Item - 2017.TE24.91

The Toronto and East York Community Council directed:

1.    The Senior Manager, Heritage Preservation Services, to report back to the Toronto and East York Community Council on the possibility of designating The Regent Theatre at 551 Mount Pleasant Road under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.

2.    The Senior Manager, Heritage Preservation Services, to report back to the Toronto and East York Community Council on the possibility of designating The Mount Pleasant Theatre at 675 Mount Pleasant Road under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.

The Regent Theatre at 551 Mount Pleasant Road is a culturally significant structure that deserves full heritage designation on Toronto's Heritage Register. Originally opened as the Belsize Theatre in 1927, this building was renamed The Crest in 1954 and subsequently became The Regent in 1988 but has operated in the Davisville Village community as a local movie house and live theatre for the majority of its existence. The marquee on the building façade and the architectural styling of the structure itself are representative of the work of architect Murray Brown, who was well known for designing movie theatres across Toronto and Canada. Murray Brown also became the Toronto architect who was among the practitioners chosen by the Chief Architect's Branch of the federal Public Works Department to design small-scaled public works during the Great Depression of the 1930s. The Regent is clearly a vital link to the architectural, cultural and economic past of this Midtown neighbourhood.

The Regent is currently Listed on the City's Heritage Register; however, in order to preserve the theatre as an important heritage resource, I am requesting City staff undertake a process to consider the property for full Designation under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.

Just up the road, the Mount Pleasant Theatre is one of Toronto’s oldest surviving movie theatres. Named The Hudson when it first opened in 1926, the theatre was designed by architect La Marque and built by R. Luxton. Similar to other small neighbourhood venues, it was unable to compete with the large downtown theatres that offered first-run films, so instead screened double–bills. Also, shops were built on either side of its entrance and rented to provide extra income. In 1951, the name of the theatre was changed from the Hudson to the Mount Pleasant. The only major renovations to the theatre were in 1936. Today the Mount Pleasant Theatre continues to offer two films per show and remains an integral part of the community.

To date, this culturally significant property has absolutely no heritage protection.