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Exhibition Place is on the Toronto's lakeshore a few kilometers west from what might be considered downtown Toronto. Every August the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) is held here with games and a midway being the primary attraction.
The eastern entrance to the place is marked by the Princes' Gates a beautiful structure that was named after H.R.H. Edward, Prince of Wales and his brother, Prince George, who visited in 1927. The Gates were originally to be named "The Diamond Jubilee of Confederation Gates" in honour of the 60th anniversary of Canadian confederation. The proposed name was changed when CNE officials learned of the princes' tour of Canada.
Exhibition Place is probably as old as the Ex, which dates back to the 1880s. There has been many things built to the area over the years including the Food Building, Horse Palace, Automotive Building, a Marine Museum and a Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament. The area was also home to the Hockey Hall of Fame from 1961-1993 and now serves as the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame.
During the Second World War the CNE became Toronto's main training grounds.
In the early 1970s a permanent amusement park called Ontario Place was built at the southern end of the Place. It features more kiddy rides than say your typical roller coasters and it was also home to Canada's famous warship the HMCS Haida until 2003 when it was moved to Hamilton.
The "Ex" Place was also home to Exhibition Stadium, which was built in the late 1800s and was re-modelled over the years. It served as home to the CFL's Toronto Argonauts between 1958-1988 and the Toronto Blue Jays (AL) between 1977-1989. The two teams left for SkyDome in 1989. After it lost most outdoor concerts to the nearby Molson Amphitheatre at Ontario Place, its usefulness was at an end. The stadium was demolished in 1999 and now serves as parking.
The late 1990s however saw a new building being built on the "Ex." The National Trade Centre at Exhibition Place hosts large trade shows and an adjoining facility called Ricoh Coliseum was re-modelled in 2004 from the old, worn down coliseum to host the Toronto Roadrunners of the AHL.
There is a GO Transit stop called Exhibition that is at the grounds and a streetcar loop that connects the Ex with the Toronto subway system's Bathurst and Union Station stops.
Exhibition Place is also home to the WindShare wind turbine. It is also home to an annual CART race.
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