Only one item of significance was dealt with at the May 21st Toronto Preservation Board meeting - a revised application regarding 34-38 Hazelton Avenue (St Basil's School). This building is located in the Yorkville Hazelton Heritage Conservation District (HCD), and had been originally considered at the March meeting, when the Board recommended refusal of a proposal to alter the property and build an eight-storey condo. At that meeting, the local heritage community had successfully opposed the application.

Subsequently, the proposal was revised to address some of the Board and staff concerns, and it was this item that was on the agenda, with a staff recommendation that it again be refused. However, since the agenda had gone out, the proponent had brought forward another revised proposal which was presented to the Board, but since staff had not had a chance to review there was no recommendation.

City process required that the Board vote on the proposal in the agenda and not on that presented to the Board, so it won't be until the Community Council meeting in June when staff recommendations are known. And, if Heritage Preservation Services staff are comfortable that the proposal is aligned with the HCD plan, they have the delegated authority to approve it without it proceeding to Community Council.

From the April TPB meeting, the issue of the Senator O'Connor House continues to make the news.

At the April TPB meeting, the Board recommended against the demolition application from the Toronto District Catholic School Board of O'Connor House. The O'Connor Irish Heritage House group has been working to raise money to maintain the house and use it as a venue for the Irish community, and in fact received an Heritage Toronto award last year for their efforts. They have now successfully raised the issue in the media, and held a meeting last night, hosted by Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong, to raise community support for saving the House.