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The Queen City Exhibition (QCX) is a lot more than just yummy food and crazy rides.
It’s about the memories made with our loved ones.
This rings true for Rollie Bourassa, one of the coordinators of memory lane at QCX.
“It’s memories and the people, a lot of them have passed away,” he said. “It was just a part of the community. Everyone was involved. I could talk forever on some of this stuff.”
Some of the artwork at the Memory Lane display at the Queen City Exhibition. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)
Bourassa has been with the fair for over 60 years, a lot has changed since 1963.
“Everything just evolved,” he said. “I stayed on, stayed on. One of my favourite things was we had costume contests. At Buffalo Days we had a big party at noon hour in the park to keep people away from here while they were setting up the big rides and everything.”
A Buffalo Days poster from 1992. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)
Buffalo Days was the name of the fair for a 42 year run from 1967 to 2009. In 2009, the fair shifted to it’s more commonly known QCX branding.
The Buffalo Days mascot was Pemmican Pete.
Bourassa brought this character to life when he met a man named Tom Doucette.
“There was this one little man with a big beard,” he said. “I saw him and after the fair was over I phoned the lady that was in charge of the costume committee and I said, ‘I saw that fella dressed as a coureur des bois with an arrow through his hat. Have you got his phone number?’
She said yes so she gave it to me and his name was Tom Doucette. I phoned him because I was building a float that was going to the Grey Cup in Toronto. I said, ‘I got an idea I’d like to pass onto you.’ We had a float and we had this big buffalo on it and we put a saddle on it and we wanted somebody to ride it. We thought this guy would be great.”
Pemmican Pearl and Pemmican Pete, aka Tom Doucette at a unknown year of Buffalo Days. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)
It didn’t take much convincing from Bourassa to get Doucette on board. But the next time the pair met, there was a slight problem.
Doucette was clean shaven.
“I said, ‘Oh no!’ He said, ‘What’s the matter?’ And I said, ‘I wanted a guy with a big beard.’ He said, ‘When do you need the beard?’ I said, ‘In November.’ He told me he’d have one (by then),” Bourassa said with a laugh.
And sure enough that beard was back in time. It became part of Doucette’s signature look, and there is a display at memory lane in his honour.
A close up shot of Tom Doucette’s handmade outfit with vintage pins. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)
“That’s one of the features that I would say is one of my favourites because he was so good,” Bourassa said.
“He was a fabulous artist. His leather work was unbelievable. Some of his outfits are here. His belt buckles and hats with the arrows through it.”
Other parts of the exhibit highlight costumes, collectors pins, old news clippings, photos and more.
“It’s as far back as we could find of photos and archives,” Bourassa said. “It’s anything related to the exhibition over the years.”
Bourassa got help from eight of his friends who had worked on the grounds for years to assemble the exhibition.
“I hope people will enjoy it,” he said.
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The memory lane display showcases 140 years of QCX history. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)
A highlight of memory lane is the display for Tom Doucette, aka Pemmican Pete. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)
Pemmican Pete and Pemmican Pearl pose for a photo at Buffalo Days 1979. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)
Rollie Bourassa has very fond memories of the exhibition over the years. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)
The artwork depicts memories from exhibitions of the past. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)
From pre and post Buffalo Days, memory lane has it all. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)