For anyone that either lives in or grew up around the Greater Toronto Area, the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) was one of if not the most anticpated annual event of the year. For 135 years now, the annual fair which is Canada’s largest and one of the top 10 exhibitions in North America has been the symbolic segway between summer and fall. Located in the heart of Toronto on the shores of Lake Ontario, the CNE begins today for it’s annual run and continues daily until Labour Day.
With it’s origins as an agricultural fair that celebrated the harvest, much has changed since it first was held in 1879. As CNE General Manager David Bednar puts it, “It’s now become more of a community gathering place” and based on the 1.4 million people who attended the 2012 fair, his assessment isn’t too far off the mark.
While agriculture remains an integral component of the CNE, it has grown exponentially to include culture, music, commerce, attractions, and yes…food.
Growing up as a child I lived perhaps 20 minutes from the CNE grounds and I remember how each summer I eagerly anticipated the beginning of ‘The Ex’. While the midway of my childhood has little resemblance to the midway of today, there are still plenty of thrill seeking opportunities for people to enjoy.
New this year is the massive ZipLine, which is sponsored by PC Finanicial. The Zipline which rises 126 feet above the ground via a massive scaffold, takes participants on an 1,100 feet thrill ride over the midway. I’m told it’s the largest urban ZipLine ever done in Canada and during the media preview the other day, I had a chance to give it a try myself. This video shows you what it feels (and sounds) like to give it a whirl:
Entertainment continues to always a big component of the CNE. As a teenager I worked as an usher at the CNE Granstand and saw concerts from Springsteen to Def Leppard to Sade to Bill Cosby. Today the Grandstand is gone but the Bandshell remains and many concerts are scheduled including The Proclaimers, The Beach Boys, Dragonnette with Dirty Radio, Frankie Avalon, Walk Off The Earth and more. Also throughout the CNE will be various buskers performing, and for the first time since 1966, The Flying Wallendas will be making daily appearances outside the Direct Energy Centre. The famous tightwalking family gave us a brief demo during media day and it was definitely something everyone should check out if you plan to visit.
While there is much about the CNE that my inner 8 year old can still get excited about, my modern day Environmentalist self has plenty of reasons to be excited as well.
For the past three consecutive fairs, the CNE has been awarded Eco Logo certification, confirming it as the “greenest” fair in North America and the most “environmentally friendly” large scale event on the continent.
I spoke to both CNE General Manager David Bednar and Lindsay Auvinen, Environmental Sustainability Coordinator for the CNE about the initiatives they undertake to earn this moniker, and I found their answers to be rather impressive.
Mr. Bednar advised that their strategy is divided into two main components, that being energy conservation and waste diversion. From a waste perspective, I was informed that in 2012 the CNE managed to divert an impressive 82.8% of all their waste from going to landfill. Through approaches like using compostable table wear by food vendors and making recycling and compost disposal units available throughout the grounds, they have been able to keep most of their waste out of landfill and into either recycling or compost streams.
Energy conservation can be more of a challenge, but Mr. Bednar noted that through the active participation of their partners including North American Midway Entertainment, who supply the rides and attractions, the results continue to grow. North American has installed LED lighting on all of their rides as one example, thus reducing energy usage substantially. The CNE also has a firm policy that marquee lights cannot be turned on until after 6PM.
Transportation is yet another significant aspect of the CNE. Mr Bednar noted that “Most theme parks are car centred”, which if you’ve been to Canada’s Wonderland or the vast majority of other similar parks, is a fact you can easily agree with. What’s unique about the CNE is that it’s located right in the midst of the city, and is directly connected to both the TTC and GO Transit. Mr. Bednar also pointed out that the CNE provides bicycle parking and lock ups and even has many community outreach programs and incentives that promote pedestrian visits from the tens of thousands of residents who live within walking distance of the grounds. He said that the modal split of the CNE between autos and non autos is about 50/50 and they are always looking to improve that.
Of particular interest to me was the fact that there was an Electric Vehicle charging station located in the underground parking at the Direct Energy Centre. As I am currently driving a Toyota Prius Plug In Hybrid this week for an upcoming Enviro Dad Test Drive review, I took full advantage of the opporutnity to “fuel up” the car while I was filling up on food and attractions.
With 135 years of history to reflect upon, a host of new thrills, entertainment options and gastronomic indulgences to rely upon, and a prominent eco-friendly approach to boast about, the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto seems poised to hold onto it’s position as both an eventful and responsible seasonal transition for millions.
With that in mind I think it’s safe to conclude that both my inner 8 year old and my envirnonmental activist self are equally excited by the prospect.
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