The Ontario Municipal Board has approved a plan for two Yorkville towers that will be visible above the Ontario Legislative Assembly when viewed south of College Street on University Avenue, thus altering the vista of our provincial building. 

Once again the OMB has decided to take heritage related planning into its own hands. It is nothing short of a mystery as to why this can happen when the Ontario Provincial Policy Statement clearly states "Significant built heritage resources and significant cultural heritage landscapes shall be conserved."

This letter is a response to the news of funding to commemorate the Montreal site of the Parliament of United Canada, created in 1844

The first few paragraphs of this article could apply equally to the site of the first Parliament buildings in Upper Canada, which lies similarly ignored at the corner of Parliament and Front streets in downtown Toronto.

Burned down during the War of 1812 by American forces, these buildings - commissioned by Upper Canada's first Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe - were the birthplace of many important pieces of early legislation. It is disappointing to consider that tourists visiting the city during the Bicentennial of that conflict are likely to see only a ragtag collection of automobile related businesses, rather than a site which honours its past.

According to Councillor Kyle Rae's office, 1 Gould Street will be fully restored to its original façade. The building will not be demolished, but will be rebuilt using the original brick that fell during its collapse. The heritage listed 1888 building, formerly known as the William Reynolds Block, lost part of its Gould Street-facing façade on the Friday, April 16th afternoon.

The cause of the collapse is still being fully investigated, but a heritage consultant has been retained by the City to access the damage and ensure that the façade is restored to its original condition. Commercial façade grants were offered to the building's owners in 1997 and 2005, but were refused. Discussions continue with the owners regarding the future maintenance of the heritage building.

Thank you to the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, and to Paul Oberman of Woodcliffe Landmark Properties, who worked tirelessly to save the Hangars, for this update:

Last Thursday, the Toronto Preservation Board voted unanimously to recommend that 7 Austin Terrace (the Maclean House) be included on the City's Inventory of Heritage Properties, and also that the City designate the property under the Ontario Heritage Act.

After a number of speakers, including local MPP Dr. Eric Hoskins and Councillor Joe Mihevc, had spoken strongly in favour of the motion, the lawyer for the owner of 7 Austin Terrace asked for an adjournment. He argued that the process had been "flawed, unfair and prejudicial" to his client. He said that the owner had not had the opportunity to speak at the Toronto and East York Community Council, nor had he received adequate notice of the intent to designate.

TPB members asked whether, if an adjournment were granted, the owner would agree not to recommence demolition until City Council had considered the issue properly. When it became clear that it was not possible to get such a commitment, the TPB voted unanimously to recommend that the property be designated.

Courtesy of the Heritage Canada Foundation:

Demolition has been temporarily haulted on the historic Downsview Hangars (Buildings 55 and 58) at former CFB Downsview air base in Toronto, due to public pressure. Discussions continue on the future of the Hangars.

Constructed in 1943, these structures were designated as heritage buildings by the federal government in 1992 for the role they played in Canadian aircraft production during the Second World War. The hangars are owned by the Department of National Defence (DND).

There is strong private sector interest in developing these buildings. Mr. Paul Oberman, President and CEO of Woodcliffe Corporation has been working tirelessly to find a solution that could both meet the needs of DND and save the historic Downsview hangars, including a land exchange under negotitation with Mr. Tony Genco, CEO of Parc Downsview Park. On December 24th, DND offered a short stay of demolition. Now, DND has taken the position that they are not interested in considering any proposals and are not responding to inquiries.

What has happened at 7 Austin Terrace is more proof, if any were needed, of a major weakness in the City's current approach to heritage preservation.

Heritage Toronto is shocked by the needless destruction of some of the defining heritage elements of this elegant residence, designed by renowned Toronto architect John Lyle.

Much to everyone's frustration, the current building owners have done nothing illegal in partially destroying key architectural features of the home. While local residents and heritage advocates are naturally angry and suspicious about the owners' motivation for this action being taken now, they have no legal recourse.

Time after time, the city pursues designation of a heritage building only after a developer has purchased the property and announced plans for its redevelopment. The result is a confrontational process through the relevant City committees, and sometimes on to the OMB.

The Downsview Hangars have been granted a 60-day reprieve from demolition. Heritage Toronto is in strong support of maintaining these structures, and we urge you to contact The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence to protest their demise.

On behalf of Heritage Toronto I am writing to urge strongly that you reconsider the proposed demolition of Buildings 55 and 58 at CFRB Downsview. These buildings are part of Toronto's valuable aviation and military heritage. Indeed, their value was already recognized by the federal government in 1992, when they were designated as heritage buildings.

Courtesy of Spacing and the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, the Federal Government is scheduled to demolish the World World II-era hangars located in Downsview Park.

For more information:

http://spacing.ca/wire/2009/11/09/downsview-hangers-at-risk-of-demolitio...

If you would like to protect the demolition, please contact The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence.

By Mark Warrack, Chair of Heritage Toronto's Conservation Committee

The National Hotel

Toronto Preservation Board Decision Document

By Vicky Peters

South of Bloor, between Howard Street and the back entrance of the Sherbourne subway station, runs a tiny one-block stretch of Glen Road. There are a pair of low-rise heritage apartments here, an Eden Smith-designed heritage-designated home, and a row of semi-detached historical homes that are the last remaining glimpse of what St. James Town used to be. The historical houses on the west side of the street (numbers 6 to 16) are boarded up, neglected and empty, remaining unprotected by the city's new heritage laws. The house closest to Howard Street - 2 Glen Road - is the exception, and serves as a great example of what sort of exterior condition is possible for the rest of that side of the block.

The row of semi-detached houses were recognized as part of the City of Toronto's Inventory of Heritage Properties dating back to 1974, but it wasn't until the roof collapse and subsequent demolition of another nearby heritage property - under dubious conditions - in 2007, and the pressure of public outcry that followed, that City Council passed an intention to fully designate the houses at numbers 6-16 Glen Road.

Last week's news that the RCMI was on the way to having its planned redevelopment of its site approved, raised the question of why was the building - originally built in 1907, a symbol of early University Avenue and listed on the City's inventory - not better protected?

After hearing that neither Heritage Toronto Board member Councillor Adam Vaughan, councillor for the ward, and Bill Greer, former Heritage Toronto Board member and well-respected heritage architect, were opposed to the plans, it was obvious that this was not a straightforward issue.

Arguments made for the development

The public is invited to attend a meeting which is being held to share with the community a conceptual design of a proposed hotel complex within Exhibition Place. The meeting is being held on Monday, September 14th at 7 p.m. at the Direct Energy Centre, in the Cafe Soleil.

Representatives from HKHotels, their architect, Rocco Maragna, as well as archaeologist Ron Williamson will present the plans and listen to feedback.

Photo of the Stanley Barracks courtesy of the Exhibition Archives

The Ontario Legislature's Standing Committee on Government Agencies is holding meetings in September to review a number of government agencies including the Ontario Municipal Board. Public submissions are welcomed by the Committee. If you wish to submit a written brief, you should do so by Thursday, September 10, to:

Douglas Arnott, Committee Clerk,
Room 1405, Whitney Block, Queen's Park,
Toronto, ON M7A 1A2
Phone: 416-325-3506 Fax: 416-325-3505 TTY: 415-325-3538

The session on the OMB is scheduled for Tuesday, September 8 in Committee Room 151 of the Legislature Building at Queen's Park. The open session begins at 9:30 a.m.

Photo: The John Abell Factory of the Queen West Triangle

By Pamela Westoby

Poetry isn't usually much in evidence at meetings of the Toronto Preservation Board, but last Friday the meeting ended with Councillor Adam Vaughan reading a poem about Wychwood Park written by a former Wychwood Park resident - and one of Councillor Vaughan's childhood neighbours in the Park.

The reading was a celebration of the fact that the dispute over the proposed new houses in Wychwood Park appears to have been resolved to the satisfaction of all sides.

Since the February TPB meeting, when the Board had recommended against an application to demolish a house in the Wychwood Park Heritage Conservation District and replace it with two new houses, the proponent has reconsidered and met with the local residents' association to get their support of a new proposal, which involves the alteration and expansion of the existing house. The recommendation to approve the proposal will now go directly to City Council next week.

The March Toronto Preservation Board agenda is now available online, and there are two items of particular interest to Heritage Toronto. The meeting is on Friday, March 27, at 2:00 p.m. in Committee Room 4 at City Hall.

The City Planning Division (Heritage Preservation Services) is recommending that 5 Eireann Quay (the Canada Malting silos) be designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. This is in response to an application made by the City's Facilities and Real Estate Division to demolish the entire complex with the exception of a small portion of the site. The staff report is found in the following link.

By Rhan-Ju Song, PH.D, University of Toronto Scarborough

As clearly evident in tourist postcards, Toronto's position on the shores of Lake Ontario is key to its identity, vitality and global appeal. The CN Tower, Rogers Centre (Sky Dome), Royal York Hotel, C.N.E., and Ontario Place are just a few examples of the landmarks familiar to local residents, as well as visitors. However, the (pre)history of Toronto's waterfront is far older than most people realize, from indigenous settlements and activity dating back 10,000 years, to a lively industrial period that began 200 years ago.

The Eastern Waterfront late 1800s (City of Toronto Archives, Series 376 Item 44a)

Dear Professor Naylor,

I am writing to you on behalf of Heritage Toronto in strong support of the suggestion from Archaeological Services Incorporated that an archaeological master plan for the land holdings of the University of Toronto be undertaken.

There are several registered archaeological sites located on the grounds of the Toronto campus and potential for other archaeological resources on these and other lands owned and managed by the University.

In order to avoid future disturbance of potential sites and knowing in advance of highly sensitive areas, it is suggested that the University of Toronto would benefit from an Archaeological Master Plan for its total land holdings. The Master Plan would provide a guide and data base of registered archaeological sites as well as areas of high potential for archaeological resources. It may be possible that such a plan could be put together as part of an academic process whereby students would benefit from the study and the University would have a document and policy that would be to its benefit as it grows and develops into the future.

Dear Mayor Miller and Members of Council:

Re: Toronto Police Service new location at the former Carleton Village Public School

The Board of Directors of Heritage Toronto were surprised and disappointed to hear that the Etobicoke York Community Council rejected the City of Toronto's staff recommendation to list the former Carleton Village Public School on the City's Heritage Inventory. It is our understanding that the listing of the former school was supported by City staff as well as the Etobicoke York Community Preservation Panel.

UPDATE: An Open Letter to Greg Sobara, Chair of the Ontario Tourism Competitiveness Study

Dear Mr. Sorbara:

On behalf of Heritage Toronto let me offer my congratulations on your appointment as Chair of the Ontario Tourism Competitiveness Study. A thriving tourism sector is critical to the ongoing health of the Toronto and Ontario economies, and I look forward to your report.

As Chair of the Board of Heritage Toronto, I am writing to raise with you the tourism potential presented by sites of historical importance in general and in particular by the Toronto site of the first Parliament buildings of Upper Canada.

As I'm sure you are aware, cultural and heritage tourism is a thriving industry around the world. But I think it's fair to say that Toronto (and Ontario), have not taken full advantage of the potential for heritage tourism, compared with many other destinations. The site of Upper Canada's first Parliament buildings at Parliament and Front Streets, which were burned by American forces during the War of 1812, gives us one opportunity to remedy this.

The conservation and protection of our heritage resources falls under a number of legislative acts with the most prevalent being the Ontario Heritage Act, amended in 2006. The amended Ontario Heritage Act has a direct link to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB). Should a property owner be seeking demolition of a heritage designated property and the municipality does not support the request for demolition then the owner has the right to appeal before the OMB. Other heritage matters that are referred to the OMB are objections to the establishment of a heritage conservation district, or major alterations within a heritage conservation district.

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