Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Sign Of Weather Changes

In this pic you can see the red brick Campbell House at the left and its much larger neighbour, the Canada Life Insurance building which I first showed in 2011 - here. The Canada Life building is most famous in the city for its weather beacon which you can see at the top of the pic. Installed in 1951, it changes colour depending on the forecast and the lights on its stem pulsate up if the temp is rising and down when the temp goes down. Green at top means fair weather, red cloudy. flashing red is rain. and white is snow. A weather sign visible for all! The construction below is a fountain in the boulevard of University Ave finally being repaired after many years empty.
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click here for more signs.

26 comments:

PerthDailyPhoto said...

So I'm guessing it's more snow then Pat! Wonder if its really accurate?

Halcyon said...

It's snowing at my house right now. Better put out the white flag. :)

Sandy said...

That is a cool building with a cool weather beacon! We need one in our town! :)

EG CameraGirl said...

Weather beacons are fascinating, I think.

Sharon said...

I love the idea of a weather beacon. I wish we had something like that here.

ArtandArchitecture-SF.com said...

Wow - that is just cool!

Marleen said...

I have never seen this before. Thanks for sharing!

Andy said...

Pat could you please go up onto the roof and make the lights pulsate up:-)

Ebie said...

That's really very cool, a fair warning!

Lowell said...

That is very cool. I wonder if it can be seen all over Toronto like the Eiffel Tower can be seen all over Paris? It would be pretty neat to look out your window for a weather forecast in the morning!

islandwonder said...

That is neat!

Anonymous said...

look at that beautiful cloudless blue sky.

Kay L. Davies said...

I've heard of this but have never seen it.
I could be wrong, but in this photo I seem to see white on one side and pale green on the other. Different weather patterns coming from different directions, perhaps?
Interesting photo, Pat.
K

Jim said...

Love this style of architecture.

Lesley said...

Pretty soon it will be difficult to see this beacon for all the condos being built!

Gerald (SK14) said...

a weather beacon eh - round here it's a case of if you can see the top of the hill it's going to rain and if can't it's already raining.

Jack said...

With sophisticated weather services in everyone's smart phones, I wonder how much longer they will support this kind of weather beacon. The building is a fine, substantial block.

Nonnie said...

wow, since 1951! and still works. I like the stacked effect of this building, quite lovely.

Rambling said...

Nice shots of your city. Makes me want to visit.

Maude Lynn said...

That's really cool!

Gemma Wiseman said...

A grand building with a wonderful icon on the top bound to draw attention! I guess the beacon could be a wonderful sign for incoming planes too!

Gunn said...

It looks solid !

Tanya Breese said...

that is so cool! what a neat idea!

Pat said...

I, too, have never heard of a weather beacon. Pretty cool if you live nearby....just have to look out your window to see what the weather is....literally AND figuratively!!

Anonymous said...

I remember seeing the beacon on top of the Canada Life building many times when I was young and living in Toronto. When we visit (rarely) I always look for it on the skyline.

William Kendall said...

I'd heard that fountain was emptied for some years. Good to know it'll be restored.