New CN Tower windows offer a view with no limits
Floor-to-ceiling windows remove barriers to include people in wheelchairs
If you've been wondering why a section of Toronto's iconic CN Tower has been covered in a tarp for the past month — wonder no longer.
New floor-to-ceiling windows were unveiled on Monday on the lookout level of the tower, offering a better view for everyone, including people who use wheelchairs.
The two window walls were revealed this morning at a gathering on the observation deck that included groups from Variety Village, a fitness and life skills facility, and the Rick Hansen Foundation, a charity for people with disabilities.
Maayan Ziv, a photographer and the founder of Access Now, an app that allows users to rate the accessibility of businesses worldwide, remembers visiting the CN tower as a child and being unable to see.
Ziv, who uses a wheelchair, said her parents would have to lift her out of her wheelchair so she could see over the ledge covering the bottom of the windows.
"Often places aren't designed to allow people who have a different perspective to be included," said Ziv. "By removing the ledge, people of all abilities, shapes and sizes will be able to have the same experience."
This renovation marks the tower's 41st birthday and comes just a few days before Canada 150 celebrations in Toronto on Saturday.
Minister of Small Business and Tourism Bardish Chagger said the windows are part of a series of changes to the CN Tower over the next few years. This is the first big change to the outside of the tower since a railing was added for the EdgeWalk six years ago.