Item - 2022.GL32.34
Tracking Status
- This item was considered by General Government and Licensing Committee on July 4, 2022 and was deferred indefinitely. Consult the text of the decision for further information on the deferral.
GL32.34 - Next Steps for Casa Loma’s North of Austin Terrace Properties - Creating a Public Vision for a Public Heritage Site
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Deferred Indefinitely
- Ward:
- 12 - Toronto - St. Paul's
Committee Decision
The General Government and Licensing Committee deferred the consideration of this item indefinitely.
Origin
Summary
City Council on June 15 and 16, 2022, referred Motion MM45.25 to the General Government and Licensing Committee.
Summary from Member Motion:
Since being selected as the operator of Casa Loma, the Liberty Entertainment Group has unquestionably revitalized the heritage site. However, there is still a need for community consultation to create a vision for the North of Austin Terrace site.
The item at City Council that awarded the Request for Proposal to Liberty in 2013 was EX35.2 - Casa Loma Request for Proposals - Operator for Main House and Grounds. The Staff Recommendations for the item clearly delineated the North of Austin Terrace as a separate entity, intended for a different use and/or operator:
6. City Council request that the Casa Loma Corporation review options for the north portion of the Casa Loma complex, including consideration of issuance of an Request for Expressions of Interest, and in doing so:
a. identify a vision and uses for the north portion of the Casa Loma complex
b. ensure the vision and uses proposed are complimentary to the heritage, tourism and event uses at the Main House and Grounds
c. preclude the sale of City owned lands
d. provide that the review process includes significant community and key stakeholder consultation
In advance of awarding the Request for Proposal for the North of Austin Terrace site in April of 2015, Staff cited a lone public consultation meeting on February 26, 2015 in response to City Council Item IA43.1. This does not meet City Council direction as cited above in Recommendation 6 Executive Committee Item EX32.5 (2013) and ignores Recommendation 8, which obligated Staff to report back to City Council on Recommendation 6 prior to moving forward with a Request for Proposal:
8. City Council direct that Casa Loma Corporation, through the City Manager, report to Council on the review process for the north portion of Casa Loma; and that the City Manager report back on the appropriate future governance structure for the Casa Loma complex no later than the spring of 2015.
In short, the vision for the site was supposed to be set by the community and Council prior to the Request for Proposal being issued. This was not done. That’s why this Motion seeks to rectify this error by directing Staff to move forward with the process laid out in 2013 for the North of Austin Terrace Site.
Background Information
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2022/gl/bgrd/backgroundfile-227740.pdf
Communications
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2022/gl/comm/communicationfile-154039.pdf
Speakers
Stacey Hawkins, Liberty Entertainment Group
Motions
That the item be deferred indefinitely.
Vote (Defer Item Indefinitely) Jul-04-2022
| Result: Carried | Majority Required |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 4 | Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie (Chair), Stephen Holyday, Nick Mantas, Frances Nunziata |
| Total members that voted No: 2 | Members that voted No are John Filion, Josh Matlow |
| Total members that were Absent: 0 | Members that were absent are |
Councillor Matlow, on a Point of Privilege, stated that the Members' questions to the public speaker should not be a referendum on his calendar availability or about whether he accepts invitations to meetings.
Councillor Matlow, on a Point of Privilege, stated that he had not received answers to his questions of staff during his questioning time.