From smokestacks to sleeping giants: your favourite small-town landmarks
Every town has a landmark. You know the one. You pass it in a car, spy it in the skyline, peeking between trees — the one that reminds you where you're standing on this planet. It tells you you're home.
A while back we heard news that they might be demolishing the iconic Superstack in Sudbury, Ont., and it got us all talking. What's the iconic landmark you can't picture your town without? Here are some of the places you shared with us.
A few seasons back, we visited Inuvik, N.W.T., where worshippers can pray in the igloo-esque Our Lady of Victory Church. We were reminded about this stunning spot by Lorna E. on Facebook, And yes, it is a giant church built to look like an igloo.
Marcela R. pointed out another stunning place of worship: The St-Sauveur Church in Val d'Or, Que., is on the way to her family's old cottage. "Every time we drove through Val d'Or, whether it was arriving, shopping or visiting family friends during our stay, the majestic 'Saint Sauveur' church stands on Third Avenue as a welcoming landmark, giving us the warmth of an old friend."
For others, their hometown landmark is just...big. Really big. Like the world's tallest tepee in Medicine Hat, Alta., which Alexandra P., recalls fondly.
Certain Canadian landmarks are more out-there. Cheri H., notes the UFO landing pad (yes, you read that right) in alien-loving St. Paul, Alta.
There are natural landmarks that bring us home, like the Sleeping Giant in Thunder Bay, Ont., says Jennifer T.B. The giant rock formation, which can be seen for many kilometres away, looks like an enormous man lying on his back against the horizon.
And countless small towns have a water tower that looms large from the highway. When it comes into view after a long drive home, it beckons with a sense of familiarity and pride. Cynthia K., and Michelle M., mention the water towers in Brandon and Selkirk, Man., respectively, and Arlene D-P., says that Lakefield's is "of course" one of the top landmarks the Ontario town.
And, of course, there's the Superstack that started this thread. Roxane B., talks about growing up in a small town a couple hours west of Sudbury, and driving her grandmother to catch the early train out of Sudbury:
As they neared their destination, my father said, 'See the stack?' My feisty, red-headed grandmother promptly asked, 'Stack of what?' That question/answer combination became the routine for every trip to Sudbury after that.
In Still Standing, we've visited some towns with their own classic landmarks. From the Wawa goose in Season 1 to Vanastra's "golf ball" radome, the charming McAdam Railway house to the northern Midnight Sun mosque in Inuvik, these spots are quirky, comforting and unforgettable in their own right.
Stay tuned for a new season of Still Standing coming June 27 on CBC.