Skylon Tower Rises Above Niagara Falls Tourist Attraction

[Arob]

Skylon Tower Niagara Falls is a world class tourist attraction in a carnival town packed with casinos, cheap kitsch and chotskies.

Helene and I had time to kill because we were waiting for a giant moving truck to bring materials to her new business - so we took a trip to the top of the tower and yes I know it sounds a little cliche, but I have to say... Wow! What a view! The Revolving Dining Room seats 276 people and revolves once every hour by resting on a circular rail that is propelled by a 3 horsepower (2.2kW) motor. An observation deck above commands the tower's very summit.


Building the tower required approval from both Canadian and United States air transport authorities, due to its proximity to the international boundary; it was considered a strategic position. So really its testament to the friendship of nations. Built by Pigott Construction of Hamilton, Ontario this tower was the second big thing to be built using the slipform method where concrete is continually poured into a form moving slowly up the cement erection to its climax, at 160 metres (520 ft) from street level and 236 metres (775 ft) above the bottom of the falls. It was the same method of construction was used to build the CN Tower in Toronto, and the Inco Superstack in Sudbury which is less well known but an equally impressive piece of engineering.

The tower has three "Yellow Bug" elevators that travel up and down on the outside of the tower. At the time of their construction, they were the first such elevators in Canada. They were designed, engineered and maintained by a division of the Otis Elevator Company in Hamilton, Ontario see history and were subject to admiration by elevator aficionados all over the world for two decades thereafter (and still get a wink and nod from some engineers). These craft can carry passengers to the top of the tower in 52 seconds.

Here is the video I shot of the elevator ride up,


I also wrote about the dining room in my Roberrific and Helene explore Skylon Tower Niagara Falls, and there's more photos there too. I added a piece about Skylon Tower Niagara Falls to my Travelblog,


Special equipment is employed on the outside of these yellow bug elevators to prevent the cables from becoming tangled in the
wind or caught up in freezing snow and ice in the winter - remember unlike a traditional elevator the cables of this machine are outside exposed to the elements.


The base of the tower features a number of gift shops, fast food restaurants and a large amusement arcade. A floor for conventions is also available, but is seldom utilized.

with Helene in Niagara Falls waiting for Toronto movers to appear with the rest of her life.

[macw1960]

I haven't been to the top of the Skylon towers in years...since I was a child. Thanks for bringing back a fun memory that I had totally forgotten about.

[Ciel]

If you go into the mall attached to the Fallsview Casino, go right to the end of the mall (downstairs food court level) and out onto the patio to the viewing railing. Great view of the Falls from that point as well.