Haha, I really overestimated the cost of fireworks! OOPS. :D

One Bloor


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One Bloor by Chadillaccc, on Flickr



ICE

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Giants by Chadillaccc, on Flickr

People are drawn to spectacle. The UAE does it with their cities, the Brits do it with their pomp and pageantry, the Yanks do it with college football and their NYE celebrations in Times Square, the North Koreans do it with their military parades, the Brazilians do it with Carnivale. It's one thing we're terrible at.

God forbid that we'd want to be entertained.

And the aristocracy in Europe before them spent it on palaces and castles. Paris is a result of their penchant for decadence and extravagance. Say what you will, but if the world was rid of it completely we'd be all poorer for it.

Dubai, Manhattan, and Paris are all very different but come from the same place. The world is a far more interesting place for having all 3. Dubai isn't my cup of tea, but I know I'm not going to be bored if I visit.

For a couple of the countries you mentioned, spectacle is all they have.

Anyway, the whole notion of spectacle seems contrary to the down-to-earth attitude that often characterizes the Canadian identity.

Can you imagine if they didn't even have that?

And goes a long way to explaining foreigners perceptions of Canada as being an excruciatingly boring place. I often have a hard time convincing them that we're not. This is a country where beige is a colour. That stereotypical 'Canadian' identity can't die soon enough, imo. Some old time Canucks are as dry as toast. Why that's something to aspire to is beyond me.

:tumbleweed:

Chad, thanks for the construction update. I'm going to go to Calgary one day and do a construction update when I get there. :)

Being calm grounded, and able to enjoy the simple things in life is something very much to like.

Let's not forget there's reprocussions to spectacle such as seen in Dubai. It's a very convincing tool to keep the masses at peace. It's no wonder places, past and present, with huge disparities tend to rely heavily on spectacle.

haha go for it. I used to live in Toronto though, have tons of family in and around the metro area, that's why I was back. :)

It's these exact same traits that the world was praising when Canada didn't slide into near oblivion in 2008. Spectacle is nice when things are good but when the time comes to pay the bill it may not be so sweet.

Agreed. Mtl, is a great example of good growth with low rise, mid rise and high rises. It might not have the tall, tall ones like Toronto or other American cities, but its skyline has tall enough buildings, and is well proportioned...looks really nice.

One Bloor has a ways to go before it's done. Looks like us Calgarians will have to wait a while before we can claim top spot on the list ;)

haha yeah man! :) Even still, we'll probably only have it for a couple months - a year. I'm just stoked for us to take two spots on this listing with both over 220 meters :D

4 years and the top 4 towers down at One Yonge are the only thing that are keeping Calgary from the top spot.

If One Yonge is not approved (or downsized) then in 2017/2018 the top spot will be theirs.

Brookfield Place will be done in 2017 :) Telus Sky in 2018!

Yup

Brookfield Place being steel will rise fast and likely in the final year will track down One Bloor before One Bloor is even finished. Most likely Calgary gets the top spot at the end of 2017, but only for a short time..

Die Yonge street towers die! ;)

Truth be told, we're just happy to be on the list lol.

haha I don't want them to die! Just maybe get stalled for a few months :P

did calgary ever have the top spot with the Bow? or did Trump keep that from them?