Councillor calls for review of heritage rules after ‘heartbreaking’ demolition of historic Mimico house

Thestar.com
Dec. 2

Toronto Coun. Mark Grimes says he will request a review of the city’s heritage designation process with an eye to preventing demolition permits from being issued for properties under consideration for the heritage registry, after a century stone cottage was torn down in Mimico hours before being added to the list.

“It was heartbreaking to see this house come down,” Grimes said in a response to questions from the Star.

Grimes spent the weekend working on an ultimately futile effort to save the house at 98 Superior Ave., reaching out to Premier Doug Ford and writing a last-minute appeal to Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, asking her office to intervene.

Developer Alexander Basso, who has applied to build a triplex on the property, had the home knocked down before dawn on Monday morning, as neighbours who had fought to save it looked on.

The house was scheduled to be added to the city’s heritage register less than four hours later, at a Preservation Board meeting.

“I want you to know that although we lost the battle, you helped to raise an important conversation about the heritage designation process,” Grimes told neighbours in a statement.

Grimes said he worked with the city’s chief planner, city legal and heritage staff to formally request that a stop order be issued under the provincial Heritage Act. As the property was not yet on the city’s heritage register, nothing could be done.

“Unfortunately, the legislative requirements were not met in this case,” said Grimes (Ward 3 Etobicoke-Lakeshore).

According to the letter from Grimes to MacLeod, Basso initially submitted an application for redevelopment that required city approval because it included a request for zoning variances, made to the city’s Committee of Adjustment on Aug. 5.

Grimes and the senior manager of heritage planning requested the matter be deferred to allow time for staff to research and evaluate the property for cultural heritage value.

Basso was later able to obtain a demolition permit by submitting a plan instead to build a single-family home on the site.

According to an application filed with the city of Toronto, the demolition permit issued for 98 Superior Ave., was for a proposal to demolish an existing single-family dwelling and construct another single-family dwelling, without variances.

Having a plan with no variances is one of the requirements under the Ontario Building Code for a residential demolition permit, according to the city.

Meanwhile, Basso’s original request to build a triplex has not been withdrawn, and can still be scheduled for a hearing.

Even had the Preservation Board voted to add the property to the register, the decision has to be approved by community council, and ultimately, by city council, which doesn’t meet again until Dec. 16.

Grimes said it had been his intention to ensure that the property received designation.