Towering Ambitions

Toronto may be a city in such steep decline that even its self-centered elites may be noticing that it is no longer the Centre of the Universe (tm).

But at least it still has the world's tallest freestanding tower.

Not for much longer, however:

Six Japanese broadcast networks announced plans yesterday for a 600-metre-tall tower in Tokyo, set to be completed in 2011.

The newspaper Yomiuri reportedly boasted that it would be the world's tallest, but it has no lack of competition.

The United Arab Emirates' Burj Dubai tower, started in 2004 and expected to be finished by 2009, will soar to about 705 metres, its builders claim. Add in the communications mast on the roof and it could be closer to 800 metres.

To convincingly beat that, the CN Tower would have to sit the Eiffel Tower on its shoulders.

Right now our closest rival is the Taipei 101 tower in Taiwan, a relative shrimp at only 509 metres.

And then what will Toronto have to distinguish itself from the rest of the world, other than the world's highest freestanding sense of smugness?

Source: Toronto Star