. I'd never even thought of that.

[@PhilipRawbon-rk8uv]

I was at the air show back in the 60s...not sure what year?..the Blue Angels from the U.S. were doing their part of the show..one of them was doing a barrel roll to close to the water ..caught a wingtip an that was it for the poor guy..they then flew by us in the missing man formation..sad to see

[@KaspiansTravels]

Ersh... That's a crazy memory! Went for a good time, and you got a tragedy. Better than the poor guy in the cockpit though. 😟

[@elizabethhollowaye7494]

This air show predates the Snowbirds. Some of these planes, you don't see anymore, such as the Vulcan. The CNE began opening òn Sundays starting in 1968.

[@peterkelly6952]

So many people wearing white, sort of common sense in the summer. If you filmed it today all you would see would be "Black"!

[@KaspiansTravels]

I agree. Too much black. Black T-shirt and black hoodie is the uniform now, even in summer. People back then dressed up for a day at the carnival.

[@raymonddaviau4502]

Years before all the crime came , you know what i mean, 😂

[@lrmguitars1224]

The Canadian Airforce looks no different than today

[@commonsenserevolutionx1053]

Love the see exact film today, you'd think it was Karachi.