In the summer of 1967, Canada celebrated its one hundredth birthday
with an international exposition in Montreal – Expo ’67. While
John Whelan titles his site (http://expo67.ncf.ca/index.html) a photo
collection, it is much more. In addition to the promised
photographs, he brings together information, music, new links and, most
importantly memories, of that celebration.
Whelan has gone to a great deal of trouble to make his site more than a
photo album, starting with a list of important events in the first one
hundred years of Canada’s history as a nation. The text of Prime
Minister Lester Pearson’s opening speech is produced here, along with a
message from Secretary of State, Judy LaMarsh. A selection of
news articles about the exposition is also provided. So, too, is
an explanation of the theme of the exposition – Man and his World – and
the logo.
Whelan also lists some interesting details about the event, which ran
from 28 April to 27 October 1967. For instance, the site covered
about a thousand acres, including two man-made islands – Notre-Dame and
Ile Sainte-Helene – built on the St. Lawrence River. Some
50,306,648 visitors came through the gates. About five thousand
movies were shown at the various pavilions. The cost? A mere
billion dollars.
Technology has moved along since Canada’s centenary, allowing browsers
to listen to the songs that were on the lips of Canadians in
1967. Bobby Gimby’s unofficial anthem, Ca-na-da, is sure to bring
a smile of remembrance to baby-boomers and their parents.
Ontarians will remember A Place to Stand (Ontar-i-ar-i-ar-io).
The official song - Hey Friend, Say Friend – sounds just as good today
as it did then, in either official language. The site provides
the opportunity not just to look at pictures, but also to listen to the
sounds of Expo ’67 using either the Sonologue recording narrated by
Paul Reid or by using the link to the CBC archives.
There are also some current links, including one to the Expo 2005
Canada site, which provides information about and pictures of the
Canadian Pavilian at Expo 2005 in Aichi, Japan. There is also a
link out to a Concordia University site looking at Expo ’67
architecture; if you look at the photos of some of the pavilions and
themes and sculptures available on Whelan’s site, you will understand
why.
The splendid pictures filling this site will provide the user with a
joyous walk down memory lane. During the walk, he may also learn
a little more about Expo ’67 than he did at the time. For those
unfortunate enough not to have been born, this is your chance to see
what you missed.