TORONTO – Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, was known for her love of Canada and citizens of this country loved her back equally over the years.
Her passing, on Sept. 8 at the age of 96, will be felt worldwide for the days and months to come, but the built environment across this country has paid homage to her for years.
If you include overnight visits and aircraft refuelling stops, the Queen visited Canada no less than 31 times since her coronation in June 1953, according to the Canadian Heritage Department.
The Daily Commercial News begins our tribute coverage with a collection of photos of some of the notable buildings that feature her namesake from coast to coast to coast along with some of her memorable visits over the years, such as the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway on June 26, 1959.
During this trip the Queen was joined by U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia at the lift-lock near St. Lambert, Que.
– With files from The Canadian Press
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WWW.CNEHERITAGE.COM - In 1954, a proposal for a new Women’s Building was put forth by the CNE Association’s Board of Directors. In 1955, architects Page and Steele were brought on to design and construct a new Women’s Building. In March 1957, Buckingham Palace granted permission for the building to be named in honour of Her Majesty and it became The Queen Elizabeth Building. It was complete in 1957.
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SCARBOROUGH ARCHIVES/HERITAGE TORONTO - During an official tour of Canada in 1959 Queen Elizabeth made a stop at the Golden Mile in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough. According to Heritage Toronto, the Golden Mile Plaza first opened in 1954. It would become the largest shopping centre in Canada, and the first to house a movie theatre and a bowling alley.
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DUNCAN CAMERON/LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA - Queen Elizabeth II and U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower are seen together in June 1959 for the official opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway.
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CITY OF TORONTO ARCHIVES - The Queen and Prince Philip at the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway on June 26, 1959.
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MTLSKYLINE/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS - The Queen Elizabeth hotel opened in 1958. It was built and owned by the Canadian National Railway. According to Canadian Encyclopedia, naming the hotel "Queen Elizabeth," resulted in controversy and demonstrations with many demanding "a French name for French Montréal." Then CN president Donald Gordon held his position and announced that the hotel would be named for the queen. She stayed there numerous times during her trips to Canada.
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SAMGUSWAY/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS - The Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver is named for “its most famous patron, Queen Elizabeth II, who attended a concert here when the theatre opened in July 1959,” writes a description on the theatre’s website.
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EDMONTON.CA - The Queen Elizabeth II Planetarium, located in Coronation Park, is the first of its kind in Canada and is an important historical landmark in Edmonton, the city writes. Restoration of this 60-year-old building recently concluded.
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SASKPOWER - The Queen Elizabeth Power Station was originally named the South Saskatchewan River Generating Station but was renamed and officially started in 1959 by Queen Elizabeth II. There is a total of 16 units in service at the power station today.
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@BRANDONUNI TWITTER - Brandon University in Manitoba tweeted it is honoured by its ties to the Queen, including her presence at the naming of the Queen Elizabeth II Music Building in 1984, and her 1970 visit, seen here.
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