Toronto built a City Hall shaped like a space ship - it was actually in Star Trek!
Toronto, Ontario - Toronto has the only City Hall to have ever appeared in Star Trek. That's because the council chambers that sit in the centre of the two towers are in a saucer-like structure. It appeared in the original Stat Trek series in the "All Our Yesterdays" episode, and in Star Trek: The Next Generation, it represented a destination of an alien portal in the episode "Contagion". The building's design, by Finnish architect Viljo Revell, was chosen from more than 500 submissions. Looking down from above, it looks like a giant eye. This uniquely designed City Hall has also served as a location for an number of movies, including The Kidnapping of the President, with William Shatner and Hal Holbrook, The Tuxedo, which starred Jackie Chan and Jennifer Love Hewitt, The Sentinel with Michael Douglas and Keifer Sutherland, and Resident Evil: Apocalypse. Nathan Philips Square at the front is often a venue for outdoor concerts, art fairs, and community events. The square surrounds a fountain pool, which becoms a popular skating rink during winter months.
Where: Toronto's city all is located on the north side of Queen St., between Bay St. and University Ave. Across the street to the south is the Sheraton Centre hotel, and just a two minute walk away is the Eaton Centre and The Bay's flagship department store. If taking the subway, go to the Queen or Osgoode stops. Quick Tips: If you want an inexpesive meal with a great view of City Hall, try the City View Cafe, which is on the eight floor of The Bay department store. The 501 Queen streetcar service, which stops in front of City Hall, travels east-west for 24.8 km (15.4 miles). It is the longest streetcar route in Canada and was named by National Geographic Society as one of the 10 Great Streetcar routes.
Lucy Izon
Canada Cool is produced by award-winning Canadian travel writer & speaker Lucy Izon. Her travel stories & reports have appeared in numerous leading North American publications including the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, and Chicken Soup for the Traveler's Soul. Bio page
Canada’s Coolest:
Welcome to a new feature on Canada Cool. I'll be presenting different 'Coolest' lists with my favorites and I encourage you to nominate suggestions from your own experiences. You can Twitter @CanadaCool or email [email protected]. Let me know what makes your suggestion exceptionally cool. Remember, by contributing your comments you are giving Canada Cool permission to quote you. Only a selection of submissions will be included, but all comments and submissions are greatly appreciated!
The first feature is: Canada's Coolest Single Day Scenic Drives
Here are some of my favorites...
The Icefields Parkway, Jasper National Park, Alberta - This 229 km (142 mi) Rocky Mountain route from Banff/Lake Louise to Jasper passes 100 frozen rivers and nudges the base of the Athabasca Glacier - the most accessible glacier in the world. You can stop and explore it. It spills down from the Columbia Icefield, an area of ice so massive that you could fit the entire population of North America on it with each person getting at least a square metre of space.
The Corridor, Algonquin Park, Ontario – this 56-km stretch of Hwy 60 cuts through the southwest section of Algonquin Park. Less than three hours north of Toronto the park is a nature-lover's paradise with 7,725 km of lakes, rivers, forest, trails, camping, comfortable lodges and 2000 km of canoe routes. Offers hiking trails to stop and enjoy, but what makes it really cool is that it’s one of the best places in North America to spot moose (especially in May and June). And, on Thursday nights in August up to 600 cars will gather to listen to wolves howl.
The Cabot Trail, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia – Driving this 303 km (187 mile) route is like riding a roller-coaster: the road snakes around hairpin turns, rises to heights over 365 metres (1200 ft), weaves around headlands revealing spectacular coastal scenery, and plunges down to sea level taking you into the heart of small fishing communities. The most dramatic scenery is between the Cape Breton Highlands National Park entrance near Cheticamp and Pleasant Bay, so go slow. And, plan some flexibility into your schedule, so you can drive it on a clear day.
And here are some of your nominations for 'Canada's Coolest Single Day Scenic Drives'...
More from Canada’s Coolest
'Canada's Coolest' topics we'll be publishing in the future:
- Golf Course Features
- Haunted Hotels
- Hotel Special Services
Send your suggestions to [email protected]
Recent 'Canada's Coolest' topics:
