Posted Mar 3, 2017, 12:44 PM
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Hong Kong
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 8,537
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Designed by Finnish architect Viljo Revell after winning an international architectural competition in 1957, New City Hall opened in 1965 after 4 years of construction and $25 million. Chosen as the winning entry from submissions from 42 countries, Revell saw this building as an "eye of government", with the 2 arched towers serving as 'eyelids'.
Did they get the sign idea from Amsterdam?
The Toronto model is probably out of date with so much construction happening downtown.
Mackenzie House was the last home of Toronto's first mayor, William Lyon Mackenzie. Mackenzie was a rebellious political newspaper publisher, who used his work to criticize his opponents and argue for responsible government, and leading the failed Upper Canada rebellion in 1837. This house was bought by his supporters and gifted to him in 1859 after retiring from public office.
The house itself is quite narrow, with the ground floor being a living and dining room combination.
Upstairs, there are several bedrooms, including the room where Mackenzie died.
The basement consists of the day room and kitchen. With a huge stove, this is the warmest floor on a cold winter day.
Next to the visitor's entrance is a re-creation of his publishing studio, where you can create a little souvenir with the printing press.
Toronto's first post office opened in 1833 and still maintains that function today in addition to a few rooms of exhibits. However, over the years, the building also served as cold storage until the 1950s and lay abandoned by the 1970s.
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