Hamilton TV tower – once Canada’s tallest – brought down to earth

The CHCH Television Tower – the fourth-tallest standing structure in Canada until today – is no more after it was demolished early Wednesday morning.

The TV station had already installed a new tower in Flamborough, which went operational in November.

The 357.5 metre (1,173 feet) guyed television mast on First Road in Stoney Creek housed the primary transmitter for iconic Hamilton television station CHCH, as well as for the Yes religious television system.

The tower was the tallest structure in Canada when it was erected in 1960, 16 years before the CN Tower was built. Built on the edge of the Niagara Escarpment the mast looked especially tall when viewed from the valley below.

The new tower is a little shorter at about 1,000 feet.

The land was sold to a developer and work on dismantling the tower began in November. Wednesday morning the first half was removed using a gin pole while the rest was demolished.