Organizers worry Ford government parking garage could throw CNE into ‘turmoil’
Global News
The arrival of the middle of August brings about the Canadian National Exhibition with crazy food and wild carnival rides. But plans for a parking garage could mar future events.
As the parking lots and buildings at Exhibition Place transform into one of Toronto’s biggest festivals for the annual Canadian National Exhibition, there are growing concerns a provincially-led redevelopment could limit future celebrations.
The arrival of the middle of August means the dawn of the CNE, its crazy food options, wild carnival rides and the unofficial end of summer.
A cloud has been cast over the annual celebrations this year, however, as organizers worry potential plans to build a parking lot for a future spa, science centre and concert venue at Ontario Place could impact CNE festivities in years to come.
“East-west pedestrian flow is fundamental to our success. If we get to a point where it’s too compressed, that can’t happen anymore and that can really throw our event into turmoil,” Darrell Brown, CEO of the CNE Association told Global News.
“This is supposed to be a community gathering place, it’s supposed to be a place where we can enjoy one another and put on major events. Taking … a five-storey parkade and plunking it on these grounds is really a violation of what these grounds are all about.”
Fears a massive parking garage could appear in the middle of the CNE grounds have grown in recent weeks.
As part of its controversial plans to redevelop Ontario Place, the Ford government has committed to building a parking lot close to the waterfront attraction. That parking garage was originally meant to be tunnelled underground beside the lake, steps from a privately run spa.
At the end of 2023, Ontario’s auditor general revealed the government was contractually obligated to build the parking lot within 650 metres of the private spa planned for Ontario Place — or face financial penalties if it failed to do so.
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