TORONTO — What is Toronto’s most influential building?
Is it the city’s transportation hub, Union Station, or the world renowned St. Lawrence Market?
Maybe it’s something less obvious, like a family bakery or a local church.
The Guardian recently released a list of 50 buildings in different cities around the world and featured the iconic downtown Toronto bargain store, Honest Eds.
But for the city’s Chief Planner Jennifer Keesmaat, Union Station takes the top spot.
“In part, it depends on how you define influence. Is it about history, is it about mixing up uses, is it about design and architecture?” Keesmaat said.
“From my perspective one of the most important building in the city is Union Station. It is a national historic site and 70 million people move through that building on an annual basis.”
For Mayor John Tory it’s not an unexpected choice.
“I have to say – not just because I am the mayor – it’s the city hall and Nathan Phillips Square,” Tory said.
“If you think about – certainly throughout my entire lifetime – if you had to celebrate, if we had to protest, if we had to enjoy a concert when the Pan Am games were on, everybody came here. It’s kind of the heart of the city.”
The ROM, CN Tower and even a small salvation army at Yonge and Eglinton earned top spots as the city’s most influential buildings for some Toronto residents.
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