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HISTORY OF THE CN TOWER
Courtesy Of http://www.civl.port.ac.uk/comp_prog/cntower/History.html
Defining the Toronto skyline, the CN Tower is Canada's most recognizable and celebrated icon. At a height of 553.33m (1,815 ft., 5 inches), it is the World's Tallest Building and Free-Standing Structure, an important telecommunications hub, and the centre of tourism in Toronto. Each year, approximately 2 million people visit the World's Tallest Building to take in the breathtaking view and enjoy all of the attractions the CN Tower has to offer.
After 40 months of construction, the CN Tower was opened to the public on June 26, 1976. Although less than one year old, it was well on its way to becoming the country's most celebrated landmark. Twenty-four years later, it is the centre of telecommunications for Toronto serving 16 Canadian television and FM radio stations, the workplace of up to 550 people throughout the year, and one of Toronto's premier entertainment destinations.Although the CN Tower inspires a sense of pride and inspiration for Canadians and a sense of awe for foreign tourists, its origins are firmly rooted in practicality.
The 1960s ushered in an unprecedented construction boom in Toronto transforming a skyline characterized by relatively low buildings into one dotted with skyscrapers. These buildings caused serious communications problems for existing transmission towers which were simply not high enough to broadcast over the new buildings. Signals bounced off the buildings creating poor television and radio reception for residents. With its microwave receptors at 338 m (1,109 ft.) and 553.33m (1,815 ft., 5 inches) antenna, the CN Tower swiftly solved the communications problems with room to spare and as a result, people living in the Toronto area now enjoy some of the clearest reception in North America.
The CN Tower was built in 1976 by Canadian National (CN) who wanted to demonstrate the strength of Canadian industry by building a tower taller than any other in the world. Building the CN Tower was a vast and ambitious project that involved 1,537 workers who worked 24 hours a day, five days a week for 40 months to completion. CN Tower construction crews moved in on February 6, 1973, and started to remove over 56 metric tonnes of earth and shale for the foundation. Once the foundation was ready, work began on the CN Tower's 335 m (1,100ft.) concrete shaft, a hexagonal core with three curved support arms. This involved pouring concrete into a massive mold or "slipform". As the concrete hardened, the slipform, supported by a ring of climbing jacks powered by hydraulic pressure, moved upwards, gradually decreasing in size to produce the CN Tower's gracefully tapered contour.
Eight months later, the CN Tower's concrete shaft was the tallest structure in Toronto and by February 1974, it was the tallest in Canada. In August 1974, work began on the seven-story tower sphere that would eventually house the observation decks and revolving restaurant. The CN Tower approached completion in March 1975, when Olga, the giant Sikorsky helicopter flew into the city to lift the 44 pieces of the antenna into place.
The CN Tower was finished on April 2, 1975, and opened to the public June 26, 1976.On April 2, 1975 when the OLGA helicopter lifted the 44th and final piece of the CN Tower's antenna into place, the CN Tower joined the ranks of 17 other great structures that had previously held the title of World's Tallest Free-Standing Structure. Ross McWhirter, editor of the Guinness Book of World Records, was on hand to record the milestone for history and since then, the CN Tower has received numerous mentions in the famous book including the World's Longest Metal Staircase and most recently, the World's Highest Wine Cellar.
In 1996, the CN Tower's classification was officially changed to the World's Tallest Building and Free-Standing Structure. In 1995, the CN Tower was classified as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The World's Tallest Building shares this designation with the Itaipu Dam on the Brazil/Paraguay border, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the Panama Canal, the Chunnel under the English Channel, the North Sea Protection Works off the European coast, and the Empire State Building.Since the CN Tower opened, Canadians and tourists from around the world have made the trip to Toronto to celebrate this marvel of civil engineering. Besides serving as a telecommunications hub, the CN Tower provides world-class entertainment and a wide range of unique attractions, exhibits and food and beverage venues.
In past years, the CN Tower has supported its vision of Toronto's premier entertainment destination by totally renovating and redesigning 360 Restaurant, building the World's Highest Wine Cellar, and adding two new elevators.On June 26, 1997, TrizecHahn Corporation, one of North America's largest real estate companies signed a long-term operating and management lease for the CN Tower and its adjoining base lands. Under the management of TrizecHahn, the landmark underwent the most significant change in its 21-year history. A $26 million entertainment expansion and revitalization opened its doors on June 26, 1998.This massive expansion and total CN Tower revitalization plan will launch the CN Tower into the next millennium as a major international entertainment destination. Local, domestic and international guests of all ages now have more to see and do as they venture through dynamic multimedia experiences, new entertainment attractions and innovative food and shopping marketplaces before rocketing to the top of the World's Tallest Building. |
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