▁comm enced ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 2 1 . ▁The ▁corner stone ▁was ▁laid ▁by ▁Toronto ▁Mayor ▁Thomas ▁Church ▁on ▁July ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 9 2 1 ▁and ▁Robert ▁F lem ing , ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Canadian ▁National ▁Ex hib ition ▁( C NE ) ▁declared ▁that ▁the ▁building ▁would ▁be ▁the ▁largest ▁of ▁its ▁kind ▁in ▁the ▁world , ▁with ▁a ▁floor ▁space ▁of ▁. ▁ ▁The ▁Fair ▁Association ▁had ▁hoped ▁for ▁the ▁ar ena ▁to ▁be ▁open ▁by ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁ 1 9 2 1 ▁to ▁inaugur ate ▁the ▁new ▁fair , ▁but ▁it ▁was ▁not ▁ready . ▁The ▁ ▁million ▁( ▁in ▁ ▁dollars ) ▁building ▁had ▁its ▁official ▁public ▁opening ▁on ▁December ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 9 2 1 , ▁attended ▁by ▁ 5 , 0 0 0 ▁persons ▁to ▁see ▁an ▁athlet ic ▁meet ▁put ▁on ▁by ▁the ▁" S ports men ▁Patri otic ▁Association ." ▁ ▁Upon ▁completion , ▁the ▁building ▁was ▁bil led ▁as ▁the ▁largest ▁of ▁its ▁kind ▁in ▁North ▁America . ▁The ▁name ▁" Col ise um " ▁was ▁given ▁to ▁the ▁building ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 2 , ▁in ▁time ▁for ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁the ▁C NE . ▁The ▁main ▁entrance ▁was ▁to ▁the ▁north , ▁along ▁Man it oba ▁Drive . ▁The ▁southern ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁building ▁was ▁along ▁the ▁main ▁T TC ▁street car ▁rail ▁lines ▁serving ▁the ▁C NE , ▁which ▁separated ▁the ▁Col ise um ▁and ▁Indust ry ▁Build ings ▁to