10 Canadian landmarks that have been lost or changed forever
From Teacup Rock to Nahatlatch Lookout, here are ten landmarks across Canada that have been rebuilt, repurposed or lost forever.
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Winnipeg City Halls Winnipeg City Halls
Where: Winnipeg
Winnipeg’s first city hall was built in 1876 and was demolished just seven years later due to structural issues.
(Winnipeg.ca)
Winnipeg City Halls 2 Winnipeg City Halls
This is the second of three Winnipeg City Hall buildings in the city's history, described by some as a ‘Victorian fantasy.’
(Winnipeg.ca)
Winnipeg City Halls 3 Winnipeg City Halls
This is the second of three Winnipeg City Hall buildings in the city's history, described by some as a ‘Victorian fantasy.’
(Winnipeg.ca)
Teacup Rock Teacup Rock
Where: Darnley, P.E.I.
Teacup Rock was a teetering tower of sandstone hidden away in Thunder Cove Beach on Prince Edward Island.
A long exposure of the waves crashing against the red rocks of Prince Edward Island lends a feeling of timelessness to this shot of the island's famous 'Teacup Rock,' which was washed away by Hurricane Fiona a few weeks after the photo was taken.(Jeremy Klager - CNW Group/Royal Canadian Geographical Society)
Teacup Rock 2 Teacup Rock
Once connected to the other sandstone cliffs around it, it was eroded away by the water into a teacup shape, tapering to a thin base.
Teacup Rock 3 But now, one of the most photographed locations in the province is gone, washed away during storm Fiona in 2022.
Shubenacadie Tree Shubenacadie Tree
Where: Nova Scotia
The ‘Shubie Tree’ was the most photographed tree in Nova Scotia until it was destroyed by storm Fiona in 2022.
Shubenacadie Tree before storm Fiona. (Len Wagg)
Shubenacadie Tree 2 Shubenacadie Tree
Located on private lands beside Highway 102 between Truro and Halifax, the 300-year-old red oak tree was a landmark for many Nova Scotians on road trips.
A popular landmark known as the 'Shubie Tree' -- located just off Highway 102 in Shubenacadie, N.S. – appears to have fallen over due to Fiona’s high winds. The tree was a landmark for many Nova Scotians on road trips and for photos. (Source: Twitter/Christopher Ewing)
Shubenacadie Tree 3 Shubenacadie Tree
The beloved tree still lives on, however, as one Nova Scotia woman has been caring for red oak seedlings grown from Shubie’s acorns.
Cheryl Maloney with some of the 'Shubie tree' seedlings in Shubenacadie, N.S. (Heidi Petracek/CTV Atlantic)
Shell Oil Tower Shell Oil Tower
Where: Toronto
The Shell Oil Tower was a 12-storey observation tower built in 1955 at Toronto’s Exhibition Place.
(City of Toronto Archives)
Shell Oil Tower 2 Shell Oil Tower
The top of the tower served as an observation deck and boasted great views of the Canadian National Exhibition and Toronto’s downtown and waterfront.
(City of Toronto Archives)
Shell Oil Tower 3 Shell Oil Tower
In 1983, the landmark’s elevator and stairs were deemed unsafe, and the tower was demolished by 1986.Shell Oil Tower
(City of Toronto Archives)
Van Horne Mansion Van Horne Mansion
Where: Montreal
Built in 1870, the Van Horne Mansion in Montreal was the home of Canadian Pacific Railway executive William Cornelius Van Horne.
(Heritage Montreal)
Van Horne Mansion 2 Van Horne Mansion
The Van Horne mansion was put up for sale in 1969.
A developer purchased the property with plans to demolish it to make way for a new office tower, which caused controversy.
(Heritage Montreal)
Van Horne Mansion 3 Van Horne Mansion
Despite opposition from heritage groups, the mansion was torn down in 1973, and an office tower was built in its place.
(Heritage Montreal)
Nahatlatch Lookout Nahatlatch Lookout
Where: Nahatlatch Valley, B.C.
The Nahatlatch Lookout burned down in the Kookipi Creek fire south of Lytton, B.C. in 2023.
BC Forest Fire Lookouts / Facebook)
Nahatlatch Lookout 2 Nahatlatch Lookout
The original tower was built between 1956 and 1958 at an elevation of 1,190 metres.
The tower collapsed under heavy snowfall in 2011 and was rebuilt in 2012.
Nahatlatch Lookout
(Sites and Trails BC)
Nahatlatch Lookout 3 Nahatlatch Lookout
Nahatlatch was decommissioned as a fire lookout in 1993, but was still visited by hundreds of people every year.
(Lyttonnet.com)
Octagon Castle Octagon Castle
Where: Paradise, N.L.
Octagon Castle belonged to dance teacher Charles Danielle from Baltimore, who settled in Newfoundland in the 1880s.
(Town of Paradise)
Octagon Castle 2 Octagon Castle
The four-storey, eight-sided tower with wings on three sides was officially opened in 1896.
(The Rooms Provincial Archives)
Octagon Castle 3 Octagon Castle
The castle was damaged by fire in 1906, and was destroyed in 1915.
A blue octagon-shaped monument was installed to remember the castle’s impact on the town’s history.
(Town of Paradise)
Old Post Office Old Post Office
Where: Ottawa
The Ottawa Post Office was one of the city’s first iconic buildings, and it received mail for the first time on April 30, 1876.
The Ottawa Post Office on April 30, 1876. Library and Archives Canada
Old Post Office 2 Old Post Office
A major fire in January 1904 started in the attic and gutted the upper floors of the building.
The building in the aftermath was described as an ‘ice palace’ due to the winter weather.
Library and Archives Canada
Old Post Office 3 Old Post Office
The building was later renovated but was then demolished in 1938 to make way for the construction of the War Memorial.
(Lost Ottawa)
Southam Building Southam Building
Where: Calgary
The 10-storey Gothic-style Southam Building, also known as the Herald Building, was built in 1913 and was demolished in 1972.
(Herald Archives)
Southam Building 2 Southam Building
The newspaper Calgary Daily Herald operated out of that building from 1913 to 1932, and was operated by Greyhound Canada until 1971.
(Herald Archives)
Southam Building 3 Southam Building
Many of the 240 gargoyles on the Southam Building were salvaged during the demolition and were redistributed throughout the city.
(Alison Jackson via Calgary Public Library)
Plains Hotel Plains Hotel
Where: Regina
The four-storey Plains Hotel was built in 1957 and was a well-known spot in Regina for live music and some criminal activity.
(Manitoba Historical Society)
Plains Hotel 2 Plains Hotel
Its trademark weather vane was built in 1962 and sat on the roof of the hotel.
It was a unique detail, and predicted weather with flashing colours.
(Manitoba Historical Society)
Plains Hotel 3 Plains Hotel
The hotel closed down in 2009 and was demolished in 2011. Plans to build a 27-storey hotel and condominium complex on the site failed to materialize.
The site has remained empty ever since.
(Manitoba Historical Society)
