If the previous post was dedicated to the Milad Tower, the sixth tallest tower in the world, now I will write a few lines about the Calgary Tower (originally called the Husky Tower - a more interesting name, in my opinion), which, with its only 190m height, it's not at least in the list with the World's 150 tallest towers, but that doesn't make it less interesting. But I must say first that, although I'm not a sports fan, mainly of the winter sports, Calgary remained in my mind associated with the 1988 Winter Olympics. Maybe because on that occasion I first heard about it, God knows. Memory works as it wants, not as we wants.
Appeared as a post of the North-West Mounted Police in 1875, Calgary was incorporated as a town in 1884, to one year after the Canadian Pacific Railway reached the area, but its development really began in 1947 (when huge reserves of oil were discovered in area), with an substantially increase after 1973, once with the Arab Oil Embargo. From 1951 onwards the city's population has dramatically grown, with at least 100,000 and at most 200,000 inhabitants every 10 years.
I feel a special empathy for Calgary, because Ploiesti, the city where I live, also owes its development to the oil industry. Unfortunately Ploiesti was, Calgary is. In addition, you can't be indifferent to a town located at the transition zone between the hills and the prairies, at about 700 km from ocean, and which was named Calgary, from the Gaelic Cala ghearraidh, meaning "beach of the meadow".
After a (too) long introduction, I finally reached at the Calgary Tower, about which I add only that "it was conceived as a joint venture between Marathon Realty Company Limited and Husky Oil as part of an urban renewal plan and to celebrate Canada's centennial of 1967". But also that "the structure was designed by W.G. Milne & A. Dale and Associates", and "the construction was completed in 15 months". Lastly, "a natural gas-fired cauldron was constructed at the top for 1988 Winter Olympics" and one torch is ignited for special events. A 190 meters height torch it’s very cool.
In the left of tower can be seen one of the two office towers of Bankers Hall (East and West), designed by the architectural firm Cohos Evamy in postmodern style. I can't say which one can be seen in the picture, but the two buildings are anyway twins, both with the same hight (197m), only that one was completed in 1989 and the other one in 2000. At the top right edge can be seen the last floors of the Scotia Centre (the building with four vertical ribs) completed in 1976 and having 155m hight. Unfortunately I couldn't identify other buildings in the image.
I received this postcard from a new pal from beyond the seas, Glenn, who is one of more than 1.23 million residents of Calgary's Metropolitan Area. I highly recommend his blog, Gem’s World Postcards, one of the most interesting found so far by me. Many thanks, Glenn, and I wish you to cover all the white spots on your map.
The stamp is part of a series of two entitled Royal Wedding 2011, issued on April 29, 2011. Of course it’s about the wedding of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine Middleton, which took place on that day at Westminster Abbey in London. To mark this momentous occasion, Canada Post will issue two commemorative stamps on the Royal Couple’s wedding day. One stamp will be released at the domestic rate (PERMANENT™), and another at the international rate (acesta se află pe cartea poştală). The PERMANENT™ stamp bears a picture taken when the couple announced their engagement in November 2010. The international stamp features the official engagement picture taken by Mario Testino, one of the world’s most well known fashion photographers. In the latter picture, against Miss Middleton’s white dress, the beautiful sapphire and diamond engagement ring first worn thirty years ago by Lady Diana Spencer, who became Princess of Wales, Prince William’s mother, is highly visible. Isabelle Toussaint, the Montreal-based graphic artist is the designer of the stamp products.
sender: Glenn Moores (direct swap)
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