A hazard to birds and planes. A company’s phallic monument to itself. The CN Tower faced no shortage of criticism when construction began. But no one flagged what would be the most enduring knock against the tower – that it would become a civic cliché, a concrete curiosity that served little purpose but to be visual shorthand for a city that wanted, needed, to have something the world would notice. It’s been a long time since the CN Tower was the world’s tallest free-standing structure; no one needs giant TV antennas now, and it’s not even owned by Canadian National Railway any more. But the tower stands tall, a 553-metre improbability, a backdrop for tourist selfies and the object of Torontonians’ hatred or love. Sometimes both.
The first structure in the redevelopment of railway property in downtown Toronto is taking shape, June 13, 1973. The Y-shape Canadian National communications and observation tower, to reach 1,805 feet, at the time was to be completed in late 1974. (Barrie Davis/The Globe and Mail)
Project engineer Doug Sumner oversees the lifting of forms for the brackets that will support the seven-storey pod on the CN Tower Aug. 6, 1974. (John McNeill/The Globe and Mail)
The concrete portion of the CN Tower has moved within 140 feet of designated height Feb. 4, 1974 and stands at 1,315 feet. (Dennis Robinson/The Globe and Mail)
The CN Tower under construction in January 1975. The revolving restaurant is located at the 1,140-foot level of the tower. (Barrie Davis/The Globe and Mail)
A Sikorsky Skycrane helicopter hovers over the CN Tower and prepares to lift the crane from atop the tower March 8, 1975. (Dennis Robinson/The Globe and Mail)
Construction workers John Elnola and Angelo Carraretto remove wooden guard rails at 1,123 foot level of the CN Tower Oct. 20, 1975. A metal railing will be installed around the outdoor observation deck before the tower opens next year. (Barrie Davis/The Globe and Mail)
Canadian National employees took their families up the CN Tower June 19, 1976 for a preview before the official opening day. One of the vantage points was the outside observation deck, just below the revolving restaurant at 1,122 feet above ground. (Edward Regan/The Globe and Mail)