Item - 2020.EY19.4

The Etobicoke York Community Council recommends that:

1.  City Council state its intention to designate the property at 165 Stanley Avenue under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, in accordance with the Statement of Significance: 165 Stanley Avenue (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 3 to the report (October 9, 2020) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

2.  If there are no objections to the designation in accordance with the Ontario Heritage Act, City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the necessary bill in Council.

3.  If there are objections in accordance with the Ontario Heritage Act, City Council direct the City Clerk to refer the proposed designation to the Conservation Review Board.

4.  If the designation is referred to the Conservation Review Board, City Council authorize the City Solicitor and appropriate staff to attend any hearing held by the Conservation Review Board in support of Council's decision to designate the property.

5. City Council authorize the entering into Heritage Easement Agreement under Section 37 of the Ontario Heritage Act with the owner of 165 Stanley Avenue in a form and content satisfactory to the City Solicitor and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

6. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the necessary bill in Council authorizing the entering into Heritage Easement Agreement for the property at 165 Stanley Avenue.

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the property at 165 Stanley Avenue under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

St Leo's Catholic School, originally called St Leo's Separate School, is a Collegiate Gothic style school that was constructed in 1926 on the south side of Stanley Avenue between Royal York Road and Elizabeth Street. It was opened by the Mimico Separate School Board with the assistance of the congregation of St Leo's Catholic Church, and it is the oldest Separate School in Etobicoke that is still open. The building is two-storeys and originally contained four classrooms and an auditorium. The architect is not known. Following an increase in the Catholic population in Etobicoke after WWII and a surge in enrollment at St Leo's Catholic School, several additions of interconnected buildings were made from 1956-76.

The property at 165 Stanley Avenue was listed on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register on September 27, 2006 and was originally listed on the former City of Etobicoke Inventory of Heritage Properties.

A Site Plan Approval application was submitted on January 3, 2019 for the property at 165 Stanley Avenue (Application No. 19 100745 WET 03 SA). A Memorandum was issued by Heritage Planning on August 29, 2019, which identified conditions of approval, including the request for an Interpretation Plan, the production of a detailed Conservation Plan and that the owner enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement, following consultation with the Toronto Preservation Board and if approved by Council. The Site Plan Approval application remains under review.

The applicant proposes to retain the original 1926 school building, connected to a new three-storey wing at the rear by a one-and-a-half storey glazed pedestrian connection. Modifications to the heritage building include the introduction of window wells on the lower levels of the north, west and east elevations, a new sunken courtyard on the west elevation, and the enlargement of an existing opening in the rear (south) elevation to accommodate the new connection. The rear (south) wall is proposed to be over clad in stucco.

Following research and evaluation, it has been determined that the property meets Ontario Regulation 9/06, which sets out the criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, for its design/physical, historical/associative and contextual value. 

The Province and the City's policies seek the conservation of cultural heritage resources. Designation supports conservation as it enables City Council to review alterations to the site, enforce heritage property standards and maintenance, and refuse demolition.