Item - 2026.PB47.11

The Toronto Preservation Board recommends that:

1. City Council approve the application to demolish Stotts’ Bridge on Twyn Rivers Drive (Structure ID 803), a Part-IV designated structure with conditions, under Part IV, Section 34(1)2 of the Ontario Heritage Act to allow for the construction of a temporary bridge until a permanent truss bridge is constructed, with such bridge to be substantially in accordance with the Preliminary General Arrangement drawing dated May 2026, prepared by Dillon Consulting (Attachment 5) and the Heritage Impact Assessment prepared by Archaeological Services Inc. dated June 17, 2026, both on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning.

2. City Council direct that its consent to the application to demolish the designated Stotts’ Bridge on Twyn Rivers Drive (Structure ID 803), under Part IV, Section 34(1)2 of the Ontario Heritage Act is subject to the following conditions:

a. prior to the issuance of any permit related to the removal of Stotts’ Bridge on Twyn Rivers Drive (Structure ID 803), including a heritage permit or a building permit, the owner shall:

1. provide full documentation of Stotts’ Bridge on Twyn Rivers Drive (Structure ID 803), including two (2) printed sets of archival quality 8” x 10” colour photographs with borders in a glossy or semi-gloss finish and one (1) digital set on a flash drive in tiff format and 600 dpi resolution keyed to a location map, elevations and measured drawings, and copies of all elevations as may be available, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning; and

2. provide a memo describing the potential to salvage structural elements during demolition, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning; and

b. prior to the issuance of any permit related to the construction of the permanent replacement structure for Stotts’ Bridge on Twyn Rivers Drive, the owner shall:

1. provide detailed plans and drawings for the new Twyn Rivers Drive bridge, with descriptions of materials associated with the replacement bridge design, substantially in accordance with the Preliminary General Arrangement drawing dated May 2026, prepared by Dillon Consulting (Attachment 5) and the Heritage Impact Assessment prepared by Archaeological Services Inc. dated June 17, 2026, to be prepared by the project architect and a qualified heritage consultant to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning; and

2. provide a Commemoration Plan that includes concepts for a publicly accessible interpretive installation at the crossing that details the bridge’s history and, if feasible, the use of salvaged elements of the original bridge such as portions of the steel truss within the commemoration plan, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning; and

c. upon completion of the new structure, implement the approved Commemoration Plan, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning.

Emily Game, Senior Heritage Planner, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning gave a presentation on Stotts’ Bridge, Twyn Rivers Drive over the Rouge River - Demolition of a Designated Heritage Structure, Approval with Conditions.

This report recommends that City Council approve the demolition of Stotts’ Bridge (Structure ID 803), a structure designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act (OHA), in conjunction with the emergency replacement of the structure.[1]

Stotts’ Bridge is located on Twyn Rivers Drive between Sheppard Avenue East and the Toronto city limits. Twyn Rivers Drive has a two-lane rural cross-section with no paved shoulder, bike lanes, or sidewalks. The bridge has a 22.1-metre single span and a 4.1-metre-wide deck, limiting traffic to a single lane. Twyn Rivers Drive is identified as an evacuation route in the event of a Pickering nuclear station evacuation.

The bridge and Twyn Rivers Drive are owned and maintained by the City of Toronto but are located within the Rouge River National Urban Park, a federally owned park that spans the boundaries of the cities of Toronto and Pickering.

Stotts’ Bridge, constructed in 1915, is a representative example of a Warren pony truss bridge. The bridge’s design, construction method, and materiality are typical of the type, including its single-span configuration, five-panel truss design, and riveted connections. The bridge has a direct association with, and reflects the design of, civil engineer Frank Barber, and has contextual value as it supports the rural and scenic character of its surroundings and is considered a landmark structure in Scarborough.

Following safety concerns identified during routine inspections, the City of Toronto closed Stotts’ Bridge to all vehicular traffic in July 2024. The concrete abutments and wingwalls were found to have wide cracks, delamination and spalling. Moderate to severe corrosion, deformation, twisting and rust jacking were observed on the steel trusses, chords, floor beams and stringers. The bridge remains open to pedestrians and cyclists.

In 2025, a Transportation Master Plan (TMP) was completed for five municipal bridges, including Stotts’ Bridge, within the Rouge National Urban Park, to develop long-term strategies to improve transportation infrastructure within the park. The TMP evaluated three project alternatives for Stotts’ Bridge, including retention, rehabilitation, and replacement, with replacement preferred from an engineering standpoint.

On June 23, 2026, a Heritage Permit application was submitted to allow for the demolition of the bridge. A Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA), prepared by Archaeological Services Inc. (ASI), dated May 26, 2026, with revisions on June 9 and June 17, 2026, was submitted to support the permit package.

The proposal includes the demolition of the Part IV designated bridge and the installation of a temporary bridge until a final sympathetically designed truss bridge is completed as a form of commemoration. The existing bridge is in poor to defective condition and is not a candidate for any of the three conservation treatments (Preservation, Rehabilitation and Restoration) outlined in the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada.

Due to these circumstances, demolition of the bridge and construction of a sympathetically designed replacement bridge have been proposed. The Heritage Impact Assessment, completed by ASI, thoroughly explored all alternatives to demolition and Heritage Planning staff are satisfied that the bridge could not be rehabilitated or retained in situ given its condition. Due to the bridge’s condition and limited load capacity, staff are of the opinion that the proposed demolition is a reasonable and supportable course of action.

As part of the conditions of approval, staff recommend that City Council secure a Mitigation and Commemoration Plan for Stotts’ Bridge, including an appropriate replacement bridge design to mitigate impact to the cultural heritage value of the crossing and commemorate the designated structure, as well as an interpretation plan and documentation of the bridge prior to demolition.