Archival Restorations: Calgary Tower

The Calgary Tower opened its doors on June 30, 1968 (as the Husky Tower) and was the tallest structure in Canada outside of Toronto. The Calgary skyline has changed a bit since then, but what better time to restore and colourize a few archival images and vintage ads.

Check out the sweet button I found at the thrift shop too!

Calgary Tower in Calgary, Alberta

The Calgary Tower is one of the most iconic landmarks in Calgary, Alberta, and a symbol of the city's modern skyline. Standing at 190.8 meters (626 feet) tall, the tower was originally completed in 1968 as part of Calgary’s centennial celebrations and was known as the Husky Tower. It was renamed the Calgary Tower in 1971, shortly after its ownership was transferred to the City of Calgary and Canadian Pacific.

Designed by architect W.G. Milne, the tower was the tallest structure in Calgary at the time of its construction. It was built to promote urban renewal and to demonstrate Calgary’s economic growth and potential. The tower's construction involved a unique slip-form method, where concrete was continuously poured to build the structure in a single, uninterrupted process—a technique that was innovative for the time.

Today, the Calgary Tower offers visitors panoramic views of the city and the surrounding Rocky Mountains from its observation deck. One of the most popular features is the glass floor, allowing guests to look straight down onto the streets below. The tower also features a revolving restaurant, Sky 360, which completes a full rotation every 45 minutes, offering a unique dining experience with ever-changing views.

In addition to being a major tourist attraction, the Calgary Tower also plays a role in city events and celebrations - including as the location of the cauldron for the 1988 Winter Olympics. It is frequently lit up in different colors to commemorate holidays, raise awareness for causes, or mark special occasions. Whether viewed from below or experienced from the top, the Calgary Tower remains a proud emblem of Calgary’s heritage and progress.

LED lights on the Calgary Tower.

Looking down from the glass floor of the Calgary Tower.

You can see the Olympic cauldron on the very top of the Calgary Tower.

Looking down at the Palliser Hotel in downtown Calgary.

Stephen Avenue in downtown Calgary.

Sundown at the Hat Motel on 35mm

A charming stopover to capture some vintage style b-roll on good old fashioned 35mm.

Archival Restorations & Medicine Hat in 1883

While I've always had an interest in old photographs, it's a relatively new skill that I've been practicing in restoring and colourizing archival images. I was particularly interested in some of the earliest images that I could find of my hometown, Medicine Hat, Alberta.  

Here are some of my recent experiments from Medicine Hat's founding in 1883.

1. This image was taken 142 years ago today on June 14, 1883.

It shows a North-West Mounted Police outpost with a newly formed tent town in the distance. The timber train bridge in the background had just been completed by the Canadian Pacific Railway, with the first train crossing taking place just a few days prior on June 10, 1883. 

It was the beginning of a place called Medicine Hat.

2. Another piece of 142 year old history.

This photograph depicts the first train crossing on the newly built timber bridge in Medicine Hat on June 10, 1883. You can see that the train is full of railway ties and telegraph polls as the workers of the Canadian Pacific Railway continued their westward expansion across the South Saskatchewan River.

With the mountains ahead, the final spike in CP's coast to coast railway would finally be driven in Craigellachie, British Columbia on November 7, 1885 - a year and half after this moment was captured in the newly founded Medicine Hat.

3. This image was taken on June 18, 1883.

The craziest thing about finding and restoring these archival images when I did, is that I seem to be unintentionally following in the footsteps of this unnamed photographer who was capturing some of the first ever images in the area.

This image shows the newly founded tent town of Medicine Hat about a week after the completion of the CPR bridge across the river.