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Community members, planning staff and other interested stakeholders came together on March 18 at Metro Hall to discuss the draft recommendations of the King-Spadina Heritage Conservation District Study. An area that is experiencing a tremendous amount of development, the proposed Heritage Conservation District aims to protect the neighbourhood's historical and cultural character by setting policies that will guide future development within its boundaries.
Under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act, municipalities have the power to designate districts that have significant social, cultural, historical or natural value. These are called Heritage Conservation Districts (HCDs). Once an area is designated under Part V, any exterior alterations or proposals to demolish a property within the area must first receive permission from the municipal council. Properties within an HCD are further designated as either 'contributing' or 'non-contributing'. 'Contributing' properties are integral to maintaining the character of the neighbourhood and should be maintained and conserved. These properties will not be considered for demolition unless its integrity has been lost by reason other than neglect, deferred maintenance or purposeful damage. Demolition and alteration of 'non-contributing' properties may be considered but any development in its place must respect the overall character of the neighbourhood.
The process to develop a Heritage Conservation District for the King-Spadina neighbourhood began in February 2012 when City Council directed staff to prepare a report to authorize the area for study. The HCD Study was authorized by City Council in October 2012 and the first community meeting was held on June 25, 2013. The study was conducted on behalf of the City of Toronto by Taylor-Hazell Architects, Urban Strategies Inc. and Archaeological Services Inc.
Initially proposed as one HCD, the draft recommendations revealed at the meeting proposed splitting the study area into two separate HCDs to differentiate the commercial and entertainment districts. The boundaries have also been expanded to include both sides of Bathurst Street to the west, Richmond Street to the north and David Pecaut Square to the southeast.
After a short presentation laying out the context of the study and the neighbourhood, participants were split into groups and given maps of the proposed HCD. The purpose of the roundtable discussion was to determine whether the boundaries of the study area needed to be expanded, refined or kept the same. There was also an emphasis on maintaining views, circulation and making use of the many laneways within the neighbourhood.
After a lengthy discussion, a variety of suggestions from the participants arose:
- Ensure Restaurant Row and the rowhouses on Clarence Square are protected;
- Emphasize walkability by widening sidewalks;
- Extend the area north of Queen to protect Spadina (Councillor Vaughan suggested this will be studied as a distinct zone);
- Extend the boundary to fully encompass Emily Street and
- Include Draper Street due to development at neighbouring Globe and Mail lands.
There were also concerns expressed by some that the HCD would not be approved until after the fate of the Mirvish-Gehry proposal has been decided. Councillor Adam Vaughan shared the concern but noted that the number of development applications being submitted for this area has declined substantially since 2010.
As the King-Spadina HCD designation process is still in the study phase, policies and guidelines that will impact the neighbourhood's development will be brought forward at a later date. 'Contributing' and 'non-contributing' properties will also be determined as the process moves forward. It is hoped that the King-Spadina HCD will be approved before the election this year. In the meantime, the City of Toronto has created a blog which tracks the progress of the King-Spadina HCD.
For more information and a general overview of Heritage Conservation Districts, click here. For detailed information on Heritage Conservation Districts in Toronto, click here.
What are your thoughts on the proposed HCDs? Do you believe the boundaries should be expanded or refined? How do you think future development will be affected? Leave a comment below to share your views.
