On October 3rd, the Etobicoke Historical Society issued an official objection to Jennifer Renaud, Senior Planner with Toronto City Planning Division in advance of a community consultation meeting regarding the planning application for 4916-4946 Dundas Street West and 4-16 Burnhamthorpe Road. 

The Etobicoke Historical Society Board, on behalf of its many members, strongly disagrees with the Heritage Impact Assessment’s view that the demolition of the church/old town hall central section of the designated heritage building would “not negatively affect the heritage values of the site”. This can be found on Page 32 of the assessment - please CLICK HERE to read in full.

Walking tours of Islington Village often stop to view the walls of this section of the building while the guide talks about the community, religious, and governance history of the site. The destruction of the central section would remove one of the very few old physical reminders of a significant place in Etobicoke’s history. The demolition would take place in order to construct – as shown by the proposed floor plans – a space for lockers, a restaurant kitchen and, a “memory care” terrace. 

The Society believes that the central section of the designated building should not be demolished.
 
The Society has also asked about the required archaeological assessment for this area. None of the documentation provided for the consultation discusses what will be done in this regard. It is EHS's understanding that the entire Islington Village area is designated by the City for such assessment. As such, we have asked for the plans for archaeological work. Should demolition proceed with the central and back portions of the designated building, the EHS would want detailed, careful archaeological work to be done there and in its surroundings, as has been done at other sites in the city.

Taking Action:

Members of the Etobicoke Historical Society and concerned citizens my share their opinions at a special online virtual community consultation meeting, taking place on Thursday, October 15th, between 7:00pm and 8:30pm.  To learn more about attending, please refer to the notice below:

As a major project spearheaded by the Etobicoke Historical Society, the new sculpture of Joshua Glover will be a major historic landmark and art piece for Etobicoke. In 2017, EHS initiated the History and Art in the Parks project and partnered with the city on the Glover commission. Rexdale-born and raised artist Quentin VerCetty, who won the City of Toronto artist competition for the piece, said he felt a kinship with Joshua Glover as he designed his sculpture of the runaway slave wearing a suit and hat, clutching his freedom papers and books and looking toward the future, a mangled cyborg arm dangling chains behind him.

In this feature article by Toronto.com, EHS President Joel Winter shares some background on the project and its importance to Etobicoke history - now, more than ever!

As a part of Arts Etobicoke's ongoing series, Augmented Reality in The Village of Islington, they are once again offering the free online workshop Oral Indigenous History and Cultural Cosmology Workshops with Philip Cote on Monday August 24th and Wednesday August 26th to those who live and work in the area of Islington.

These workshops will look at how Indigenous people organized their lives through the observation of the environment ie. Animals, Seasons, and Star Knowledge and how all these become Land-based Knowledge and survival tools for Indigenous People. In this session, Philip will focus on Star-knowledge and the Thirteen-moon Calendar.

Philip organizes his workshops with a smaller group dynamic. Focusing on wildlife pictography, its importance to Indigenous people, and how ancestors spoke about the organization of this wildlife through painting animals in the woodland style.

All our community workshops are free, however they are intended for community members who live or work within a 1km radius of Islington Village. This project is designed to more accurately represent the people who live and work in this community so we want to make sure that registration is targeted to community members. You are welcome to sign up for multiple workshops, however as space is limited we may ask you to choose your preferred workshop series so we can accommodate as many community members as possible.

Workshop 2

Monday, August 24
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Register here for Oral Indigenous History and Cultural Cosmology Workshop with Philip Cote on August 24

Workshop 3

Wednesday, August 26
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Register here for Oral Indigenous History and Cultural Cosmology Workshop with Philip Cote on August 26


Philip Cote, of Moose Deer Point First Nation is a Young Spiritual Elder, Indigenous Artist, Activist, Educator, Historian and Ancestral Knowledge Keeper. Philip is a graduate of OCAD University’s Interdisciplinary Art Media and Design Masters program.

He is engaged in creating opportunities for art-making and teaching methodologies through Indigenous symbolism, traditional ceremonies, history, oral stories, and land-based pedagogy. His art and teaching philosophy evolves from his practice of experiential learning and the transmission of Indigenous Knowledge.

Philip has shared his knowledge with numerous institutions from York University, the Art Gallery of Ontario, University of Toronto, OCAD University, Peel District School Board and the TDSB.  Philip is also a tour guide with “First Story” since 2005, providing an Indigenous history of Toronto covering the last 13,500 years and as far back as 130,000 years. Philip has won numerous TABIA awards for his public street art murals across the City of Toronto.

Today was a big day for the Etobicoke Historical Society. After years of fundraising and effort, we were thrilled to finally reveal the Joshua Glover memorial. The monument commemorates Joshua Glover, a Black man who helped propel the abolitionist movement after escaping slavery. After a series of artist submissions and a panel vote, Quentin Vercetty was selected. Quentin's piece pays homage to Mr. Glover's transition from slave to free and local influencer citizen within Toronto. Congratulations to Quentin, and thanks to all members of the Etobicoke Historical Society and board for working diligently to make this a reality!

In September 2019, I attended an information session presented by the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario (ACO) on TOBuilt, a database for cataloguing and promoting Toronto’s built heritage. ACO had invited members of historical societies and other community groups to learn about TOBuilt and how to become involved in updating and expanding the database with Toronto’s heritage structures.

TOBuilt was started in 2006 as the personal project of one man, Bob Krawczyk, who had a passion for cycling around Toronto and taking pictures of old or interesting buildings. Mr. Krawczyk eventually entered over 7,000 buildings into his database, with a photo for each building along with the address, number of floors, year completed and often the architect's name and other information on the property.
ACO became interested in the project and arranged to take over TOBuilt from Mr. Krawczyk in 2013 and improved it for easier use. Hundreds of sites have since been added, and additional information obtained for many buildings. TOBuilt currently contains well over 11,000 entries.

I realized that EHS’s website provided a rich resource of information for many of the heritage buildings in Etobicoke and when linked to a building profile in TOBuilt would greatly enhance their heritage value. Each TOBuilt building page displays an area where a short story on the building can be told, and a “resources“ button at the page bottom to provide a link online from where the information is taken.

Since becoming a member of ACO in November 2019, I have updated 27 heritage Etobicoke building records in TOBuilt and entered an additional 26 buildings. For each of the 53 records, I have provided a link to an article on EHS’s website as a resource. There are many more buildings still to update or add, however research will be required as they have not yet been covered by EHS.

The City of Toronto has an online register of heritage properties, however it only provides minimal information such as whether its status is “listed” or “designated” and the listing date. TOBuilt provides a much richer resource for establishing the heritage value of our historic structures and will play an important role in the on-going challenge of preserving Toronto’s built heritage.

Be sure to visit TOBuilt online: https://acotoronto.ca/tobuilt_new_detailed.php
 
Sources:
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https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/his-interest-is-building/article18173695/
https://www.oala.ca/event/tobuilt-recording-and-protecting-torontos-built-heritage/

Researched and written by Neil Park

If you happened to be driving along Park Lawn Road in June/July 2020, you may have noticed a tractor or mechanical digger or a truck between 238 and 242 Park Lawn.  The machines have excavated what will become the basement level of a new house to be constructed at the new address, #240.

Originally part of the same lot on which stands the house at #238, this piece of land long since featured a garage on a concrete floor before the machines broke that up and took it away in preparation for excavation.  But the machine operator had a sharp eye and when working the digger a few steps north of the house at #238, pushed aside a concrete slab and uncovered an old water well.
​
This was the well originally used with the farmhouse on one of the many market gardens located in the area more than a century in the past.  Capped probably when the town water supply connecting to new houses in the area was extended to the old house at #242 Park Lawn, the well had been effectively preserved.  A former resident of #242 in the 1930s, whose family used the well, recalls her brother against the admonishment of his father racing across the yard with a plank on his shoulder.  Inevitably he tumbled into the well, but was saved from a deep fall and serious injury by the plank!

After finding the light of day, even now water was present at the bottom.  The well’s diameter was 44” and depth was plumbed at 22’ below ground level.  The well has since been filled in … but in its short second lifespan provided a momentary diversion into history for current and prior residents.  

​– Murray Johnston

Announcement to Members of EHS:

​The City of Toronto announced a list of facilities that would be closed due to COVID-19, which included the City Museums.  Details on the closures can be found by CLICKING HERE.

As a result of the closure and also to support the City's directive to limit public gatherings, EHS will be cancelling the Speaker's Night series for April and May 2020.

Please visit our events page for updates in terms of rescheduling and future dates.

Thanks to everyone for your understanding, and please stay self-isolated and safe!

Regards,

The Board of Directors
The Etobicoke Historical Society

Announcement to Members of EHS:

​The City of Toronto announced yesterday a list of facilities that would be closed till April 5th, 2020 due to COVID-19, which included the City Museums.  Details on the closures can be found by CLICKING HERE.

As a result of the closure and also to support the City's directive to limit public gatherings, EHS will be cancelling the Speaker's Night on Thursday March 19th.

The Speakers Nights for April and May will remain as scheduled for now pending further updates from the City.

Thanks to everyone for your understanding.

Regards,

The Board of Directors
The Etobicoke Historical Society