This cache was placed to commemorate the secondary, and longest running, location of the Lindsay Central Exhibition. A lot of memories were made here for the people of Lindsay, myself included, and I felt that the site needed some kind of recognition of this fact, so I honor its legacy with this cache.
A Brief History
The early records of the Lindsay Agricultural Society are not complete, however it is known that the fair was first organized as early as 1840, long before the town's incorporation. Their ideas would not come to fruition until 1854 however, when the first fair was held. Based on documented material in the town's records, it is indicated that the Society was granted suitable lands on which to conduct the fair in the George, Hamilton, and Albert Street South area (roughly where Maclind's Convenience Store stands today). The society was not particularily pleased with the location, and sold the land to the Whitby, Port Perry, and Lindsay Railway Company for $1300 (the former location of Trinity Taxi across from Maclinds used to be a station on this railway line, and remnants of the line itself remain in the form of bike trails to this day).
The New Location
In 1878, the Society purchased 8 acres of land off of Adelaide Street North which was extremely underdeveloped, and they erected the main building (which later became the Grandstand), a one-fifth mile oval racetrack, and stalls for show stock. Over the next century, the grounds had been enlarged to incorporate 37 acres, up to date buildings, and continued to be one of the most successful Ontario Exhibitions.
After it's opening in 1878, the fair would be held in this location for the next 128 years, until its final day of operation on Sunday September 24, 2006, which closed with the traditional demolition derby. In the coming months, the various buildings and structures would be torn down, the last of which being the Grandstand, which was finally torn down on April 16, 2007. This was to make way for new housing developments, which would not begin construction until many years later. Today, the site is lined with houses, which run the length of what used to be the midway, and rounds the bend where the Grandstand once stood.
The Grandstand two days before it was torn down
A view from the top
The Current Location
The Lindsay Central Exhibition would be moved to its new, and current location at 354 Angeline Street South, with the first exhibition opening on Wednesday September 19, 2007, despite the rampant fears of the new grounds not being ready on time. As of this cache listing, the Lindsay Central Exhibition has been running in its current home for 10 years, and for 163 years total since its inception in 1854.
The current fairgrounds
The Cache
The cache is located in a small park that used to house the carnival workers in the off-hours. Various rides would either be nearby or sometimes on the site, but it was mostly trailers at any given time. On the last day of operation, a ride called "Starship" sat nearby (a personal favourite of the CO!). While you are there, try to take yourself back, imagine the smell of the cotton candy, the gasoline from the generators, and just the general buzz of excitement in the air that fair time brought with it. Memories were made, and lives were changed at the Lindsay Central Exhibition.
Cache location on the last day of operation in 2006
Good luck, and happy caching!