I went to elementary school in Burnaby from 1958-65 & on the last day of the school year the teachers would give us a free pass to be used at for PNE which were only good on Mondays, “Children’s Day” Hot Dogs & Pop were only 10 cents each in the Food Building on Children’s Day.
I remember several decades ago. I lived in a nearby town and we would get free passes to the PNE from our school some years. Some summers we used the free passes. I think the passes to get in was to drum up more business for them. I regret the last time I went there as a teenager I spent the majority of my time in the arcade. The time before that my uncle waved down the operator of the pirate ship ride because I was turning green and trying not to pass out. Also miss the old wooden roller coaster ride that was there. Not sure if that's still operational or there. Used to make a lot of clacking noises as you went along on it.
To see this "race of the century" live at a time before video tape recorders existed, was quite an amazing thing for people in North America. On the same broadcast, Jim Peters came into the stadium just half a lap from the finish of the marathon, at world-record pace. But he'd depleted his hydration and electrolytes to the point that he collapsed and couldn't finish. This event brought the beginning of providing water stations along marathon courses and the development of sports drinks to replenish electrolytes.
Ah yes, I remember how the carnies would scam us kids out of our nickels and dimes We discovered one ride called the loop de loop would turn riders upside down letting coins spill out landing under the ride which we would scoop up once the ride started causing the ride operator to cuss loudly while he couldn't stop the ride. Good times.
At 00:28 the Castle Hotel (Gay Bar)is in the back ground. When we were young (underage) we would sneak in and suck up to some old guys. They would buy us drinks and what ever other substances we wanted. Then at closing time head off home.
