Happy 40th anniversary, Expo 67!

40 years ago tomorrow, Expo 67 opened its doors to visitors from around the world. Man And His World (or Terre des hommes in French, named after the novel by Antoine de St-Exupéry) was a great showcase for Montreal. Although the Expo grounds are a shadow of its glorious past, some legacy persists.

First, there's the métro. Our subway system was built first and foremost with the Expo in mind. Interestingly, in 2 days, the official opening of the 3 new Laval stations (the first new stations in 20 years -- the last batch of stations completing the Blue and Orange lines were inaugurated in 1986-1988).

La Ronde, our own theme park, still stands after all these years. With time, it underwent many changes (especially since its purchase by Six Flags), but the Ferris Wheel can still be seen from Notre-Dame street and Jacques-Cartier Bridge. The mini-rail is still there, although it's now confined to La Ronde.

The French pavilion now houses the Montreal Casino and the US pavilion (yes, that big spherical structure that still stands as the symbol of Expo 67) is now an ecological museum called the Biosphère.

Above all, the Expo brought international visibility to Montreal and it represented the start of a decade of grandeur that ended with the 1976 Olympics.

Incidentally, various activities are planned this summer to commemorate the Expo's 40th anniversary.

The CBC's website also has some vintage videos about Expo 67.