Item - 2023.PH5.10

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council state its intention to designate the property at 123 Wynford Drive under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance; 123 Wynford Drive (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 3 to the report (June 19, 2023) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

2.  If there are no objections to the designation, City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the Bill in Council designating the property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the property at 123 Wynford Drive under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value.

Located on the south side of Wynford Drive, northeast of Don Mills Road and Eglinton Avenue East, in the Banbury-Don Mills neighbourhood in North York, the former Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (JCCC) at 123 Wynford Drive contains an institutional building with designed landscape and gardens that integrates traditional Japanese design with a Canadian context, including its response to the natural qualities of the Don Valley ravine site.

Completed in 1963 through the extraordinary efforts of the 75 founding Japanese Canadian families, members and volunteers, the JCCC blossomed into a flourishing cultural centre at its original location for 37 years. The Brutalist character of the prestressed concrete building combined with a distinct Japanese sensibility was designed by Raymond Moriyama, internationally renowned Canadian architect and a Companion of the Order of Canada. Moriyama designed the JCCC early in his career at the age of 28 and was recognized by the Precast Concrete Institute of Chicago's annual award in 1964. At the June 7, 1964 opening ceremony, Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson highlighted the significance of the JCCC and Japanese Canadians to the country's multicultural mosaic in the post-war period. The JCCC is well known for cultural enrichment to Japanese and non-Japanese audiences in Toronto through its enduring motto, "Friendship through Culture".

Following the sale of the property in 2001, the JCCC relocated to an expanded facility within the neighbourhood, and the former JCCC became the Noor Cultural Centre,

a centre for Islamic practice and learning, and celebration of Islamic culture, while respecting the diversity in peoples and religions. The building was adaptively repurposed and sensitively adapted through minor alterations by Moriyama & Teshima Architects to serve the Canadian Muslim community from 2003 until the facility closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. The property was sold in 2021.

The property is a landmark that contributes to a significant collection of high-quality designed civic and cultural institutions that characterize the Don Mills Crossing area.

The property has been identified as one of the 'Significant Modernist Projects' in North York constructed between 1945 and 1981. The property was listed on the North York's Inventory of Heritage Properties on October 6, 1997. Following municipal amalgamation, the North York heritage inventory was included in the consolidated City of Toronto's Heritage Register in 2006.

Staff have completed the Research and Evaluation Report for the property at 123 Wynford Drive and determined that the property meets Ontario Regulation 9/06, the criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act under physical and design, historical and associative, and contextual values. As such, the property is a significant built heritage resource.

In July 2022, the City received Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment applications related to the proposed redevelopment of the subject property. The proposal is for two residential towers of 55 and 48 storeys, and it proposes to retain in situ a portion of the historic building with the reconstruction of its west elevation undertaken with salvaged and new materials to serve as the base of the new development. The proposal consists of 78,660 square metres of residential gross floor area containing 1128 residential units, and 463 vehicular parking spaces.

A Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) completed by ERA Architects Inc. and dated

July 22, 2022 was submitted to support the application. An HIA is required for all development applications that affect listed and designated properties and will be considered when determining how a heritage property is to be conserved.

In June 2019, the More Homes, More Choice Act, 2019 (Bill 108) received Royal Assent. Schedule 11 of this Act included amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act.

The Bill 108 Amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act came into force on July 1, 2021, which included a shift in Part IV designations related to Planning Act applications that would trigger a Prescribed Event. Section 29(1.2) of the Ontario Heritage Act now restricts City Council's ability to give notice of its intention to designate a property under the Act to within 90 days after the City Clerk gives notice of a complete application.

The City Clerk issued a complete application notice on October 14, 2022. The property owner provided a waiver to the City without a time limit to extend the 90-day timeline of the Prescribed Event established under Bill 108.  However, the applicant appealed their Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment application to the Ontario Land Tribunal on April 20, 2023, due to Council's lack of decision, as prescribed by the Planning Act.

Heritage staff are seeking Council's decision regarding Part IV designation at this time to inform the planning process.  

On November 28, 2022, the More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 (Bill 23) received Royal Assent. Schedule 6 of the More Homes Built Faster Act which amended the Ontario Heritage Act came into effect on January 1, 2023. The application was deemed complete prior to Bill 23 coming into force, however, the Part IV designation must be in compliance with the province's amended O. Reg. 9/06 under the Ontario Heritage Act, which is in effect as of January 1, 2023. The revised regulation establishes nine provincial criteria for determining whether a property is of cultural heritage value or interest. A property may be designated under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, if it meets two or more of the nine criteria.

The subject property meets eight of the nine criteria relating to design/physical, historical/associative, and contextual values.  Designation enables City Council to review proposed alterations or demolitions to the property and enforce heritage property standards and maintenance.

At its meeting on June 12, 2023, the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB7.11 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the report (May 31, 2023) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the property at 123 Wynford Drive under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value.

Located on the south side of Wynford Drive, northeast of Don Mills Road and Eglinton Avenue East, in the Banbury-Don Mills neighbourhood in North York, the former Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre at 123 Wynford Drive contains an institutional building with designed landscape and gardens that integrates traditional Japanese design with a Canadian context, including its response to the natural qualities of the Don Valley ravine site.

Completed in 1963 through the extraordinary efforts of the 75 founding Japanese Canadian families, members and volunteers, the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre blossomed into a flourishing cultural centre at its original location for 37 years. The Brutalist character of the prestressed concrete building combined with a distinct Japanese sensibility was designed by Raymond Moriyama, internationally renowned Canadian architect and a Companion of the Order of Canada. Moriyama designed the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre early in his career at the age of 28 and was recognized by the Precast Concrete Institute of Chicago's annual award in 1964. At the June 7, 1964 opening ceremony, Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson highlighted the significance of the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre and Japanese Canadians to the country's multicultural mosaic in the post-war period. The Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre is well known for cultural enrichment to Japanese and non-Japanese audiences in Toronto through its enduring motto, "Friendship through Culture".

Following the sale of the property in 2001, the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre relocated to an expanded facility within the neighbourhood, and the former Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre became the Noor Cultural Centre, a centre for Islamic practice and learning, and celebration of Islamic culture, while respecting the diversity in peoples and religions. The building was adaptively repurposed and sensitively adapted through minor alterations by Moriyama & Teshima Architects to serve the Canadian Muslim community from 2003 until the facility closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. The property was sold in 2021.

The property is a landmark that contributes to a significant collection of high-quality designed civic and cultural institutions that characterize the Don Mills Crossing area. The property has been identified as one of the 'Significant Modernist Projects' in North York constructed between 1945 and 1981. The property was listed on the North York's Inventory of Heritage Properties on October 6, 1997. Following municipal amalgamation, the North York heritage inventory was included in the consolidated City of Toronto's Heritage Register in 2006.

Staff have completed the Research and Evaluation Report for the property at 123 Wynford Drive and determined that the property meets Ontario Regulation 9/06, the criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act under physical and design, historical and associative, and contextual values. As such, the property is a significant built heritage resource.

In July 2022, the City received Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment applications related to the proposed redevelopment of the subject property. The proposal is for two residential towers of 55 and 48 storeys, and it proposes to retain in situ a portion of the historic building with the reconstruction of its west elevation undertaken with salvaged and new materials to serve as the base of the new development. The proposal consists of 78,660 square metres of residential gross floor area containing 1128 residential units, and 463 vehicular parking spaces.

A Heritage Impact Assessment completed by ERA Architects Inc. and dated July 22, 2022 was submitted to support the application. A Heritage Impact Assessment is required for all development applications that affect listed and designated properties and will be considered when determining how a heritage property is to be conserved.

In June 2019, the More Homes, More Choice Act, 2019 (Bill 108) received Royal Assent. Schedule 11 of this Act included amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act. The Bill 108 Amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act came into force on July 1, 2021, which included a shift in Part IV designations related to Planning Act applications that would trigger a Prescribed Event. Section 29(1.2) of the Ontario Heritage Act now restricts City Council's ability to give notice of its intention to designate a property under the Act to within 90 days after the City Clerk gives notice of a complete application.

The City Clerk issued a complete application notice on October 14, 2022. The property owner provided a waiver to the City without a time limit to extend the 90-day timeline of the Prescribed Event established under Bill 108.  However, the applicant appealed their Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment application to the Ontario Land Tribunal on April 20, 2023, due to Council's lack of decision, as prescribed by the Planning Act.

Heritage staff are seeking Council's decision regarding Part IV designation at this time to inform the planning process. 

On November 28, 2022, the More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 (Bill 23) received Royal Assent. Schedule 6 of the More Homes Built Faster Act which amended the Ontario Heritage Act came into effect on January 1, 2023. The application was deemed complete prior to Bill 23 coming into force, however, the Part IV designation must be in compliance with the province's amended O. Reg. 9/06 under the Ontario Heritage Act, which is in effect as of January 1, 2023. The revised regulation establishes nine provincial criteria for determining whether a property is of cultural heritage value or interest. A property may be designated under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, if it meets two or more of the nine criteria.

The subject property meets eight of the nine criteria relating to design/physical, historical/associative, and contextual values.  Designation enables City Council to review proposed alterations or demolitions to the property and enforce heritage property standards and maintenance.