99-842: Railway Lands is an area in Downtown Toronto , Ontario , Canada. Originally a large railway switching yard near the Toronto waterfront , including the CNR Spadina Roundhouse and the CPR John Roundhouse , it has since been redeveloped and today is home to mostly mixed-used development, including the CN Tower and the Rogers Centre . The lands were owned and maintained by the Canadian National Railway and later transferred to
198-698: A boom in condominium construction in the first quarter of the 21st century , as well as the 2013 opening of the Ripley's Aquarium by the base of the tower. When the CN Tower opened in 1976, there were three public observation points: the SkyPod (then known as the Space Deck) that stands at 447 m (1,467 ft), the Indoor Observation Level (later named Indoor Lookout Level) at 346 m (1,135 ft), and
297-581: A taxicab window was shattered. Subsequently, on March 6, 2007, the Gardiner Expressway reopened after winds abated. On April 16, 2018, falling ice from the CN Tower punctured the roof of the nearby Rogers Centre stadium, causing the Toronto Blue Jays to postpone the game that day to the following day as a doubleheader ; this was the third doubleheader held at the Rogers Centre. On April 20 of
396-795: A building is that it has floors." The CN Tower and other similar structures—such as the Ostankino Tower in Moscow, Russia; the Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai , China; The Strat in Las Vegas , Nevada, United States; and the Eiffel Tower in Paris , France—are categorized as "towers", which are free-standing structures that may have observation decks and a few other habitable levels, but do not have floors from
495-588: A large development south of Front Street on the Railway Lands , a large railway switching yard that was being made redundant after the opening of the MacMillan Yard north of the city in 1965 (then known as Toronto Yard). Key project team members were NCK Engineering as structural engineer; John Andrews Architects ; Webb, Zerafa, Menkes, Housden Architects; Foundation Building Construction; and Canron (Eastern Structural Division). As Toronto grew rapidly during
594-446: A pressure of 4.1 megapascals (595 psi ). The floor's thermal glass units are 64 mm (2.5 in) thick, consisting of a pane of 25 mm (1.0 in) laminated glass, 25 mm (1.0 in) airspace and a pane of 13 mm (0.5 in) laminated glass. In 2008, one elevator was upgraded to add a glass floor panel, believed to have the highest vertical rise of any elevator equipped with this feature. The Horizons Cafe and
693-406: A result has been undergoing Manhattanization with the construction of new office towers, hotels and condos. As of 2016, the population of downtown Toronto was 237,698 people with 503,575 jobs located within the area. The population density was 143 people per hectare, and the job density was 303 jobs per hectare. The Royal Conservatory of Music is a non-profit music education institution that
792-458: A similar attraction entitled "Space Race." It was later dismantled and replaced by two other rides in 1998 and 1999. A glass floor at an elevation of 342 m (1,122 ft) was installed in 1994. Canadian National Railway sold the tower to Canada Lands Company prior to privatizing the company in 1995, when it divested all operations not directly related to its core freight shipping businesses. The tower's name and wordmark were adjusted to remove
891-457: A sponsored publicity event, used his hands and feet to climb the outside of the tower, a feat he performed twice on the same day. Following both ascents, he used multiple rappels to descend to the ground. From 1985 to 1992, the CN Tower basement level hosted the world's first flight simulator ride , Tour of the Universe , based on the flight of a Space Shuttle . The ride was replaced in 1992 with
990-511: A total of six) and the consequential relocation of the staircase from the north side leg to inside the core of the building, a conversion that also added nine stairs to the climb. TrizecHahn also owned the Willis Tower (Sears Tower at the time) in Chicago approximately at the same time. In 2007, light-emitting diode (LED) lights replaced the incandescent lights that lit the CN Tower at night. This
1089-637: Is St. Lawrence Hall, St. James' Cathedral , St. Michael's Cathedral , St. Paul's Basilica , the Enoch Turner School House, the Bank of Upper Canada, Le Royal Meridien King Edward Hotel, and the Gooderham Building . On Saturday there is a farmers' market. Other historical districts in downtown Toronto include Cabbagetown , Corktown , the Distillery District , and Old Town . To the west of
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#17328479051501188-452: Is adjacent to the downtown area, and the much larger Toronto Pearson International Airport located 27 km to the northwest. 43°39′9.01″N 79°23′0.81″W / 43.6525028°N 79.3835583°W / 43.6525028; -79.3835583 CN Tower The CN Tower ( French : Tour CN ) is a 553.3 m-high (1,815.3 ft) communications and observation tower in Toronto , Ontario , Canada. Completed in 1976, it
1287-704: Is an arts school whose main building is located in Grange Park. The Université de l'Ontario français is a French-language postsecondary institution situated in East Bayfront. Toronto Metropolitan University and the University of Toronto are research universities , with the former located in the Garden District and the latter's St. George campus situated in the Discovery District. Apart from its St. George campus,
1386-504: Is headquartered in downtown Toronto. Four different public school boards provide primary and secondary education for the City of Toronto, as well as the downtown area. Two Toronto-based school boards provide instruction in the English language , the secular Toronto District School Board , and the separate Toronto Catholic District School Board . The other two Toronto-based school boards,
1485-489: Is home to many furniture stores, interior design studios and contemporary casual dining options . The CF Toronto Eaton Centre , a large, multilevel enclosed shopping mall and office complex that spans several blocks and houses 330 stores, is the city's top tourist attraction with over one million visitors weekly. Other indoor shopping malls include College Park , the Tenor , Aura , Yorkville Village , Atrium on Bay , Village by
1584-508: Is located in downtown Toronto , built on the former Railway Lands . Its name "CN" referred to Canadian National , the railway company that built the tower. Following the railway's decision to divest non-core freight railway assets prior to the company's privatization in 1995, it transferred the tower to the Canada Lands Company , a federal Crown corporation responsible for the government's real estate portfolio. The CN Tower held
1683-519: Is the city's major intermodal transportation hub, providing access not only to local and regional public transit , but also to inter-city rail services like Via Rail . In addition to surface-level pedestrian sidewalks, much of downtown Toronto is also connected through the PATH Underground , an extensive network of underground pedestrian tunnels , skyways , and at-grade walkways. Nearby airports include Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport , which
1782-495: Is the intersection of the city's subway lines and is one of the busiest intersections in the city. At the intersection of Avenue Road and Bloor Street is the Royal Ontario Museum , the largest museum in the city, with a diverse anthropological and natural history collection. The Harbourfront area to the south was formerly an industrial and railway lands area. Since the 1970s, it has seen extensive redevelopment, including
1881-732: Is the tallest building in Canada at a height of 298 metres (978 feet). The CN Tower , once the tallest free-standing structure in the world, remains the tallest such structure in the Americas, standing at 553.33 metres (1,815 ft., 5 inches). Other notable buildings include Scotia Plaza , TD Centre , Commerce Court , the Royal Bank Plaza , The Bay 's flagship store, and the Fairmont Royal York Hotel . Since 2007, urban consolidation has been centred in downtown Toronto and as
1980-642: Is the tallest freestanding structure in the Western Hemisphere. As of 2013, there were two other freestanding structures in the Western Hemisphere exceeding 500 m (1,640.4 ft) in height: the Willis Tower in Chicago, which stands at 527 m (1,729.0 ft) when measured to its pinnacle, and One World Trade Center in New York City, which has a pinnacle height of 541.33 m (1,776.0 ft), or approximately 12 m (39.4 ft) shorter than
2079-477: The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat both listed the CN Tower as the world's tallest free-standing structure on land , and specifically state that the CN Tower is not a true building, thereby awarding the title of world's tallest building to Taipei 101 , which is 44 m (144 ft) shorter than the CN Tower. The issue of what was tallest became moot when Burj Khalifa, then under construction, exceeded
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#17328479051502178-698: The Gardiner Expressway . Railway Lands Central is mixed use land slightly east of Spadina to the area east of the CN Tower is home to Rogers Centre and CN Tower and parts of CityPlace . Railway Lands East is now the South Core neighbourhood and is a mixed used land slightly east of Rogers Centre and is home to Union Station (and Union Station Bus Terminal ), Dominion Public Building , SkyWalk , Metro Toronto Convention Centre , Roundhouse Park , Steam Whistle Brewing , Southcore Financial Centre , Delta Hotel Toronto , CIBC Square , Maple Leaf Square and
2277-756: The Grand Trunk Railway and the Canadian Pacific Railway who each held 50% of the TTR shares. During station construction, the Grand Trunk Railway went bankrupt, was fully nationalized by the Government of Canada , and merged into the Canadian National Railway which would assume the Grand Trunk's 50% ownership of the TTR (and thus the third Union Station). Union Station was opened on August 6, 1927 by
2376-464: The Greater Toronto Area to a centralized facility in the northern suburb of Vaughan , the railways lands were made redundant. The yards' layout was also becoming increasingly outdated then. The area was then slated for re-development for post-railway beginning with plans for the building of a communications tower (the CN Tower ) and the massive Metro Centre . Two years into the construction of
2475-494: The John Hancock Center ), and First Canadian Place — also have excellent safety records, which suggests that the Ostankino Tower accident was a rare safety failure, and that the likelihood of similar events occurring at other supertall structures is extremely low. The CN Tower was originally lit at night with incandescent lights, which were removed in 1997 because they were inefficient and expensive to repair. In June 2007,
2574-611: The Petronius Platform stands 610 m (2,001 ft) above its base on the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico near the Mississippi River Delta , but only the top 75 m (246 ft) of this oil and natural gas platform are above water, and the structure is thus partially supported by its buoyancy . Like the CN Tower, none of these taller structures are commonly considered buildings. On September 12, 2007, Burj Khalifa, which
2673-639: The Princess of Wales Theatre . The area is now the site of Roy Thomson Hall and the Canadian Broadcasting Centre . The Yorkville area, to the north, north of Bloor Street and the Mink Mile , has more than 700 designer boutiques, spas, restaurants, hotels, and world-class galleries. It is a former village in its own right (prior to 1883) and since the early 1970s has developed into an up-scale shopping district. The intersection of Bloor and Yonge Streets
2772-483: The Seneca Polytechnic . Downtown Toronto is home to the flagship department stores of The Bay , Saks Fifth Avenue and Holt Renfrew . The traditional shopping districts concentrated on Queen Street West and King Street East have seen recent growth to encompass the area surrounding Yonge–Dundas Square . The Old Town portion of the downtown, stretching from St. Lawrence Market to the Distillery District
2871-509: The 1960s. The area of St. Lawrence to the east of the financial district is one of the oldest areas of Toronto. It features heritage buildings, theatres, music, dining and many pubs. It is a community of distinct downtown neighbourhoods including the site of the original Town of York, which was Toronto's first neighbourhood, dating back to 1793. The area boasts one of the largest concentrations of 19th-century buildings in Ontario. Of particular note
2970-434: The 1970s, Toronto experienced major economic growth and surpassed Montreal to become the largest city in Canada. Many international and domestic businesses relocated to Toronto and created massive new skyscrapers downtown. All of Canada's Big Five banks constructed skyscrapers beginning in the late 1960s up until the early 1990s. Today downtown Toronto contains dozens of notable skyscrapers. The area's First Canadian Place
3069-805: The Arts & Letter Club, the Church of the Holy Trinity, Mackenzie House, Maple Leaf Gardens, Old City Hall, and the Toronto Police Museum and Discovery Centre. The Financial District , centred on the intersection of Bay Street and King Street is the centre of Canada's financial industry . It contains the Toronto Stock Exchange , which is the largest in Canada and tenth in the world by market capitalization as of 2021. The construction of skyscrapers in downtown Toronto had started to rapidly increase since
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3168-439: The CN Tower "the world's tallest self-supporting tower" and "the world's tallest free-standing tower". Although Guinness did list this description of the CN Tower under the heading "tallest building" at least once, it has also listed it under "tallest tower", omitting it from its list of "tallest buildings." In 1996, Guinness changed the tower's classification to "World's Tallest Building and Freestanding Structure". Emporis and
3267-544: The CN Tower elevators, which established a world record (346 m (1,135 ft)) for highest glass floor panelled elevator in the world. On August 1, 2011, the CN Tower opened the EdgeWalk, an amusement in which thrill-seekers can walk on and around the roof of the main pod of the tower at 356 m (1,168.0 ft), which is directly above the 360 Restaurant. It is the world's highest full-circle, hands-free walk. Visitors are tethered to an overhead rail system and walk around
3366-649: The CN Tower has an excellent safety record, although there was an electrical fire in the antennas on August 16, 2017 — the tower's first fire. Moreover, other supertall structures built between 1967 and 1976 — such as the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower), the World Trade Center (until its destruction on September 11, 2001 ), the Fernsehturm Berlin , the Aon Center , 875 North Michigan Avenue (formerly
3465-621: The CN Tower was declared one of the modern Seven Wonders of the World by the American Society of Civil Engineers . It also belongs to the World Federation of Great Towers. It is a signature icon of Toronto's skyline and attracts more than two million international visitors annually. It houses several observation decks, a revolving restaurant at some 350 metres (1,150 ft), and an entertainment complex. The original concept of
3564-451: The CN Tower was first conceived in 1968 when the Canadian National Railway wanted to build a large television and radio communication platform to serve the Toronto area, and to demonstrate the strength of Canadian industry and CN in particular. These plans evolved over the next few years, and the project became official in 1972. The tower would have been part of Metro Centre (see CityPlace ),
3663-585: The CN Tower, plans for Metro Centre were scrapped, leaving the tower isolated on the Railway Lands in what was then a largely abandoned light-industrial space. Development of the Railway Lands slowed between the 1970s and 1980. The early 1980s saw more redevelopment, with the opening of the Metro Convention Centre in 1984. The late 1980s saw the building of the SkyDome (for which the CNR Spadina Roundhouse
3762-576: The CN Tower. Due to the symbolism of the number 1776 (the year of the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence ), the height of One World Trade Center is unlikely to be increased. The proposed Chicago Spire was expected to exceed the height of the CN Tower, but its construction was halted early due to financial difficulties amid the Great Recession , and was eventually cancelled in 2010. Guinness World Records has called
3861-451: The CN railways logo, and the tower's official name was renamed Canada's National Tower (from Canadian National Tower), though the tower is commonly called the CN Tower. Further changes were made from 1997 to January 2004: TrizecHahn Corporation managed the tower and instituted several expansion projects including a CA$ 26 million entertainment expansion, the 1997 addition of two new elevators (to
3960-493: The Cement Foundation Company of Canada at the time), a subsidiary of Sweden's Skanska , a global project-development and construction group. Construction began on February 6, 1973, with massive excavations at the tower base for the foundation. By the time the foundation was complete, 56,000 t (62,000 short tons ; 55,000 long tons ) of earth and shale were removed to a depth of 15 m (49.2 ft) in
4059-544: The Glass Floor and Outdoor Observation Terrace, which are both located at an elevation of 342 m (1,122 ft), the Indoor Lookout Level (formerly known as "Indoor Observation Level") located at 346 m (1,135 ft), and the higher SkyPod (formerly known as "Space Deck") at 446.5 m (1,465 ft), just below the metal antenna . The hexagonal shape is visible between the two highest areas; however, below
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4158-606: The Grange, Manulife Centre and the PATH underground city network , the largest underground shopping complex in the world. Emerging retail destinations include Mirvish Village , the Well and the renovated St. Lawrence Market North . Yonge Street , a major arterial route in the city, begins at the northern shore of the Toronto Harbour and runs through downtown, continuing north all the way to
4257-576: The Outdoor Observation Terrace (at the same level as the Glass Floor) at 342 m (1,122 ft). One floor above the Indoor Observation Level was the Top of Toronto Restaurant, which completed a revolution once every 72 minutes. The tower would garner worldwide media attention when stuntman Dar Robinson jumped off the CN Tower on two occasions in 1979 and 1980. The first was for a scene from
4356-453: The Prince of Wales, although it was not completed yet. Four days later, the track network was shifted from the former second Union Station . To get to trains, passengers would walk from the south doors to the tracks located several hundred feet to the south while the new USRC viaduct, concourse and train shed was under construction. Demolition of the second Union Station began almost immediately and
4455-594: The Toronto Terminals Railway (TTR) was incorporated to "construct, provide, maintain and operate at the City of Toronto a union passenger station ". It was also responsible for the entire 6.4 kilometres (4.0 miles) long railway corridor on either side of the station, between west of Bathurst Street and the Don River , known as the Union Station Rail Corridor (USRC). The TTR was jointly owned by
4554-407: The Toronto area. The original plan for the tower envisioned a tripod consisting of three independent cylindrical "pillars" linked at various heights by structural bridges. Had it been built, this design would have been considerably shorter, with the metal antenna located roughly where the concrete section between the main level and the SkyPod lies today. As the design effort continued, it evolved into
4653-476: The University of Toronto also operates two satellite campuses outside the downtown core in Mississauga and Scarborough . Colleges based in downtown Toronto include George Brown College , Toronto Film School , Trebas Institute , and the Randolph College for the Performing Arts . Four other colleges that are based outside of downtown Toronto, but operate satellite branches in the downtown core include Collège Boréal , Georgian College , Humber College and
4752-417: The aforementioned Scotiabank Arena. On August 3, 2016, Mayor John Tory announced a proposal to create a Rail Deck Park , decking over the Railway Lands West section to provide additional parkland in Downtown Toronto . The proposed greenspace would comprise 8.3 hectares. The only remaining rail connection is the Union Station Rail Corridor , which is maintained by Toronto Terminals Railway and consists of
4851-417: The area has been experiencing a renaissance as the Business Improvement Area (BIA) has brought in new retail and improved the cleanliness. The area has also seen the opening of the Dundas Square public square, a public space for holding performances and art displays. The area includes several live theatres, a movie complex at Dundas Square and the historic Massey Hall . Historical sites and landmarks include
4950-423: The base of the radome, but the fastest climb on record is 7 minutes and 52 seconds in 1989 by Brendan Keenoy, an Ontario Provincial Police officer. In 2002, Canadian Olympian and Paralympic champion Jeff Adams climbed the stairs of the tower in a specially designed wheelchair . The stairs were originally on one of the three sides of the tower (facing north), with a glass view, but these were later replaced with
5049-458: The brackets that support the main level, as well as a base for the construction of the main level itself. The Space Deck (currently named SkyPod) was built of concrete poured into a wooden frame attached to rebar at the lower level deck, and then reinforced with a large steel compression band around the outside. While still under construction, the CN Tower officially became the world's tallest free-standing structure on March 31, 1975. The antenna
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#17328479051505148-409: The building of the Rogers Centre stadium, numerous condominiums and the Harbourfront Centre waterfront revitalization. The area to the east of Yonge Street is still in transition, with the conversion of industrial lands to mixed residential and commercial uses planned. Among the important government headquarters in downtown Toronto include the Ontario Legislature , and the Toronto City Hall . In
5247-431: The centre, and a base incorporating 7,000 m (9,200 cu yd) of concrete with 450 t (496 short tons; 443 long tons) of rebar and 36 t (40 short tons; 35 long tons) of steel cable had been built to a thickness of 6.7 m (22 ft). This portion of the construction was fairly rapid, with only four months needed between the start and the foundation being ready for construction on top. To create
5346-429: The city of Barrie, Ontario . Other notable streets include Dundas , Bloor , Queen , King , and University . The Toronto Transit Commission administers the Toronto area's public transportation system, including buses , streetcar , and subways . The regional public transportation service, GO Transit , also provides bus and commuter train service to downtown Toronto from its hub, Union Station . Union Station
5445-676: The construction, plans for Metro Centre were scrapped, leaving the tower isolated on the Railway Lands in what was then a largely abandoned light-industrial space. This caused serious problems for tourists to access the tower. Ned Baldwin, project architect with John Andrews, wrote at the time that "All of the logic which dictated the design of the lower accommodation has been upset," and that "Under such ludicrous circumstances Canadian National would hardly have chosen this location to build." The CN Tower opened on June 26, 1976. The construction costs of approximately CA$ 63 million ($ 318 million in 2023 dollars) were repaid in fifteen years. From
5544-424: The current Union Station . Rivals Grand Trunk Railway and Great Western Railway arrived in Toronto to compete with OS&H. The competition placed a strain on the new station and by 1873 a new Union Station was built by the GTR. In the 1880s Grand Trunk Railway acquired rival railways (GWR in 1882 and OS&H in 1888) and the Canadian Pacific Railway arrived in the city in 1888. The competition soon meant
5643-415: The current design with a single continuous hexagonal core to the SkyPod, with three support legs blended into the hexagon below the main level, forming a large Y-shape structure at the ground level. The idea for the main level in its current form evolved around this time, but the Space Deck (later renamed SkyPod) was not part of the plans until later. One engineer in particular felt that visitors would feel
5742-411: The dimly lit version and 60% less than the brightly lit version). The estimated cost to use the LEDs is $ 1,000 per month. During the spring and autumn bird migration seasons, the lights are turned off to comply with the voluntary Fatal Light Awareness Program, which "encourages buildings to dim unnecessary exterior lighting to mitigate bird mortality during spring and summer migration." The CN Tower
5841-498: The district of Old Toronto , it is approximately 16.6 square kilometres in area, bounded by Bloor Street to the northeast and Dupont Street to the northwest, Lake Ontario to the south, the Don Valley to the east, and Bathurst Street to the west. It is also the home of the municipal government of Toronto and the Government of Ontario . The area is made up of Canada's largest concentration of skyscrapers and businesses that form Toronto's skyline. Since 2022, downtown Toronto has
5940-420: The edge of the CN Tower's main pod above the 360 Restaurant on a 1.5-metre (4.9 ft) metal floor. The attraction is closed throughout the winter and during periods of electrical storms and high winds. One of the notable guests who visited EdgeWalk was Canadian comedian Rick Mercer , featured as the first episode of the ninth season of his CBC Television news satire show, Rick Mercer Report . There, he
6039-409: The federal crown corporation Canada Lands Company . The area is bounded by Front Street , Yonge Street , Gardiner Expressway and Bathurst Street . The western portion of the Railway Lands is now part of the CityPlace neighbourhood and the eastern portion is now called South Core . The first railway, Ontario, Simcoe and Huron (OS&H), arrived in Toronto in 1853 with a station located near
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#17328479051506138-453: The financial district is the Entertainment District . It is home to hundreds of restaurants, nightclubs, sporting facilities, boutiques, hotels, attractions, and live theatre. The district was formerly an industrial area and was redeveloped for entertainment purposes in the early 1980s, becoming a major centre for entertainment. The redevelopment started with the Mirvish family refurbishing the Royal Alexandra Theatre and their construction of
6237-492: The former Railway Lands were redeveloped and the tower became the centre of a newly developing entertainment area. Access was greatly improved with the construction of the SkyWalk in 1989, which connected the tower and SkyDome to the nearby Union Station railway and subway station , and, in turn, to the city's Path underground pedestrian system. By the mid-1990s, it was the centre of a thriving tourist district. The entire area continues to be an area of intense building, notably
6336-410: The ground up. The CN Tower was the tallest tower by this definition until 2010 (see below). Taller than the CN Tower are numerous radio masts and towers , which are held in place by guy-wires , the tallest being the KVLY-TV mast in Blanchard, North Dakota , in the United States at 628 m (2,060 ft) tall, leading to a distinction between these and "free-standing" structures. Additionally,
6435-453: The ground. Over the height of the tower, it varies from true vertical accuracy by only 29 mm (1.1 in). In August 1974, construction of the main level commenced. Using 45 hydraulic jacks attached to cables strung from a temporary steel crown anchored to the top of the tower, twelve giant steel and wooden bracket forms were slowly raised, ultimately taking about a week to crawl up to their final position. These forms were used to create
6534-417: The heaviest of which weighs around 8 tonnes (8.8 short tons; 7.9 long tons). At the time, most data communications took place over point-to-point microwave links, whose dish antennas covered the roofs of large buildings. As each new skyscraper was added to the downtown, former line-of-sight links were no longer possible. CN intended to rent "hub" space for microwave links, visible from almost any building in
6633-455: The height of the CN Tower in 2007 (see below). Although the CN Tower contains a restaurant, a gift shop and multiple observation levels, it does not have floors continuously from the ground, and therefore it is not considered a building by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) or Emporis. CTBUH defines a building as "a structure that is designed for residential, business, or manufacturing purposes. An essential characteristic of
6732-444: The higher observation deck would be worth paying extra for, and the costs in terms of construction were not prohibitive. Also around this time, it was realized that the tower could become the world's tallest free-standing structure to improve signal quality and attract tourists, and plans were changed to incorporate subtle modifications throughout the structure to this end. The CN Tower was built by Canada Cement Company (also known as
6831-417: The late 1960s and early 1970s, multiple skyscrapers were constructed in the downtown core, most notably First Canadian Place , which has Bank of Montreal 's head offices. The reflective nature of the new buildings reduced the quality of broadcast signals, requiring new, higher antennas that were at least 300 m (980 ft) tall. The radio wire is estimated to be 102 metres (335 ft) long in 44 pieces,
6930-422: The late 1990s along the eastern boundary of the Railway Lands. In the early 21st Century, the remaining area began to change rapidly with residential and then commercial development changing the area's past use. The western portion of the Railway Lands, defined by the city as Railway Lands West , is today home to the CityPlace neighbourhood built just west of Spadina Avenue , south of Front Street and north of
7029-415: The lookout level are at 346 m (1,135.2 ft). The 360 Restaurant, a revolving restaurant that completes a full rotation once every 72 minutes, is at 351 m (1,151.6 ft). When the tower first opened, it also featured a disco named Sparkles (at the Indoor Observation Level), billed as the highest disco and dance floor in the world. The SkyPod was once the highest public observation deck in
7128-479: The main deck, three large supporting legs give the tower the appearance of a large tripod . The main deck level has seven storeys, some of which are open to the public. Below the public areas—at 338 m (1,108.9 ft)—is a large white donut-shaped radome containing the structure's UHF transmitters. The glass floor and outdoor observation deck are at 342 m (1,122.0 ft). The glass floor has an area of 24 m (258 sq ft) and can withstand
7227-426: The main support pillar, workers constructed a hydraulically raised slipform at the base. This was a fairly unprecedented engineering feat on its own, consisting of a large metal platform that raised itself on jacks at about 6 m (20 ft) per day as the concrete below set. Concrete was poured Monday to Friday (not continuously) by a small team of people until February 22, 1974, at which time it had already become
7326-532: The mid-1970s to the mid-1980s, the CN Tower was practically the only development along Front Street West; it was still possible to see Lake Ontario from the foot of the CN Tower due to the expansive parking lots and lack of development in the area at the time. As the area around the tower was developed, particularly with the completion of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (north building) in 1984 and SkyDome in 1989 (renamed Rogers Centre in 2005),
7425-452: The movie Highpoint , in which Robinson received CA$ 250,000 ($ 981,875 in 2023 dollars) for the stunt. The second was for a personal documentary . The first stunt had him use a parachute which he deployed three seconds before impact with the ground, while the second one used a wire decelerator attached to his back. On June 26, 1986, the tenth anniversary of the tower's opening, high-rise firefighting and rescue advocate Dan Goodwin , in
7524-452: The narrow area used by tracks leading into and out of Union Station. The SkyWalk transverses a large part of the former Railway Lands, connecting Union Station with the lands south of the rail corridor. 43°38′41″N 79°22′51″W / 43.644662°N 79.380770°W / 43.644662; -79.380770 Downtown Toronto Downtown Toronto is the main city centre of Toronto , Ontario, Canada. Located entirely within
7623-569: The record for the world's tallest free-standing structure for 32 years, from 1975 until 2007, when it was surpassed by the Burj Khalifa , and was the world's tallest tower until 2009 when it was surpassed by the Canton Tower . It is currently the tenth-tallest free-standing structure in the world and remains the tallest free-standing structure on land in the Western Hemisphere . In 1995,
7722-495: The same year, the CN Tower reopened. In August 2000, a fire broke out at the Ostankino Tower in Moscow, killing three people and causing extensive damage. The fire was blamed on poor maintenance and outdated equipment. The failure of the fire-suppression systems and the lack of proper equipment for firefighters allowed the fire to destroy most of the interior and sparked fears the tower might even collapse. The Ostankino Tower
7821-574: The second most skyscrapers in North America exceeding 200 metres (656 ft) in height, behind only Midtown Manhattan, New York City . The retail core of the downtown is located along Yonge Street from Queen Street to College Street. There is a large cluster of retail centres and shops in the area, including the Toronto Eaton Centre indoor mall. There are an estimated 600 retail stores, 150 bars and restaurants, and 7 hotels. In recent years
7920-441: The second station was strained as well and by 1900 there was a need for a newer station. From the 1850s to 1920s the area south of the railway lands were filled in to accommodate railway needs. From 1858 onwards the railway expanded in area as the first Union Station was built. From the 1850s to 1920s, the area south of Front Street was filled in to provide more room for railways, industrial growth and harbour needs. On July 13, 1906,
8019-510: The secular Conseil scolaire Viamonde , and the separate Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir provide instruction in the French language . Several independent schools also operate within downtown Toronto. Downtown Toronto is home to four public universities , the University of Toronto , OCAD University , Université de l'Ontario français and Toronto Metropolitan University . OCAD University
8118-602: The semifinals of 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs . The CN Tower was lit in the colours of the Ukrainian flag during the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in late February 2022. Programmed remotely from a desktop computer with a wireless network interface controller in Burlington, Ontario , the LEDs use less energy to light than the previous incandescent lights (10% less energy than
8217-474: The structure. There were fears that cars and windows of nearby buildings would be smashed by large chunks of ice. In response, police closed some streets surrounding the tower. During morning rush hour on March 5 of the same year, police expanded the area of closed streets to include the Gardiner Expressway 310 m (1,017 ft) away from the tower as increased winds blew the ice farther, as far north as King Street West , 490 m (1,608 ft) away, where
8316-527: The tallest structure in Canada, surpassing the recently built 381-metre (1,250 ft) tall Inco Superstack in Sudbury , built using similar methods. The tower contains 40,500 m (53,000 cu yd) of concrete, all of which was mixed on-site in order to ensure batch consistency. Through the pour, the vertical accuracy of the tower was maintained by comparing the slip form's location to massive plumb bobs hanging from it, observed by small telescopes from
8415-440: The third elevator pair and the stairs were moved to the inside of the core. Top climbs on the new, windowless stairwell used since around 2003 have generally been over ten minutes. A freezing rain storm on March 2, 2007, resulted in a layer of ice several centimetres thick forming on the side of the tower and other downtown buildings. The sun thawed the ice, then winds of up to 90 km/h (56 mph) blew some of it away from
8514-425: The tower concluded both the opening and closing ceremonies. On July 1, 2017, as part of the nationwide celebrations for Canada 150 , which celebrated the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation , fireworks were once again shot from the tower in a five-minute display coordinated with the tower lights and music broadcast on a local radio station. The CN Tower consists of several substructures. The main portion of
8613-460: The tower is a hollow concrete hexagonal pillar containing the stairwells and power and plumbing connections. The tower's six elevators are located in the three inverted angles created by the Tower's hexagonal shape (two elevators per angle). Each of the three elevator shafts is lined with glass, allowing for views of the city as the glass-windowed elevators make their way through the tower. The stairwell
8712-543: The tower was lit in green and white to represent the colours of the Grey Cup champion Saskatchewan Roughriders . From sundown on August 27, 2011, to sunrise the following day, the tower was lit in orange, the official colour of the New Democratic Party (NDP), to commemorate the death of federal NDP leader and leader of the official opposition Jack Layton . When former South African president Nelson Mandela died ,
8811-596: The tower was lit in the colours of the South African flag . When former federal finance minister under Stephen Harper 's Conservatives Jim Flaherty died, the tower was lit in green to reflect his Irish Canadian heritage. On the night of the attacks on Paris on November 13, 2015 , the tower displayed the colours of the French flag . On June 8, 2021, the tower displayed the colours of the Toronto Maple Leafs ' archrivals Montreal Canadiens after they advanced to
8910-472: The tower was outfitted with 1,330 super-bright LED lights inside the elevator shafts, shooting over the main pod and upward to the top of the tower's mast to light the tower from dusk until 2 a.m. The official opening ceremony took place on June 28, 2007, before the Canada Day holiday weekend. The tower changes its lighting scheme on holidays and to commemorate major events. After the 95th Grey Cup in Toronto,
9009-513: The world until it was surpassed by the Shanghai World Financial Center in 2008. A metal staircase reaches the main deck level after 1,776 steps, and the SkyPod 100 m (328 ft) above after 2,579 steps; it is the tallest metal staircase on Earth. These stairs are intended for emergency use only except for charity stair-climb events two times during the year. The average climber takes approximately 30 minutes to climb to
9108-410: Was accompanied by Canadian pop singer Jann Arden . The episode first aired on April 10, 2013. The tower and surrounding areas were prominent in the 2015 Pan American Games production. In the opening ceremony , a pre-recorded segment featured track-and-field athlete Bruny Surin passing the flame to sprinter Donovan Bailey on the EdgeWalk and parachuting into Rogers Centre. A fireworks display off
9207-544: Was completed in 1928. The third Union Station was not fully completed until 1930 when construction of the train shed had finished. The first major change to the Station took place in 1954 when the Toronto Transit Commission opened its Union subway station adjacent to Union Station, buried beneath Front Street. Going as far back as 1965, when Canadian National (CN) began to shift the functions of many of its yards in
9306-465: Was completed nine years before the CN Tower and is only 13 m (43 ft) shorter. The parallels between the towers led to some concern that the CN Tower could be at risk of a similar tragedy. However, Canadian officials subsequently stated that it is "highly unlikely" that a similar disaster could occur at the CN Tower, as it has important safeguards that were not present in the Ostankino Tower. Specifically, officials cited: Officials also noted that
9405-770: Was demolished) and the SkyWalk connecting the SkyDome with Union Station. In the early 1990s redevelopment slowed, but it did see the expansion of the convention centre and the John Street Roundhouse redeveloped into the Roundhouse Park , though it would not be restored until the 2000s. It also saw the redevelopment of the Toronto Postal Building into the Air Canada Centre (since renamed to Scotiabank Arena) in
9504-454: Was done to take advantage of the cost savings of LED lights over incandescent lights. The colour of the LED lights can change, compared to the constant white colour of the incandescent lights. On September 12, 2007, Burj Khalifa , then under construction and known as Burj Dubai, surpassed the CN Tower as the world's tallest free-standing structure on land. In 2008, glass panels were installed in one of
9603-414: Was originally located in one of these angles (the one facing north), but was moved into the central hollow of the tower; the tower's new fifth and sixth elevators were placed in the hexagonal angle that once contained the stairwell. On top of the main concrete portion of the tower is a 102 m (334.6 ft) tall metal broadcast antenna, carrying television and radio signals. There are three visitor areas:
9702-524: Was originally to be raised by crane as well, but, during construction, the Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane helicopter became available when the United States Army sold one to civilian operators. The helicopter, named "Olga", was first used to remove the crane, and then flew the antenna up in 36 sections. The flights of the antenna pieces were a minor tourist attraction of their own, and the schedule
9801-429: Was printed in local newspapers. Use of the helicopter saved months of construction time, with this phase taking only three and a half weeks instead of the planned six months. The tower was topped-off on April 2, 1975, after 26 months of construction, officially capturing the height record from Moscow 's Ostankino Tower , and bringing the total mass to 118,000 t (130,000 short tons; 116,000 long tons). Two years into
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