Date: 1906
Origin: CNE Archives
Press Building is to the left; Art Gallery to the right.
The Press Building, which was constructed in 1905, celebrates its 115th Birthday in 2020. It was the first in a series of structures designed by architect G.W. Gouinlock for the Canadian National Exhibition. Smaller in scale than Gouinlock’s later creations, the Press Building exemplifies Gouinlock’s preference for the Beaux-Arts style of architecture. Highly decorative, the exterior of the Press Building features ornate metalwork and imitation rusticated stone. In its positioning, the Press Building establishes a formal edge to the open plaza to the south; a plaza which originally had as its centerpiece the Gooderham Fountain, also designed by Gouinlock. The Gooderham Fountain was replaced by the Princess Margaret Fountain in 1958. The Press Building was originally known as the Administrative Building and housed the offices of the CNE Association from 1905 until 1957. It then became headquarters for the media during the annual fair, hence the new name, Press Building. From the Press Building, communications concerning CNE events and activities were sent via telephone and teletype to newspapers and press services across the nation. The Press Building is now once again home to the CNE’s Administrative Offices.