As I mentioned in previous posts, I live down near the waterfront, so for the last three days I’ve been given a taste of what a possible American invasion would sound and look like — courtesy of the CNE’s air show. I’ve been constantly asked, “What’s it like to be so close to the air show?” I usually answer that it’s surreal and there is nothing to compare it to: how often can I look out my window and watch a fighter jet scream by? How often can I watch my curtains shake from sound? My newly acquired kitten presses against my legs and looks up with a WTF look whenever the air starts to shake (Also read Shawn Micallef’s post from the other day about the air show).
I certainly have my own opinion on the event, but I’m curious what level of appreciation or disdain Spacing readers have for the air show.
photo by Appie
32 comments
I also live on the lakeshore, although probably further away than you (Royal York).
I quite like it, but then I’m really into planes. The main annoyance for me is that my son pipes up every 10 minutes “daddy, airpwyanes.” (he’s three) A few days of that would grate on anybody.
I live on the waterfront too and to me these events are annoying but after years I’ve just gotten use to it. Like the sounds of Carabana, the grand prix or a concert at Molson amptheatre the other events that do good to this city you just get use to it living here -_-
I appreciate the technological marvel that these planes are. It really can be an amazing sight.
I just wonder if its worth it anymore. Do we really need to fly war planes over the lake? For what? I can really wrap my head around it.
The Molson Indy is another one of those horrible events, but at least its a race, there’s a winner, etc. The air show just seems like something out of the 1950s or a show of Cold War chest-thumping.
And the traffic jams…. Lake Shore is blocked for the entire afternoon with idling cars. And then the parks being used as parking lots so we can watch planes….
Like I said, I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around the meaning and usefulness of the show. The only thing I can think of is that it attracts lots of people, but even then its free, so there is little benefit to the CNE or surrounding neghbourhoods.
I have lived near it all my life and have loved it. But over the past few years the amount of civilian and historical aviation has decreased leaving mostly military hardware. (And in that case 2 F-18s and an F-16 in the same show is a bit boring. ) I dont have a problem with the military aspect but the joy of aviation part seems to have been lost.
I have decided to switch to seeing shows at small facilities where you you can actually see the pilot and maybe even meet the pilot.
And for the 44th time in my life I see jets fly over my house lower than 10 stories and wonder why they fly over the city at all instead of the lake.
How about we just get rid of any activities in the city which generate any kind of noise or traffic or other minor and temporary inconvenience so we can all pretend we live out in the country side? …beats admiting that you live in a major city and having to deal with that fact, right?
Rajio > I understand your sentiment, but I think your off-base on this topic. There is nothing specific about an air show that helps elevate it to a “major city”.
There are moral questions about flying military places over our skies. There are pollution concerns about the noise and air quality.
I live right beside the Gardiner Expressway and the 4 rail lines. I have constant noise being thrown into my place. I am not complaining one iota about that becuz I understand I live in a major city. The Gardiner is permanent and part of our city. The air show is an event that can be cancelled on a whim if someone decides to do so.
And your answer, quite possibly, backs my POV up: you give no reason for it other than it already exists. If you like it I’d like to know why instead of a flippant remark.
There are moral questions about everything. I wish we lived in a world without armies but that isnt going to happen.
What is the tradeoff between glorifying the miltary as a way to solve things vs. pretending the world isnt a place with stuff that can attack you? Personally I have a hard time deciding that one. Maybe if the planes could fire off the odd Hellfire Missle pople might realize that this stuff has real consequences and that might lead them to decide that they dont want to be responsible for it happening to others.
Regardless, the air show happens because it is popular and essentially free.
I live in Parkdale just north of Queen and I’m with most of the other folks here – it’s annoying to have the world drowned out by fly-bys all afternoon, but it’s okay to put up with one weekend a year.
Come Caribana I’m one of those fools making all the noise so I can’t really hate. . .
Whatever one’s political feelings about the military surely the fact that thousands of people–many of them locals–enjoy the air show and make a point of going to see it militates strongly in its favour. Let’s face it: even after 100-odd years of aviation, airplanes are still amazing machines, whether they’re designed for carrying stuff/people or bombing things. The air show is good fun and I honestly don’t find the noise that bad–if you live in an area under one of the major flight-paths into Pearson the aggregate noise level is not much higher, though the engines of military planes sound quite different. Admittedly it’s somewhat worse along the lakeshore.
Matt B, what are the moral questions about flying military planes over our skies? The Canadian military is hardly an immoral organization in its major commitments. And while lots of people have quite justifiable reservations about the American military let’s not forget that, in extremis, we would all be depending on it and its planes to save our collective bacon, so I don’t see the harm in marveling at how incredible they are as pieces of engineering.
Also bears mentioning that many of the air show aircraft are non-military.
Flight is beautiful and amazing, that’s all. There are plenty of reasons to dislike airshows, for the chest-thumping referenced above, but I remain in some kind of state of wonder at what humans have achieved. And that’s all airshows are about for me, and probably lots of people who watch them.
Why don’t I like it? It creates noise pollution, air pollution, it is a huge waste of natural resources, it glorifies militarism, it risks lives unnecessarily (all we need is an accident above the city). Also, what does an event such as this cost? Couldn’t that money be better spent? Finally, hearing the sound of warplanes above my city creeps me out just thinking about what that sound means to people who have been bombed before. What must it be like for Torontonians who have experienced war?
That said, I have to admit, I think it does stimulate one’s “animal brain” as Michelle mentioned out in a “flight – pretty!” sort of way.
*Yawn* all you lefties need to give it a rest and enjoy the show.
I’m a downtown resident who’s no fan of the airshow (or the Indy). Of course, I have my own set of favourite dispruptive downtown festivals, and it might be hypocritical to complain about this particular one. I think what bothers me about the airshow is the colossal noise involved – it basically made anything outdoors in the downtown unlivable for much of the past three days. That’s tens (hundreds?) of thousands of people being annoyed by this event, for the enjoyment of a few.
Sure, street closures annoy many people too – but you have a choice: you can take transit, or you can go around the festival. And the biggest ones (Caribana) have much larger audiences than the airshow. With the airshow, there’s nothing you can do but close the windows (if you have A/C) or stay away from your home for the entire long weekend.
*Sigh*
This argument reeks of the same smug righteousness previously reserved for people that
a) move into new townhouses in partially deindustrialized areas and complain about remaining industrial activity
b) Move into the entertainment district and complain about obnoxious party-goers.
I disagree Andrew. The air show is not a permanent fixture like clubs are in the club district. You can make it go away. I don’t hear the local people in parkdale complaining about the CNE or people on the waterfront complaining about the concerts at Harbourfront. Those are understood arrangements. But the air show is a fixture only in spirit and can be retired if the City sees fit.
I’m not siding with anyone is the argument (I voted I can live with it) but this is a valid discussion. Maybe two days instead of three. Maybe one day-long show instead of a weekend. Its worth discussing these things and not belitting others because they see things differently.
I live by on the Queensway near High Park and it’s absolutely amazing seeing an F18 soar above you and disappear only to see it moments later screaming around the building you stand next to. What noise is heard is TOTALLY worth it.
I fluctuate between Michelle’s fascination and the sentiment that it’s unnecessary.
Andrew and tdotg: I think the conversation about the airshow here isn’t shrill, so I don’t understand why you’re trying to push it in a polemic direction.
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My position is when it’s around, I look at it and say “wow” with everybody else at certain parts (though most of it seemed kind of boring — nothing happening). It’s interesting, but when I deconstruct it, it seems sort of absurd.. On the beach yesterday though, somebody in our party said their Croatian friend will get as far away from downtown as possible during the show because it reminds of of being in Croatia in the early 90s.
I love it, and though it might annoy quite a few people, I would have to say that the majority of people I was around this weekend were jumping to the windows all weekend to try and catch a peek at what was flying by at the time. Not to mention the thousands of people I saw stopped on sidewalks and bridges close to the waterfront watching in amazement.
Also, think of the children. I know what I was a kid growing up, I would jump at the chance to see anything flying so giving something families can enjoy together is something I support.
I sort of agree with your sentiment, but can’t families enjoy just about anything together? Or, isn’t that how it should be?
In my view, the idea of “family” is diminished considerably when “family” activities are (or have to be) prescribed. If the family is not dysfunctional, they don’t need an airshow. They don’t need anything. They can find happiness in anything. A MASH rerun, a walk in High Park, a trip to Yosemite, maybe the Airshow….
Using “family” here makes me sad about the state of “the family” today (if in fact “the family” can be used as an airshow, or an anthing, justification).
The items you mentioned can be done for the other 362 days of the year. Are you saying that a family is dysfunctional if they take kids to see airplanes they would never get to normally see?
No no, not at all. The most happy and functional family can take their kids to see the airshow and be completely functional and happy afterwards.
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My “objection” (though that sounds too strong) to your “think of the children” argument is that families shouldn’t need an airshow, or anything, to be happy. There is an entire world of things for them to do, and none of those things (MASH reruns, etc etc, airshow included) should rest their reason-for-being on being “something a family can enjoy”. If it is used as a justification for something like the airshow, then as I said, it seems to diminish the idea of the family. The idea of family is, I think, more sacred.
The two shouldn’t be linked so….much (that is, their reason-for-being).
Ha — I just saw this post over on our Spacing Votes site.
The Liberals want to name a holiday “Family Day” — that, and “Highway of Heroes” are such terrible ideas. Both families, and soldiers who have died abroad, deserve more intelligence than both those trite phrases.
Who let these animals alone with the language?
I can live with the air show, but they need to be more responsible what manoeuvers they allow the planes to do.
I work in Liberty Village. At one point during Friday’s festivities, what I can only characterize as a sudden explosion noise sounded from directly overhead. I actually jumped up, accidentially kicked my chair out from under me, and landed on the floor. I was sure something exploded at Canada Bread.
Within 30 seconds I was yelling at the Ex’s media relations person. Hi, Jenny. Hope you’re reading this. You never called me back.
Most plane moves involve a steadily mounting roar, and those are easy to file away as random noise. This was quite different, and in my opinion, fairly irresponsible.
Otherwise, I’m glad to see another great use for the waterfront, with the proviso that the subtext of the show is that the lake is a stage to be performed on (or above) rather than something that we can make our own by being in. But that’s a pretty minor quibble.
I feel both disdain and appreciation for the air show. It impressed my 5-year old son as we waited at the gates to the CNE, and things that make him happy are a sure way to my heart. Most interesting to me, though, is the way I can both like and dislike this one thing at the same time.
I think there’s some validity in the argument that people should be aware of the neighbourhoods they choose to move to. I live near the Danforth, and put up with Taste of the Danforth every year (which also stirs up ambivalent feelings in me).
I *love* the airshow. Why? Here’s the poem that expresses it best:
High Flight
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds – and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of – wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,
I’ve topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew –
And, while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.
Pilot Officer Gillespie Magee
No 412 squadron, RCAF
Killed 11 December 1941
And all those that are complaining about it would probably complain of the smell of pig shit if they moved to the country.
Get real. Plane and simple, it’s just pretty damn cool to see a jet snarl by at 800 kajillion kph 4 storeys off the ground in an urban area.
And any one of you would jump at the chance to take a ride in one of those things. Right?
I find it odd that some of the people who support the Air Show are very insulting to the those who oppose it. Especially the comment about the Lefties questioning the validity of the show. If, for some reason, its a derogatory insult to be a Lefty (who, in this case, are thinking about the consequences the show has on the environment and quality of life of the surrounding neighbourhoods) than what does it say about the Righties? That they don’t care about those things?
That’s the problem when people easily politicize a discussion. It seems like lots of Lefties have commented in favour of the air show, while those who have an affinity for the show have also stated that they can understand why others don’t like it. Then there are the few who try to distill it down to an Us vs. Them. Like poll’s four options, there are more than two sides to this discussion and its always disappointing to see a few commenters who want to simplify the issue to Fox News level.
I always think of an older friend who had panic attacks during the airshow. She lived in Japan during WWII and it brought back horrible memories. I imagine the city has many people who are reminded of their past experience with war during the airshow. Is it worth that suffering for the entertainment of others?
@Sarah – with respect the airshow is a couple of days a year on specified dates. If I had issues of that sort, and I don’t wish to downplay them, I would schedule out of town vacation in that period – as many people do when disruptive and less personally traumatic events are scheduled in their district.
I think the real problem with the air show is that there isn’t a static display – it’s just like a different kind of fireworks (a Toronto phenomenon which arguably traumatises as many people if not more, especially when kids fire them off in residential areas).
At Shannon about 10-15 years ago they had a huge US cargo plane with ramp lowered and nose raised which you could walk through, and you could get within 15-20 feet of the various displayed aircraft and chat to their crews.
I would love to see the Canadian Aerospace Museum moved to the Island Airport which could then provide a year-round educational complement to the annual airshow, not just in the realm of military aviation but firefighting, search and rescue, police patrol, medevac and so on.
The noise does put Porter’s in perspective though – I heard the passes yesterday through the windows of my office building which I never do with Porter even though we have partial line of sight to the airport.
I find the airshow is a display whose time has come and gone.
In these days of ecological consciousness it is just plain wrong to encourage the display of the waste of huge resources to .. impress? We are a much more sophisticated audience than when the airshow started and are not so impressed by jets flying in formation.
For each show there are thousands of hours of practice that we don’t see. A monumental waste.
Many of our immigrants see display of fighter planes as a painful reminder of what they escaped from.
Add to that the unpleasant and stressful noise, the pollution, the disturbed water birds (I just came back from the waterfront), terrified babies, terrorized dogs and cats all over the city.
As a taxpayer in Toronto I absolutely object to see my tax dollars go to a military spectacle of might that has no redeeming social value any more.
Give me museums, keep pools open, build skateboard parks. I don’t want a 3 day waste extravaganza aimed at showcasing military armament.
Christine, lots of people pay for lots of things out of tax dollars that they don’t like. Would you like other people to base their veto of skateboard parks on the taxes they pay?
In fact I don’t use skate parks at all nor do I know anyone who does. I just like my money to be spent on something that provides ongoing benefit, in that case a place for kids to safely exercise and develop whatever skills they want.
The airshow is not one of these things it is a grandiose spectacle that has an environmental cost that I resent participating in. As well I see no lasting benefit.
I gave up my car many years ago on ecological grounds, thus I find that the waste in the airshow goes against my fundamental beliefs.
As far as tax dollars going to things I don’t like, I understand that a democracy needs a balance. As a society we make choices and have to live with them. I fear the cost of having an air show is way beyond what I consider a good deal.