NEWS | ACTION
1. Building Stories: The Beginning of a Canadian Heritage Spring
2. HCF Launches New Website www.heritagecanada.org
3. Town's Heritage Consultant Validates ACO Collingwood's Position on Admiral Colllingwood Development
4. 100 Main Street West: We deserve a better solution
5. Moriyama Teshima Office Going Down
6. Demolition at 45 Charles St. West, Fairfield Dubois
7. New Proposal for 21 Avenue Road still Rude
8. Final service at St. Thomas Church in Lockport, Manitoba
9. Willowbank - Julian Smith bi-weekly editorial
10. Happy New Year
11. Shore House threatened in Kingsville
12. 1915 Brighton Public School in Imminent Danger of Demolition
13. Lighthouse Preservation
14. BHN: Shorter and More Often
15. Petition to Support Collingwoods HCD
16. The Speaker's Neighbourhood
17. 21 Avenue Road - A New Opportunity?
18. Action Item: The Fort York Bridge--Making Many Connections
1. Building Stories: The Beginning of a Canadian Heritage Spring
Catherine Nasmith
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Robert Shipley described the latest collaboration from the University of Waterloo’s Heritage Resource Centre as the beginning of heritage spring for Canada, and he may well be right.
What is being developed, and will be formally unveiled in March 2012, is a property database called Building Stories, geared to recording the important building stock of Canada.
The intended goal is to identify and record heritage buildings. The fields reflect that focus, but a building does not have to have formal heritage status to be added. Data can be added by anyone. The minimum entry is an address and a photograph, but there are also ways to add reports, heritage statements, to group and search properties by any of the fields in the database.
It is also possible for organizations to control a slice of data that is theirs, that only the organization can edit, but which others can comment on. The different slices could be entered and displayed through separate portals, but will agglomerate into a nationwide database. The Toronto Architectural Conservancy will likely be moving ahead with developing a Toronto portal.
For the moment Building Stories is web based, but the next phase is to develop a smart phone app that will allow people to search for or add data on the buildings in their areas directly from their smart phones, get directions to the nearest Doors Open site, or connect to any number of possible tours offered through the system.
It is a wildly ambitious project, ably co-ordinated by Kayla Jonas. Robert Shipley emphasized how important it is for people to get behind it and collaborate to bring scattered information together.
I suggested that every architect in the country might want to post their built projects. Anyone who has some files under the desk they can’t bear to part with might post that information here. The data belongs to those who post it.
Several smaller municipalities are already on board to use this database as a place to host their municipal heritage inventories. Organizers of Doors Open programs are also excited about the prospects.
Last night, at the invitation of the Toronto Architectural Conservancy, a representative sample of people involved in various aspects of heritage preservation met in Toronto to get a preview of Building Stories, to think about its potential utility for Toronto, and how it might be funded over the long term. Attending were heritage professionals and volunteer enthusiasts, several who are already involved in promoting Toronto’s architectural patrimony online, such as Robert Moffat (Toronto Modern), myself (BHN), Michael McLelland of ERA architects, volunteers Alex Grenzebach from the North York Community Panel, Ian Ainsworth from the Annex residents association, Scott Barrett from Heritage Preservation Services, internet experts Liz Rykert and Barry Veerkamp of Meta Strategies, historian Stephen Otto, three representatives of the Toronto Architectural Conservancy, and Susan Ratcliffe, President of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario.
Everyone agreed this is a very exciting initiative, but there is concern that it may be under-resourced and could be overwhelmed if all of Toronto’s data were suddenly dumped into it. Strategies need to be developed to manage content and govern the project. The HRC has organized the initial funding and is committed to keeping it online for five years. The hope is that if enough people are engaged in using it, it will be possible to find a way to make it financially sustainable. It has the potential to reduce the development and maintenance costs for participating organizations, thus creating a potential revenue stream.
One of the biggest challenges to be overcome is the current look of the website. It was explained the rather pedestrian graphics are limited to some extent by the standards of the granting organizations. For example making it accessible to the blind eliminates being able to use java script. As well, the logo for Building Stories is made up of sketches of 19th century buildings, none bigger than two stories. For those from Toronto it would be necessary to create an access portal that reflects a much more varied building stock, as well as an additional century of construction. Nonetheless, the biggest part of the work has been developed in the site’s backend, and it is very attractive to partner with the Building Stories to capitalize on that.
There were so many questions and comments we ran out of time. A second meeting will be called to figure out next steps for Toronto. Kayla will be setting up a Facebook page for the site where we can share ideas to advance the project.
Watch this space.
Building Stories is a joint venture of the Heritage Resources Centre (http://www.env.uwaterloo.ca/research/hrc) and the Computer Systems Group (http://csg.uwaterloo.ca) at the University of Waterloo, and the Centre for Community Mapping (www.comap.ca).
Questions?
Please contact Project Coordinator, Kayla Jonas at kajonas@uwaterloo.ca.
2. HCF Launches New Website www.heritagecanada.org
Heritage Canada Foundation
Ottawa, Ontario, January 31, 2012 — Heritage Canada Foundation (HCF), with the support of the Canadian Forum for Public Research on Heritage, is pleased to announce the launch of a new and improved website, www.heritagecanada.org, a rich resource for members, advocates, news media, decision makers and individual Canadians.
3. Town's Heritage Consultant Validates ACO Collingwood's Position on Admiral Colllingwood Development
ACO Collingwood
Media Release January 30, 2012
Collingwood - The Town of Collingwood has released the peer review of the proposed developments at the site of the former Admiral Collingwood School. The peer review was contracted by the Town to review the heritage implications of the proposed developments, as part of the approval process. The report was undertaken by Wayne Morgan, a respected, independent, Heritage Planner.
The comprehensive report identifies numerous areas in which the proposed development is inconsistent with the heritage character of the district, including; height; mass; scale; window proportions, store fronts and building materials. Most notably, Mr. Morgan concludes, that, in my opinion, the proposed amendments to the HCD Plan objectives are not appropriate given the Provincial, County and Municipal Policy framework. This is very significant as Mr. Morgan reviewed all the policies that pertain to the site, including:
- The Planning Act
- The Ontario Heritage Act
- Simcoe County Official Plan
- Town of Collingwood Official Plan
- Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe
- The Heritage District Plan
In each and every one of these planning tools, the proposed development is deemed contrary to, or inconsistent with the policy. Remarkably, even the Growth Plan , often cited by the proponents of the development, does not support the project as proposed. Wayne Morgan notes;
The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe promotes growth within existing built areas, which would include the proposed development, but in a way which respects the conservation of the cultural heritage of the community as set out in the municipal official plan and other strategies . The Collingwood Downtown HCD is such a strategy. The proposed development does not conserve the cultural heritage consistent with that strategy. Therefore, it is my opinion that the proposed development is contrary to the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe.
The Collingwood Branch of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario has long held a similar view. The development at five or more storeys in height is inappropriate to the Heritage District and will negatively affect its cultural heritage landscape.
Margaret Mooy, president of ACO Collingwood said, We are pleased with this report as it validates our long held position of supporting the built and cultural heritage of the town. We trust that Council will respect the professional opinion of Mr. Morgan, their own contracted heritage planner. Heritage supporters do want a development to move forward; however, we also want the development to be consistent with our cultural heritage landscape and to comply with all the legal planning tools of the town, the county and the province.
The full report is available on the Town of Collingwood website at
http://www.collingwood.ca/devcomattachments/AdmiralCollingwoodSept2011/WayneMorganPeerReview
For more information please contact Margaret Mooy at 705-445-3321
http://heritagecollingwood.ca/
4. 100 Main Street West: We deserve a better solution
Matt Jelly
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blogpost on potential demolition of Hamilton Board of Education building
http://mattjelly.wordpress.com/2012/01/28/100-main-street-west-we-deserve-a-better-solution-hamont/
5. Moriyama Teshima Office Going Down
Catherine Nasmith
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Take a last look at Raymond Moriyama's office building on Davenport before it is torn down for.
I had a call from Mr. Nugent, a neighbour that the demolition hoardings are going up. Mr. Nugent feels strongly that this building should have been protected for posterity, and he is right in recognizing its significance. The situation is not dissimilar to the case that was made for the Lyle office at 1 Bedford. Another important, yet unprotected important building is disappearring from the Toronto landscape. Mr Nugent is disappointed that others did not step forward to list or designate the property.
On the other hand, one has to respect the decision of the Moriyama family to sell the property for redevelopment, in so doing the architect who designed it is saying he does not wish this work preserved, that the building has served its purpose.
The Moriyama family have opened the building to the public nearly every year since Doors Open began, allowing all those who did visit to remember it.
I would be interested to get feedback from readers.
6. Demolition at 45 Charles St. West, Fairfield Dubois
Forwarded by Leslie Fairfield
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| Going down for condo, architect watches demolition |
Macy Dubois' fine building is no more. Disappearing for another condo tower.
To download video file click here:
Watch on You Tube:
7. New Proposal for 21 Avenue Road still Rude
Catherine Nasmith
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| Existing View of the LAO from Queen Street with Existing Towers |
As readers will be aware, BHN has been following proposals for 21 Avenue Road very closely. This property was the subject of a valiant but lost battle at the OMB last year, led by the Speaker of the Legislature and ACO, to try to have the height of the proposed development reduced to avoid further intrusion into the views of the Ontario Legislative Assembly Buildings.
In accordance with advice from Herb Stovel in a Heritage Impact Assessment prepared for the City of Toronto, ACO asked for protection for all the silhouette as seen from Queen and University. The Speaker’s position was to at least prevent further damage by building no taller than the existing intruders, the Four Season’s Hotel and the Renaissance Plaza at Avenue Road and Bloor St. West.
It’s a long and tangled story of municipal planning amnesia (this view was protected prior to amalgamation), and abstention from the discussion by the Provincial premier and cabinet. The failure at both levels of government to establish protection left the OMB with little choice but to accept the previous proposal for two towers, one at 127m, the second at 133m.
The existing Four Season’s Hotel is 99m. At that height it appears to be the same height as the central block of the Legislative Assembly Building, (LAO) compromising that view, but stopping just short of overpowering. Buildings any taller will dominate the carefully composed processional view up University Avenue, giving the proverbial finger to Ontario’s democratic symbols. Rude….but not illegal. At least not yet.
The property has since been sold to Camrost-Felcorp who are pursuing a different approach to the project. Their plan is to renovate the existing tower, and build two additional buildings on the site. Retaining the existing tower is a win for everyone, saving the developer a two-year demolition process, and avoiding a rather massive landfill challenge. Just east of the current hotel building, a stepped building of 7-10 stories, and a second tower to the south at 120 m, 13m shorter than the previously approved building. Much is being made of this reduction in height, but it will nonetheless dominate the silhouette of the Legislative Assembly.
Because this is a new design and approach, the developer is going through a rezoning and Official Plan Amendment, with the associated public process. Councillor Wong-Tam has convened several meetings with stakeholders to try to achieve the best possible design. The developers have been prepared to rearrange the density, but not to reduce it below the 16.8x coverage that was approved by the OMB for the previous project. As a bench-mark, most of Toronto’s 60’s downtown office developments are in the 12x range.
Wong-Tam has also been working with City Planning to re-instate protection for the Queen’s Park vista. A public meeting was held in December on views protection, with City staff making the case for protecting only from College, and the Ontario Capital Precinct Working Group asking for protection from Queen Street and all points north to College. The meeting was overwhelmingly in favour of protecting the view of the silhouette from Queen St. W. and along the ceremonial approach to the LAO.
At last night’s meeting for the first time Councillor Wong-Tam mentioned the possibility of introducing protection for the view from Queen St. and University Avenue. But whether the City, with its depleted resources in planning and heritage divisions, can get protection of any kind into place before this project goes to the OMB is an open question.
In the meantime, as an important civic gesture to future generations, we can ask Camrost-Felcorp not to further compromise Ontario’s democratic symbols. You can leave a comment on the project on the Camrost Felcorp website. At the time of writing thet had not yet posted either views of the proposed second tower or views from University Avenue looking north.
8. Final service at St. Thomas Church in Lockport, Manitoba
Christian Cassidy - West End Dumplings
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| St. Thomas Anglican Church, Lockport Manitoba ca. 2010 |
On Sunday, January 15th 2011, the final church service was held at St. Thomas Anglican Church on River Road in Lockport, Manitoba.
Construction on the building began in 1905, though much of what can be seen today was added in 1930.
The building is not an historic site and will be sold off. The artifacts, including the windows, will be transferred to nearby St. Andrews Church, a National Historic Site.
For more:
http://westenddumplings.blogspot.com/2012/01/final-church-service-for-st-thomas-in.html
9. Willowbank - Julian Smith bi-weekly editorial
Julian Smith
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| willowbank website homepage |
Julian Smith Editorial, Musings about the State of the Heritage Conservation Field.
Welcome, reader. This is the first of a series of bi-weekly musings about the state of the heritage conservation field in Canada and internationally. These comments are written from a Willowbank perspective, although they are personal and subjective and without any formal approval from our Willowbank Board or anyone else. The idea for a series...Read more www.willowbank.ca
10. Happy New Year
Catherine Nasmith
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The year begins with some good news, and some bad.
One trend that is alarming is a growing frustration in the U.S. with preservation.....for very interesting reasons, the movement seems to have become too successful, entrenched, establishment, too bureaucratic, too elitist. No danger of that in Canada, but in moving forward we need to be mindful of the danger.
Yet for every story like the one from San Francisco where a community is resisting historic designation, there is another praising the economic regeneration capabilities of preservation, such as the piece on the new Canadian owners of the Cleveland Arcade.
In 2012 we will be publishing the 200th edition of BHN, who would believe it! With all your help we will try to keep you informed, and offer suggestions on how you can help. Remember what goes around comes around. It may be you who needs help next week.
In the next few months we will also be launching a revamped website with more ways for you to get and share the latest news.
We can't do this without the help of subscribers. BHN is not a charity, and we do depend on the generosity of subscribers for content and for financial assistance, all of which goes to upgrade our web facilities.
If you look to the left of the newsletter you will see three submit keys. If you click on them will take you directly to the website where you can submit material that you want to share with others.
If the mailbox gets full, BHN will go out weekly, if not semi weekly.
All the best to you and yours in 2012.
11. Shore House threatened in Kingsville
Elvira Cacciavillani
A historic lakefront mansion in Kingsville, Ontario has been on the fast track to destruction since mid-October, 2011 and faces imminent demolition. Commonly referred to as the Shore House (167 Pineway Park), it is the only Moorish-Spanish Mission style property in the municipality. Built in 1934, it was home to Alexander Leslie, a prominent Ontario businessman. It was recently purchased by MVM Holdings Inc. and, as a condition of sale, the purchasers requested that Kingsville Town Council remove the property from its heritage register. Town Council, without appropriate consultation with its Municipal Heritage Advisory Committee, agreed to the request and now the new property owner is seeking demolition.
Time is of the essence, as those opposed to the bulldozing have until January 9, 2012 to submit objections in writing to the town. The Heritage Advisory Committee will be making a full designation presentation to Council on January 9th and is asking for a strong public presence at the meeting. Heritage supporters are also seeking a stop order from Michael Chan, the Minister of Tourism, and have contacted the Ministry of Natural Resources regarding Bald Eagles present on the property.
Read more:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-the-Shore-House/186446368102859
http://www.windsorstar.com/Historic+Shore+House+heritage+inventory+Kingsville/5549777/story.html
Editor’s Note: I'm betting that Chan declines to get involved, this government has been very hesitant to get involved in anything unless invited by the municipal government.
12. 1915 Brighton Public School in Imminent Danger of Demolition
Gordon Tobey, Brighton
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The East Northumberland Branch of ACO has been trying every avenue of opportunity to save this classic building, but without success. The Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, which has now built a new school alongside the old one, declared from the beginning that they would demolish this heritage building. Nor has there been support from Brighton Council which has been asked to publish notice of intent to designate so that full exploration of opportunity for alternate use could be sought. The heritage building along with a 1962 addition has been valued by Architect Phillip Carter at 3.4 million dollars. Now it is slated to be demolished in February, 2012 and hauled off to the local landfill.
This is a classic case of bullying by the large geographic area school board. Several appeals to the board and many appeals to council by our local ACO have not been successful. There is real value in this building for alternate use in our community for conversion to a condominium or to provide for a much needed senior's centre and library etc. But the school board has declared that the school community wants it demolished. It's unconscionable that a small group of parents, whose concern may be only as long as their children are in the elementary school, should take precedence over the larger community. Surely school boards need to start to show consideration for the impact that their decisions about heritage buildings have on the small communities in their jurisdictions.
Certainly the East Northumberland ACO has gotten excellent media coverage and good rapport in Brighton. At the last appeal to save the school to Brighton Council, one hundred citizens turned up six days before Christmas to give a standing ovation. Surely the local concern and value for heritage preservation has been greatly enhanced over the issue of Brighton Public School.
More at the Save Brighton Ontario Public School From Imminent Destruction Facebook Page
Reprinted from the ACO newsletter, Acorn in A Nutshell, if you aren't already a subscriber go to this link
13. Lighthouse Preservation
Laurence Grant
The ACO St. Thomas Elgin discussed the pressing need to nominate lighthouses for preservation at its Dec. 6 meeting in Aylmer. The following is an abstract of the meeting.
The Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act is designed to protect and maintain Canadas lighthouses through a heritage designation process that provides safeguards for the structures cultural integrity and ensures future public access to them.
The process is divided into two parts: a petition for designation and, in the case of properties deemed surplus to the needs of the federal government, a means of transferring ownership while safeguarding the lighthouses for the future.
The act invites members of the public to nominate lighthouses through a petition process. The window of opportunity opened on May 29th 2010 and closes on May 29th 2012. For lighthouses not deemed surplus the process is straightforward. A petition signed by 25 citizens initiates the preparation of a heritage study of the lighthouse and its referral to the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada for their determination. For lighthouses that have been determined to be surplus to the needs of the federal government there is a second step.
Before such a property is designated arrangements must be made to remove it from the control of the federal government and turn it over to a municipality or group or individual that will agree to maintain the lighthouse and keep it accessible to the public. The deadline for this process is May 2015. It is important to note here that surplus lighthouses have to be petitioned for nomination before the second step, the negotiations to change ownership, can begin. So the deadline that must be kept in mind here is still May 29th 2012. It is also important to note that those who sign a petition are not expected to take responsibility for the light. The petition simply gets the ball rolling and provides a further three year period for negotiations between the federal government and a local entity. These agreements pertain only to the structure or structures themselves. The Coast Guard will continue to retain responsibility for the lights and navigational equipment.
What was apparently not anticipated by those who drew up the act to protect heritage lighthouses was the reaction of Fisheries and Oceans. When the act came into effect on May 29th 2010 the Department of Fisheries and Oceans announced that virtually all of its lighthouse structures were being declared surplus to its needs. 480 properties across the country including such iconic structures as Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia, and the Imperial tower at the tip of the Bruce Peninsula on Cove Island are on the surplus list.
To preserve the heritage of our lighthouses, we must act and organize petitions in order to initiate heritage studies of our lighthouses
Laurence Grant
Treasurer, ACO St. Thomas-Elgin
http://www.pc.gc.ca/progs/lhn-nhs/pp-hl/index.aspx
14. BHN: Shorter and More Often
Catherine Nasmith
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I have been trying to send BHN out more frequently, both to get material out in a more timely way, and to post to the site more frequently, and keep the issues shorter. You can go to the site any time to see updates, and I try to add material two to three times a week.
I need your help to keep BHN on top of what is happening across Canada.
If you spot an article in your local paper, or want to write a piece which will get out to nearly 2000 subscribers, or promote an event that would be of interest, please go to http://www.builtheritagenews.ca and click on the post keys to submit the material. Just cut and paste in.
All of the editing and writing is done on a volunteer basis. The positive comments I get back from subscribers really help keep me at this desk, as well as the donations which so far have all gone back into improvements in technology.
With the help of Meta Strategies I am working on improvements to how BHN is published and works online. I will be adding Twitter, Facebook, RSS feeds, sponsorship opportunities, and re-organizing the way material is presented on the site, and instituting much better search functions. I have added a Pay Pal button the website, which will soon appear in the newsletter.
15. Petition to Support Collingwoods HCD
Lindsay Cook, owner of Clerkson's
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As you know, I am a proud business owner in Collingwood. Clerkson's has been located in Collingwood's downtown for 32 years. My store is also located in our beautiful Heritage Conservation District. I am very proud of Collingwood's commitment to our architectural heritage. I feel the Heritage District promotes tourism to our town and is a definite draw for those who are relocating to our area. This is why I am so very worried about the challenges the Heritage District currently faces. Please take a moment to read the letter below and sign the online petition (click on the link).
I am sending this letter to everyone in my email contact list because I feel so strongly about the subject. You have my permission to forward the petition letter to any person you feel may be interested in this important matter. If I have sent this letter to someone who does not agree with my sentiments, I am truly sorry and I mean no disrespect.
All the best,
Lindsay
SUPPORT COLLINGWOOD'S HERITAGE DISTRICT
Collingwood is known and admired provincially, nationally, and even internationally for its downtown Heritage Conservation District. Our downtown forms one of the largest conservation districts in Ontario and was the first heritage district in all of Canada to be listed in the Canadian Register of Historic Places. This prestigious designation identifies Hurontario Street as “among the best preserved 19th century grand main streets in Ontario.”
And yet, the Heritage District is currently facing its biggest challenge.
Tourists from far and wide come to Collingwood to walk our downtown streets and shop in our stores. Town, regional and provincial publications praise our historic downtown and its architectural heritage. Collingwood has become one of the most popular retirement destinations in Ontario – in no small part because of the beauty of its built and natural landscapes.
And yet, the Heritage District may begin to break apart.
Why? Because Collingwood Town Council has requested a report from its staff on what steps are needed to remove a prominent property from the Heritage District.
Property owners in the Heritage District understand that our downtown represents the heart and history of our town, and as such, is a boost to our town’s tourism and economy. The Heritage By-Law that governs our district was well-researched, well thought out, and approved by town and council. To let a developer simply “opt out” of Collingwood’s Heritage District in order to remove obligations outlined in the By-Law is completely unfair to the many individuals and businesses who have abided by our town’s legislation for years.
If the town council goes forward and allows the property to be removed, then the entire district is vulnerable to similar requests from any other resident or corporation which will slowly erode our heritage. Eventually, there may not be a Heritage District.
Help us to protect Collingwood’s Heritage Conservation District by signing this online petition or one of the paper versions, which are circulating within the Heritage Conservation District.
16. The Speaker's Neighbourhood
Catherine Nasmith
As the sole occupant of the Legislative Building, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly has a unique perspective on Queen’s Park and University Avenue. The current occupant, Speaker Peters, more than any Speaker in recent memory has shown a deep commitment to this place. To have him lead a walk through his front yard was a real privilege for the 100 or so people who took him up on a most unusual invitation to the public. It was also remarkable to be welcomed into the Legislative Building as if we were visiting him at home, which in fact we were.
This walk was a way for him to share his sense of the importance of these places. It is hard to imagine anyone in such high office in another jurisdiction, or even Ottawa, being so generous with the public. Anyone could come. Many joined in as we moved up University Avenue.
The tour began on the front lawn of Osgoode Hall, with about 90 people gathered. Speaker Peters welcomed everyone and then pointed out his concerns about development north of Queen’s Park encroaching on the dignity of the Ontario Capital Precinct. At several stops as we moved up University Avenue consultant Robert Allsopp explained the impact of potential and approved development from various vantage points.
The magic of the evening was the enthusiasm of our guide as we moved from one site to another. There are so many important monuments and buildings, such as Walter Allward’s monument to Adam Beck at Queen and University, the Airman’s monument at Dundas, a monument to fire fighters, various iterations of Ontario Hydro, Sir John A Macdonald at the southern end of Queen’s Park, the new war memorial. The best guide to them is John Warkentin’s book, Creating Memory.
Speaker Peters’ sense of ownership of the gardens around the Legislative Building came through as he asked people to keep an eye out for a pair of red hawks who have been nesting near his office window….and then as if on cue he spotted the pair, one perched on the centre of the peak of the great central roof and atop the flag pole. He pointed out to the refurbished plantings in the gardens, he has been responsible for planting the beds with perrenials…..Trilliums will now be found on the grounds of Queen’s Park….how obvious is that, yet amazing that it has only recently been done.
That would have been enough, but we were then invited in to have a look around his house, which iin fact belongs to all Ontarians. He skipped the places one can go on a standard tour of the building. We started in his office where he talked about his commandeering of his favourite paintings. an eclectic collection of important artists and includes pieces featuring St. Thomas where he lives, and also Jumbo the elephant…a St. Thomas legend. http://www.mysteriesofcanada.com/Ontario/jumbo_the_elephant.html
Speaker Peters also pointed out the recently restored windows in his office, easily 8 or 9 feet tall, 4 to five feet wide, double hung and operated with just a finger. He even began a puppet show using the handmade puppet of himself given to him on his retirement by the Pages of the Assembly.
From there the group was divided to go to the attic, a grand piranesian space, and the legislative chamber. Many took advantage of the opportunity to have their photios taken in the Speaker’s chair. From the attic one can gain access to a balcony on the east side that has a magnificent view down University Avenue. On the other side is a grand circular window, Alas, getting a clock installed there will have to wait for a future Speaker, this government decided against the expense.
What was impressive was how invisible Queen’s Park security was as we toured the building. No doubt the guards were there, but we barely saw them. The evening ended with refreshments in the Speaker’s apartment.
All in all it was a real treat for everyone who took advantage of the invitation.
I hope the next Speaker is as open and welcoming to the public as Speaker Peters has been, and as interested in sharing and celebrating Ontario’s House and its gardens.
17. 21 Avenue Road - A New Opportunity?
Catherine Nasmith
Councillor Wong-Tam recently convened a large meeting to have a preliminary discussion with representatives of a potential purchaser of the 21 Avenue Road project. Camrost is considering purchasing the controversial property which comes with permission from the City and the OMB to build two towers which will rise above the roofline of the L.A. when seen from anywhere south of College on University Avenue.
Adam Brown, who was the lawyer for the current owners, Menkes has been hired by the potential owners Camrost to undertake due dilegence for them, spoke on their behalf. Camrost is testing the potential public and planning reaction to their proposal.
WZMH architects presented preliminary plans for the site, converting the existing Four Season’s Hotel building to condominium. Interestingly WZMH were the architects for the existing hotel building, which is so well built it would take two years to demolish. Renovating rather than demolishing also allows the owner to sell units much sooner. The remaining density is proposed to be accommodated in a 900 m2 tower to the south which would be 128m including the elevator penthouse. This is 4-5 stories less than the current approved towers, but still considerably higher than the existing hotel so would have significant impacts on the view of the silhouette of the Legislative Assembly building from anywhere south of College on University Avenue. The ground level is all retail space, eliminating a nasty undercover car drop off and entrance off of Avenue Road.
Having the developer come forward to get public comment so early in their process was very well received.
Generally the proposal was seen as an improvement for keeping the existing building but there is still concern about the impact on the Queen’s Park Views. Councillor Wong Tam is hoping to at least eliminate any impact on the silhouette from College Street.
As representative of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario I suggested that the second tower be reduced to the height of the existing hotel and the density be transferred to the east of the existing hotel tower. At the OMB hearing the Legislative Assembly of Ontario’s appeal was that the new development not make the view any worse, ie no higher than the existing hotel building. Others, including ACO argued for a clear profile from Queen Street, which is considered to be the entrance to the “Capital Precinct”. However as the OMB decision so clearly points out there is no policy in place at either the City or the province to protect this view.
However, for the developer, changing the plans to accommodate the stated position of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario would create a lot of good will for the project.
Cross your fingers, kiss that rabbit’s foot…..it might prove more effective than the planning system has been so far.
18. Action Item: The Fort York Bridge--Making Many Connections
Catherine Nasmith
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The Fort York Bridge is more than a bridge, it represents an opportunity to connect the City’s past to its present, to correct damage done to Toronto’s nascent Park system of the 1840’s, to finally reconnect lands severed by the railway in the 1850’s The railway brought industry and financial wealth to Toronto, but it destroyed an vision for a waterfront park system designed by John Howard.
I am writing this as a former director of the Niagara Neighbourhood Association, a founder of the Friends of Fort York, the former chair of the Toronto Preservation Board, a former member of the Garrison Creek Community Project, and a consultant to the City of Toronto on an HCD plan for Fort York. I have been actively involved in discussions of planning issues around Fort York since 1985.
In the early nineties the City and the Waterfront Regeneration Trust almost succeeded in getting the railway tracks out of the way, which would have made it possible to reconnect the Garrison Creek park system with the waterfront
In 1994 the Friends of Fort York were founded and rallied around bringing “accessibility, visibility and dignity” to Fort York. The Friends were asking for Fort centered planning as the area around the Fort was in transition from industrial to a residential neighbourhood. That process is well along with redevelopment north and south of the railway tracks.
One of the absolutely key aspects of all of the plans done by different government agencies since 1985 has been to re-claim the city owned lands to the north of the Fort as park, and re-establish the lost landscape of the Garrison Creek, the founding landscape of the Fort and of the city of Toronto. The City has re-zoned most of these lands as parkland. Its development as park depends on the bridge connection. It is unthinkable that the City would not get into the business of selling off city parks for development, yet that seems to be under discussion on these lands associated with Fort York, the City’s most important heritage site.
The recent hastily made, ill-considered decision to send the bridge back to look for cost savings could undo years of careful, thoughtful planning and mean the window of opportunity for construction to coincide with track work would be lost. Stopping the process now guarantees that the bridge will be much more costly in future. If the lands are sold off the opportunity would be lost forever.
It’s not too late. Councillor Mike Layton has been working hard to garner the votes needed to reverse the Committee decision. There are still a few more days to put pressure on.
To read all the news items, see photographs, sign a petition, or email your councilor go to:
http://toronto.typepad.com/fortyorkbridge/
