TORONTO HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION PATRONS The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, C.C., C.C.C., C.D., and Mr. John Ralston Saul, C.C. NEWSLETTER # 13 - November 2009
Councillor Adam Giambrone was a great guest speaker for our fall meeting, providing a most interesting talk on the proposed development of a Museum of Transit for the City of Toronto. This will house, among other things, 2100 boxes of artefacts currently in storage. His presentation led to a number of varied discussions and overall support of the proposal. Possible locations include Roncesvalles car house, Russell car house, the Danforth bus garage and the Lower Bay station, Councillor Giambrone also advised that a brand-new Portlands car house facility is being proposed, possibly at Ashbridges Bay. The consultant’s final report will be issued by the end of the year, at which time the TTC will review it and make a decision about location, etc.
At the meeting, Jane Beecroft once again asked all of our Members to contact their MPP’s urging them to support Bill 149 - the Inactive Cemeteries Protection Act of Ontario.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Open House: Fort York Visitor Centre Design Competition December 4, 5, and 6 from noon to 6 pm each day Members' Lounge, City Hall Council Chamber, 3rd floor Everyone is welcome to view the designs of the five finalists and to fill out a comments form. The five finalist firms are: Baird Sampson Neuert Architects; Raw Design; Diamond and Schmitt Architects Inc.; duToit Architects Ltd.; Patkau Architects Inc. with Kearns Mancini. A jury will pick the winning design and the design will be announced before the end of December. The Fort York Visitor Centre is a major part of the overall project to revitalize the entire 43-acre Fort York National Historic site in time for the launch of the Bicentennial Commemoration of the War of 1812 in June 2012. Fort York National Historic Site houses the largest collection of 1812-era buildings in Canada and is Canada's only authentic 1812-era Fort. The overall revitalization also includes: the construction of the elegant new Fort York Pedestrian/Cycling Bridge, which will span the railway lines, joining the Fort to the downtown; a continuous open space plan for the landscape surrounding the Fort, which will not only restore areas of original 17th and 18th century landscape but provide a wonderful community resource for the newly emerging Fort York residential community located to the north, south and east of the Fort (20,000 residents and 600 units of social housing as well as the 100th branch of the Toronto Public Library by 2012); the restoration of all 8 buildings on the site so that they will be fully accessible to visitors for the first time since the Fort became a museum in 1934.
Beyond its role of improving the visitor experience, the Visitor Centre will serve as a community hub outside public museum hours. Other City projects that will enhance the revitalization of Fort York National Historic Site include: Watertable, the wonderful new light sculpture under the Gardiner Expressway by the Fort; the development of June Callwood Park to the south of the Fort, which will provide a pedestrian/cycling connection from the Fort to the waterfront; and the development of the northern linear park that will connect the Fort in the east to City Place, the Rogers Centre, and Roundhouse Park. For further information, contact: Sandra Shaul, Museum Administrator, Special Projects (Bicentennial War of 1812). Phone: 416-392-8231 - Cell: 416-949-5809 - Fax: 416-392-5600 -
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Victorian Christmas Dinner December 5 at 6:00 p.m. An annual favourite, this traditional dinner is hosted by the Sharon Temple’s Volunteer Committee in the Temperance Hall. Tickets: $45.00. For more information, please call 905-478-2389
A reminder:
Heritage Etobicoke Foundation - will be holding an Antiques & Collectibles Auction on Saturday, November 21, from 1 - 4 p.m. (preview starts at noon) - at Islington Golf Club, 45 Riverbank Drive (off Islington Avenue, one block north of Dundas Street West. The Foundation is sponsoring this auction to assist Montgomery’s Inn in its major re-restoration project. For further information, contact Randall Reid at (416) 394-6025.
Swansea Historical Society - will be holding an Antique Show on Sunday, November 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - at the Swansea Town Hall, 95 Lavinia Avenue. Items for sale include books, jewellery, art, furniture silver, china, glass and much, much more.
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MEMBER’S UPCOMING EVENTS
North York Historical Society: Wednesday, December 9th, 7.30 p.m. - Lorne Miller, author & publisher, will present OUR DON MILLS: a community memoir. LOCATION: Willowdale United Church, Friendship Room, 349 Church Avenue. 2 blocks east of Yonge Street, north of the North York City subway. Parking available. Admission free. Visitors welcome.
Community History Project
At the Tollkeeper’s Cottage - Orders for Christmas puddings may be taken and can be prepaid (as last year). Small $10 (feeds two or three), Medium $15 (feeds three or four) recipes for sauce included. No orders after Friday, November 20. For further information call 416-515-7546.
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If you have something you would like in the THA newsletter or a special event, please get it to the editor before the 12th of the month previous to the event. Molly Sutherland will be preparing the newsletter and she can be reached by telephone at 416-621-5165, or by e-mail to
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Mail will be picked up as usual at Toronto’s First Post Office.
P.O. Box 67, Toronto’s First Post Office, 260 Adelaide Street East, Toronto M5A 1N1
Working together, bringing Toronto’s past into the future
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