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British ColumbiaSecret Spaces

See inside the tower controlling the chaos of Vancouver Harbour's airspace

Vancouver Harbour Tower is responsible for keeping pilots and passengers moving safely through one of the busiest waterfrontairspaces in North America, and at 142 metres off the ground, it's also one of the highest air traffic control centres in the world.

'This is probably one of the coolest towers we have across the country,' says its supervisor

Vancouver Harbour Tower air traffic control centre supervisor David Weston surveys Coal Harbour from atop the Granville Square office tower at the foot of Granville Street. (Ben Nelms / CBC News)

Vancouver Harbour Tower is responsible for keeping pilots and passengers moving safely through one of the busiest waterfrontairspaces in North America, and at 142 metres off the ground, it's also one of thehighest air traffic control centres in the world.

It's a cramped 12-sided workspace made almost entirely of glass that overlooks the harbour from atop the Granville Square office tower,formerly home to theVancouver Sun and The Province newspapers, and for a place with such a striking resume, it's remarkably easy to miss.

In the debut entry of CBC Vancouver's new Secret Spaces series, we're giving you arare view inside a space few people get to see.

"It is a very, very unique place,"said David Weston, the tower's supervisor."The business that we do here is awesome."

WatchWestonguide floatplanes and helicopters through the harbourand explainwhy he feels his workplace is so special:

See inside the nerve centre of Vancouver Harbour's airspace

5 years ago
Duration 2:51
Hear why Vancouver Harbour Tower's supervisor feels it's one of the coolest air traffic control centres in Canada.

Secret Spaces is your ticket inside places you don't normally get to see. Anita Bathe and Mike Killeen take you into places that are off-limits or hidden in Metro Vancouver.