World's Fair

This week, on April 22 was fifty years ago that the New York World's Fair opened in Flushing Meadows Park. That was in 1964, a lifetime ago.

There were some remembrances on that day in the Park with people who were involved or were interested in this event.

I did not go to this event for two reasons. I did not know about it and then I really don't like these gettogethers.

Even though, I could have gone since I did work on the construction of the 1964 Fair and then before the opening in 1965 the second year.

I had a great time there during the construction. I worked on the construction of one of the pavilions. It was called the Festival of Gas. Its main exhibit was showing how natural gas can be used to generate electricity. I had nothing to do with that but I was the construction engineer for the construction itself. I was involved from foundation to past opening day.

There were many days when I almost froze of my yingyang it was so cold but I made it through. End this was my first job where I was the engineer on the construction site.

It was extremely interesting to see how the entire World's Fair became a reality, hot the exhibits got built and at the end they all functioned as planned.

Towards the end we the workers were allowed to go in the various exhibits and see them without the throngs of tourists present.

If I don't forget it next time I'll tell how I met Robert Moses.

Since I was an employee I had a pass and that way I was able to visit the Fair throughout the whole time.

After they closed my company put me back into the Fair because they were to build the Florida Water Ski exhibit.

This was a steel framed container with stadium seating around it where the were holding water skiing demonstrations. I liked this job, too. It was very interesting. Didn't last as long as the first one because this exhibit had to be ready for the second year opening. But we did it.

The sad reality about the whole thing is that everything I worked on were not meant to be permanent. They had to be demolished and totally removed.

All I am left with is some mementos and my memories. Just like life itself.