I visited Calgary Tower when I used to live in Alberta. I remember little about my experience, as I was very young. I remember when we arrived at the top of the tower, the view over the city was limited due to the smoke and fog, which is to be expected from Calgary.
The appeal to these tall towers are that it’s designed to be a tourist attraction. The tower represents the community of that city, as certain designs or symbols shows the patriotism of its people. A tall tower can also show the city’s financial situation, technological advancements, and engineering. The bigger and intricately-designed the tower is, the more it will appeal to tourists and make the city look better. A tower built in Coquitlam would have the same effect.
Tourist attractions are a smart use of city funds. As more outsiders are attracted, more opportunities for money-making will appear. However, some cities can go overboard with this, and make a massive tower that can result in damage to the environment, such as air pollution and things alike. The biggest concern with these pricey projects is that it uses its funds on something not needed nor demanded, and takes away priority from bigger issues in the city, like homelessness and such. Many cities make these appealing towers to cover up the issues and demands of the people.
If I ever visit Tokyo, I would definitely make sure to have Tokyo tower as one of my destinations, as it’s probably the busiest part of the city. I may meet some foreigners during my visit, become friends, and share our Tokyo experience together.
