Two AVROs...

[RogMason]

Scene in the photo: The Lancaster that stood on a plinth on the Lakeshore near Ontario Place and the full size mock up of the Arrow, both in what was the WWII DHC Mosquito production hangar at Downsview. 

Two AVROs. Taken in 2006.  A sight that we may not see again as politicians decided the Canadian Aerospace Museum, wasn't interesting or important enough, so they ousted the guys and their aeroplanes, in favour of a two rink hockey arena, which never got built after all.  Love hockey but surely there are plenty of other sites??  More to this story than meets the eye?

An update:  The Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA),  disagreed with the politicians and donated a piece of land between Runway 24L and Hwy 401, for a new museum.  All that is needed now, is for another generous individual or organization to donate a suitable building and presto, we again will have a Canadian Aerospace Museum.  In the meantime, all the aircraft and historic artifacts, have been dismantled and stored in containers, awaiting the day they can once again be seen by Canadians and visitors from around the world. (the visitors in the photo, is an ex WWII RAF fighter pilot and his wife).

[RogMason]

(Grammer)...visitors 'are', not 'is'.

BTW, the swiss cheese aluminium structure being worked on by the volunteer, is a pilot seat/floor assembly from a Lancaster used for target practice some years back.  The structure is peppered but the seat is sound and will replace the seat in the museum's Lancaster.
R

[vicwhit]

I loved that place. The Toronto Triumph Club would often have their meetings there so we got to enjoy seeing things get done.

The Arrow was especially interesting. Boo Diefenbaker. Where would aviation in Canada be today if it had carried on? What impact would the Arrow have made? It could have surpassed anything in production at the time.

So many of those talented people went on to develop space technology and landing men on the moon.

[RogMason]

That is what aviation buffs will always wonder Vic - 'What if..?'

It is such a shame, it was such a beautiful and promising aircraft.  HUGE too!!  Look at the one man Arrow compared to the 6 man Lancaster (comparison photo attached - and the Arrow is in the background!)