Item - 2026.PB40.5

The Toronto Preservation Board recommends that:

1. City Council include 2125 Lawrence Avenue West on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register in accordance with the Listing Statement (Reasons for Inclusion) attached as Attachment 1 to the report (January 20, 2026) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

This report recommends that City Council include 2125 Lawrence Avenue West on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register for its cultural heritage value and interest according to the Listing Statement (Reasons for Inclusion) found in Attachment 1.

The subject property at 2125 Lawrence Avenue West, City-owned facility is historically known as the Weston Lions Arena, is in the Weston neighbourhood on the south side of Lawrence Avenue, in Lions Park adjacent to the Humber River. It contains an ice-skating arena constructed c.1948-49 of concrete block with rugged-brick and simulated-stone main facade. A location map and current photograph of the property are found in Attachment 1.

The property recommended for inclusion on the City’s Heritage Register has been researched and evaluated by staff using the criteria prescribed in Ontario Regulation 9/06 and meets one or more of the provincial criteria for determining cultural heritage value or interest and is believed to be of cultural heritage value or interest.

On January 1, 2023, amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act (the Act) through the More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 (Bill 23) came into effect. Under the Act, as amended, a municipal heritage register may include properties that have not been designated but Council believes to be of “cultural heritage value or interest", and that meet one or more of the provincial criteria for determining whether they are of cultural heritage value or interest. The Act now also limits listing to a period of two years.

As of January 1, 2023, should a property be subject to an Official Plan Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment and/or Draft Plan of Subdivision Application, properties must be listed on the heritage register prior to Part IV designation and before the occurrence of a prescribed event. A prescribed event is a point of time when the application for an Official Plan Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment and/or Draft Plan of Subdivision Application has been deemed complete and the City Clerk provides notice of that complete application to the public in accordance with the Planning Act. 

The listing of non-designated properties on the municipal heritage register under the Act also extends interim protection from demolition and provides an opportunity for City Council to determine whether the property warrants conservation through designation under the Act should a development or demolition application be submitted.

Properties on the Heritage Register will be conserved and maintained in accordance with the Official Plan Heritage Policies. Heritage Impact Assessments (HIA) are required for development applications that affect listed properties.

November 12 and 13, 2025, City Council authorized the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, in consultation with the General Manager, Parks and Recreation, to negotiate and enter into a nominal lease agreement with MLSE LaunchPad.