A block of homes in and around Bloor St W at Pacific Ave and on to Oakmont Ave has sst waiting for redevelopment byWJ Properties for a number of years and now that the last renter has been removed the questions is when will the development start.
Yet for this author while that is an important consideration, the pressing matter at hand is that many in the community view the homes as architecturally unimportant. This view is completely wrong if you have knowledge of the relationship if local west Toronto communities and the housing in the area. A few of these houses have in addition to others elements the last remaining typical veranda types and rear extensions that were in the past commons in the area and have been removed from many houses.
In addition the houses at the corner of Pacific Ave and Bloor St west at the east corner is one of the last remaining purpose built combo doctors office and home buildings.
Not that this author is completely against the redevelopment, but it is perplexing that many people simply states their opinions with incorporating an west local social fabric elements
from a recent Toronto star article
Local councillor, Bill Saundercook, wishes the whole thing would go away: “I’m not happy about what’s happening,” he told the Star. “The zoning permits highrise, but I’d rather they not develop the site. I like the housing stock there. But Heritage Toronto didn’t designate the buildings. Everyone knows the day will come when they’ll be demolished. The city said no you can’t demolish until you have a plan, but I’ve been told there is no such plan. It’s so confusing.”
No doubt about that.
“It’s a damn shame,” says Rollo Myers of The Architectural Conservancy of Ontario. “It’s a lovely assembly of buildings. Our position is that every building that’s still standing is worth saving rather than sending off to a landfill. There must be rules.”
Toronto Star article by Mr Hume
