CN Tower marks 50th anniversary with celebration
Toronto's iconic landmark officially opened June 26, 1976, drawing visitors from across the city and beyond.
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The CN Tower celebrated its 50th anniversary on Friday, June 26, with festivities at its base that drew crowds from across the city and beyond.
More than 1,500 people worked for 40 months to build the tower, which officially opened to the public on June 26, 1976. The Canadian National Railway Co. constructed it to solve a practical problem: newly built skyscrapers in the 1960s were blocking radio and television signals across Toronto.
Friday's celebration featured art, a cappella performances, and free cupcakes. Toronto Metropolitan University student Kimia Ghosi said she came for the treats but marveled at the engineering. "It's mesmerizing. It's huge. I always wonder how they built it up and how they maintain it. I'm quite sure it's a lot of work," she said.
At 553 metres tall, the CN Tower held the title of world's tallest free-standing structure for 33 years before Dubai's 828-metre Burj Khalifa surpassed it in 2009. Today it serves mainly as a tourist attraction, welcoming more than two million visitors each year.