Item - 2024.PH11.18

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council state its intention to designate the property at 101 Mildenhall Road under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance for 101 Mildenhall Road (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 1 to the report (March 14, 2024) from the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

2.  City Council state its intention to designate the properties at 294 (including structure address at 296), 306, and 318 Lawrence Avenue East under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance for 294-318 Lawrence Avenue (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 2 to the report (March 14, 2024) from the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

3.  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 properties at 294 (including structure address at 296), 306, and 318 Lawrence Avenue East and 101 Mildenhall Road under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for their cultural heritage value according to the Statements of Significance which include a description of Heritage Attributes found in Attachments 1 and 2.

The subject properties are located on the north side of Lawrence Avenue East, between Mildenhall Road and Bayview Avenue. A Location Map and Current Photographs of the heritage properties are found in Attachment 3.

The subject properties belong to a larger ensemble of buildings forming the Toronto French School (TFS) campus. The school was founded in the Lawrence Park neighbourhood in 1962. In 1969, TFS commissioned the design of the Moderne-style school building at 101 Mildenhall Road to be their first purpose-built facility. Between 1980-1983, TFS purchased the adjacent properties comprising the former estate of the Sifton family, at 294 (including structure address at 296), 306, and 318 Lawrence Avenue East, which presently serve as administration and classroom space for the TFS. The estate houses form part of a collection of grand estates constructed between 1920 and 1940 along the natural contours of the West Don River valley in proximity to Bayview and Lawrence Avenues. The West Don River valley stretches across a substantial portion of the site, with the West Don River forming its northern boundary. The ensemble, including the built forms and ecological features, constitutes a cultural heritage landscape united through the properties' use for recreation and retreat throughout the last century.

Staff have determined that the property at 101 Mildenhall Road has cultural heritage value and meets 6 of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

The properties at 294-318 (including structure address at 296) Lawrence Avenue East also meet 6 of the criteria. 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 properties at 294-318 (including structure address at 296) Lawrence Avenue East were originally listed on the North York Inventory of Heritage Properties. They were confirmed on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register in 2006 by Council decision.

On February 29, 2024, the Committee of Adjustment heard an application for a Minor Variance to permit the construction of a new 3 storey performance hall addition to the school campus. The application was approved with conditions. The project will retain the school building at 101 Mildenhall Road (designed in1969) and the historic estate houses at 296, 306, and 318 Lawrence Avenue East in situ.

A Cultural Heritage Resource Assessment (CHER) prepared by Stevens Burgess Architects Ltd. (SBA) dated September 2023 was submitted on behalf of the applicant, Toronto French School. In the preparation of the CHER, SBA consulted with many staff and stakeholders of the Toronto French School and retained the services of Bill Woodworth, Elder for the School of Architecture and Faculty of Engineering at the University of Waterloo. 

At its meeting on March 28, 2024 the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB16.6 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the report (March 11, 2024) from the Acting Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the properties at 294 (including structure address at 296), 306, and 318 Lawrence Avenue East and 101 Mildenhall Road under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for their cultural heritage value according to the Statements of Significance which include a description of Heritage Attributes found in Attachments 1 and 2.

The subject properties are located on the north side of Lawrence Avenue East, between Mildenhall Road and Bayview Avenue in the Bridle Path-Sunnybrook-York Mills neighbourhood. A Location Map and Current Photographs of the heritage properties are found in Attachment 3.

The subject properties belong to a larger ensemble of buildings forming the Toronto French School campus. The school was founded in the Lawrence Park neighbourhood in 1962. In 1969, Toronto French School commissioned the design of the Moderne-style school building at 101 Mildenhall Road to be their first purpose-built facility. Between 1980-1983, Toronto French School purchased the adjacent properties comprising the former estate of the Sifton family, at 294 (including structure address at 296), 306, and 318 Lawrence Avenue East, which presently serve as administration and classroom space for the Toronto French School. The estate houses form part of a collection of grand estates constructed between 1920 and 1940 along the natural contours of the West Don River valley in proximity to Bayview and Lawrence Avenues. The West Don River valley stretches across a substantial portion of the site, with the West Don River forming its northern boundary. The ensemble, including the built forms and ecological features, constitutes a cultural heritage landscape united through the properties' use for recreation and retreat throughout the last century.

Staff have determined that the property at 101 Mildenhall Road has cultural heritage value and meets 6 of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. The properties at 294-318 (including structure address at 296) Lawrence Avenue East also meet 6 of the criteria. 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 properties at 294-318 (including structure address at 296) Lawrence Avenue East were originally listed on the North York Inventory of Heritage Properties. They were confirmed on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register in 2006 by Council decision following municipal amalgamation.

On February 29, 2024, the Committee of Adjustment heard an application for a Minor Variance to permit the construction of a new 3 storey performance hall addition to the school campus. The application was approved with conditions. The project will retain the school building at 101 Mildenhall Road (designed in1969) and the historic estate houses at 296, 306, and 318 Lawrence Avenue East in situ.

A Cultural Heritage Resource Assessment prepared by Stevens Burgess Architects Ltd., dated September 2023 was submitted on behalf of the applicant, Toronto French School. In the preparation of the Cultural Heritage Resource Assessment, Stevens Burgess Architects Ltd. consulted with many staff and stakeholders of the Toronto French School and retained the services of Bill Woodworth, Elder for the School of Architecture and Faculty of Engineering at the University of Waterloo.