CN Tower 25 Years 1976-2001
For 25 years, the CN Tower has maintained its status as the World's Tallest Building and Free-standing Structure. It continues to define the Toronto skyline, provide a critical element of the nation's telecommunications infrastructure and delight Torontonians and visitors with its spectacular view, entertainment and restaurant facilities.
In honour of the 25th anniversary of the CN Tower, Mayor Mel Lastman, City of Toronto issued an official proclamation declaring June 26th, 2001 to be "CN Tower Day".
This milestone was one of many in the continuing history of the CN Tower. It began with an imaginative vision by Canadian National Railways and the Government of Canada for a tower that would demonstrate the strength of Canadian industry. That vision reached fulfillment when the Sikorsky helicopter, nicknamed Olga, lifted the 44th and final piece of the CN Tower's antenna into place on April 2, 1975 making the tower the World's Tallest Free-Standing Structure at a height of 1815 feet and five inches or 553.33 metres. Later, the Guinness Book of World Records officially renamed it the World's Tallest Building and Free-standing Structure. In 1995, the CN Tower was recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Plaque via Alan L. Brown's site Toronto Plaques. Full page here.