Often
mistakenly called the "Princess Gates",
the Princes' Gates were officially opened
by two English princes: H.R.H. Edward,
Prince of Wales, and Prince George on
August 31, 1927, during that year's CNE.
They were built to celebrate Canada's
60th anniversary after Confederation,
and were originally to be called "The
Diamond Jubilee of Confederation Gates",
but the name was changed when it was found
that the Princes were touring Canada the
year of its dedication. First to pass
through the gate was a Veterans Parade,
a tradition which later became the annual
Warriors' Day Parade. The gates are made
of a mix of stone and concrete. The statue
at the top of the arch is the "Goddess
of Winged Victory", an interpretation
of the original Winged Victory of Samothrace,
designed by architect Alfred Chapman and
carved by Charles McKechnie.
In
her hand she holds a single maple leaf,
a symbol of Canada. There are nine pillars
to either side of the main arch, each
representing a founding province of Canada.
Flanking the central arch are various
figures representing progress, industry,
agriculture, arts and science. The gates
were designed by the architectural firm
Chapman & Oxley in the Beaux-Art style.
During the fall of 1986 the Winged Victory
statue was taken down and found be seriously
deteriorating. It was subsequently replaced
by a glass-reinforced polymer plastic
copy in 1987, designed to withstand the
elements for over a century. That same
year the gates officially became a listed
building under the Ontario Heritage Act.
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