How the CN Tower killed Torontos rooftop lookouts

There was a time when observation decks were all the rage in Toronto.The designersand developers of tall buildings like TD Centre, Commerce Court, and City Hall, keen toshow off theircreations to the public, installedtop floorpublic viewing galleries withpanoramic views of the city.One had a restaurant, another doubled as anart gallery, a third had an aviary.

These early privately-owned public spaces (POPS) gave many peopletheir firstchance to look down on the city from above. They were popular, too. About a million people visited the observation floor at the top of TD Centre every year. That was untilthe CN Tower showed upand spoiled the party in 1976.

One of the oldest and best-known closed observation decks in Toronto sits atop the original Commerce Court tower at King and Bay. When the building was completed in 1931, it was the tallest building in the British Empire. Crowds of people gathered on the unfinished roof in 1930 to watch the R100 dirigible balloonthe pride of Great Britains budding Imperial Airship Schemeglide silently over Toronto.

Today, the tower is easy to miss among the citystaller skyscrapers, but the exquisite detail of the roof was always meant to be seen up close. Massive carved heads, representing courage, foresight, observation, and enterprise, still peer out from the thirty-second floor observation balcony, though the visitors are long gone. The deck, which doesnt have a safety railing, is too dangerous, the buildings owners say.

The 1972 addition to Commerce Court was built with an observation level, too. The 57-floor International Style Bay Street building robbed the complexs original tower of its downtown view and trumped it for height. When it openedthe new tower was the tallest in Toronto, beating neighbouring TD Centre by about 17 metres.

The indoor observation area was carpeted and contained a small collection of tropical birds. Serene music accompanied the unobstructed panoramic views of the city, lake, and surrounding cities. CIBC charged visitors 50 cents entry in 1975 and the room was open until 10 p.m.

The lookout at TD Centre, completed a few years earlier, was slightly closer to the ground, but charged the same prices (the buildings owners even minted tokens.) Instead of an aviary, the bank enticed guests with a selection of Eskimo art from the companys private collection. Office workers who brought a packed lunch were given half price admission.

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How the CN Tower killed Torontos rooftop lookouts