What a Loss! What a Shame!

It certainly made the news here in Toronto ... a two-alarm fire that occurred on the morning of Monday, March 23rd.  The blaze and the smoke made for real drama ... but the real tragedy stems from the fact that an old treasure from Toronto's past has been so badly damaged (or lost?). The irony is that this building (actually 2 buildings) escaped the wrecking ball just seven weeks ago when LPAT rejected a developer's appeal (see previous blog) that would see only its facade incorporated in the proposal.    

As for the heritage significance of this building, three sources are pertinent:

• One is a book published in 2010 (long before development referenced in this blog was contemplated), by author and fellow GDNA member Doug Taylor, called The Villages Within.  Click here to access an excerpt dealing with what he calls the "Houses with the Stone Lions".
• Another is a public notice following City Council's "intention to designate the properties at 422 and 424 Wellington Street West under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act" in the fall of 2017.  Click here to access the "Statement of Significance (Reasons for Designation)" 
• And yet another is a file from the Architectural Conservancy Ontario related to what it refers to as the "McLeish-Powell Houses".  Click here to review that file.

By permission of TaylorOnHistory.com.  Click here to learn more about Bay and Gable houses.