<ABOVE – a lone skater on the Square’s ice rink as the sun comes up. PHOTO – Bryan Blenkin>

<BELOW – this year’s Official Christmas/Holiday card features Nathan Phillips Square>

<ABOVE – Finnish architect Viljo Revell, shows his design for New City Hall to Professor Takamasa Yoshizaka in 1960; PHOTO – Gilbert A. Milne>

<ABOVE – Opening Night for New City Hall in 1965. Unfortunately Mr. Revell, the architect, had passed away the previous year.>

In 2007 an international design competition was launched to bring the square into the 21st century. The rebuild was accomplished by a consortium of mostly TORONTO firms. Architects and designers from Perkins + Will and PLANT Architect Inc. over-hauled everything, installing new fountains, a permanent stage, moving the Peace Garden with its full-growth trees, and planting a green roof around the third level of City Hall itself.

<ABOVE –  the Square, site of the city’s Christmas Tree, fireworks on Canada Day and at midnight on New Year’s Eve.  The TORONTO sign was inaugurated for the PanAm/ParaPanAm Games and has now become a popular photo-taking site – rivaling the CN Tower.>