Toronto 's skyline will receive a dramatic makeover when the CN Tower is outfitted with brilliant LED lights that will run all the way up the elevator shaft to the top of the iconic structure.

The project, which will dramatically brighten the usually dark tower, will be tested several times before its official launch on Canada Day weekend.

"What better way, seriously, than this, to honour the whole notion of Toronto and the nighttime sky in an elegant, architectural tribute to the legacy of the tower?" said Jack Robinson, the tower's chief operating officer.

The last time the landmark was lit up was back in 1976 when incandescent lights the size of washing machines were erected.   They didn't last long though, proving too expensive and inefficient to repair.

"Gradually, the lighting became less important. As of 10 years ago, the tower was virtually unlit," Robinson adds.

The new LED lights can produce millions of colours and will be arranged to honour local and national events --- red and white lighting on Canada Day; red, white, and blue on American Independence Day; red on Valentine's Day; and maybe a hearty green on St. Patrick's Day.

"It will be a beacon for tourism, a beacon for the city," Robinson concludes.

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