User:Alaney2k/Better Living Centre

Better Living Centre
General information
Town or city	Toronto
Country	Canada
Opened	August 17, 1962
Cost	CA$3 million
Owner	City of Toronto government
Technical details
Floor area	200,000 square feet (19,000 m2)

The Better Living Centre is an exhibits building at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is used by the Canadian National Exhibition. In the past, it has been the space used to introduce new commercial products. It is now used by the CNE for agricultural exhibits and is used at other times for parking and other purposes.

Construction

On January 3, 1961, the 1902 Manufacturer's Building and the adjoining Hemstead Restaurant (the former Women's Building) were destroyed by fire. Almost immediately the City of Toronto government made plans for its replacement. On April 15, 1961 a new "Home Furnishing and Appliance" Building was announced and approved by the City's Civic Committee. It was designed to replace both the Manufacturers' Building and the General Exhibits Building, which was demolished later that year.

The new Better Living Centre opened in time for the 1962 Canadian National Exhibition (CNE). It was opened on August 17, 1962, by Toronto Mayor Nathan Phillips. At the time it was considered the "largest single exhibit building in North America."