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