Item - 2026.PH32.18

The Planning and Housing Committee: 

1. Deferred consideration of the item to the first regular Planning and Housing Committee meeting of the 2026-2030 Council Term.

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the property at 7 Meadowcrest Road under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value according to the Statement of Significance which includes a description of heritage attributes found in Attachment 1.

The subject property at 7 Meadowcrest Road, known historically as Spring Bank Cottage, is located on the south side of Meadowcrest Road, west of Royal York Road, within the Sunnylea neighbourhood of Etobicoke.

A location map and current photograph of the heritage property are included in Attachment 2.

Constructed c.1861, the property contains a detached two-storey brick house form building with a contemporary two-storey rear addition. The property was originally part of Concession II Meridian, Lot 14, and was historically associated with the Thompson family, United Empire Loyalists and among the earliest settlers in south Etobicoke. The property was subsequently home to John and Minnie Parkin and their sons, including John B. Parkin (1911–1975), architect and pioneer of Canadian Modernism who received his first major commission while residing here. As a surviving pre-Confederation farmhouse associated with one of the area’s earliest settler families, Spring Bank Cottage documents the trajectory from United Empire Loyalist land grants, through agricultural occupation and market gardening, to residential subdivision, charting the broader evolution of the south Etobicoke from a rural, agricultural landscape to the mid-20th century suburban residential Sunnylea neighbourhood.

The subject property at 7 Meadowcrest Road was listed on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register on September 27, 2006.

This property is one of eighteen pre-1870 listed properties citywide which have been identified as candidates for designation through the City's implementation of Bill 23 amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act and its ongoing prioritization strategy for listed properties that must be designated or removed from the Heritage Register by January 1, 2027.

Part of the strategy for the review of listed properties on the Heritage Register includes the procurement of qualified heritage consultants to research, evaluate, and prepare heritage evaluation reports for a subset of listed properties prioritized for designation. City Planning retained the services of Alex Corey Heritage Consulting ("the Consultant") to research and evaluate a citywide group of eighteen pre-1870 listed properties which includes the subject property at 7 Meadowcrest Road. The Consultant evaluated the subject property and determined that it meets the provincial criteria.

The Consultant's research on the subject property is included in Attachment 3 of this report. The research, analysis, and evaluation contained within Attachment 3 reflect the Consultant's professional expertise and opinion. Staff have independently reviewed the Consultant's research and heritage evaluation and concur with the determination that the property at 7 Meadowcrest Road has cultural heritage value and meets five of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. 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.

Designation enables City Council to review proposed alterations or demolitions to the property and enforce heritage property standards and maintenance.

At its meeting on July 6, 2026 the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB46.2 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the report (June 15, 2026) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the property at 7 Meadowcrest Road under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value according to the Statement of Significance which includes a description of heritage attributes found in Attachment 1.

The subject property at 7 Meadowcrest Road, known historically as Spring Bank Cottage, is located on the south side of Meadowcrest Road, west of Royal York Road, within the Sunnylea neighbourhood of Etobicoke.

A location map and current photograph of the heritage property are included in Attachment 2.

Constructed c.1861, the property contains a detached two-storey brick house form building with a contemporary two-storey rear addition. The property was originally part of Concession II Meridian, Lot 14, and was historically associated with the Thompson family, United Empire Loyalists and among the earliest settlers in south Etobicoke. The property was subsequently home to John and Minnie Parkin and their sons, including John B. Parkin (1911–1975), architect and pioneer of Canadian Modernism who received his first major commission while residing here. As a surviving pre-Confederation farmhouse associated with one of the area’s earliest settler families, Spring Bank Cottage documents the trajectory from United Empire Loyalist land grants, through agricultural occupation and market gardening, to residential subdivision, charting the broader evolution of the south Etobicoke from a rural, agricultural landscape to the mid-20th century suburban residential Sunnylea neighbourhood.

The subject property at 7 Meadowcrest Road was listed on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register on September 27, 2006.

This property is one of eighteen pre-1870 listed properties citywide which have been identified as candidates for designation through the City's implementation of Bill 23 amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act and its ongoing prioritization strategy for listed properties that must be designated or removed from the Heritage Register by January 1, 2027.

Part of the strategy for the review of listed properties on the Heritage Register includes the procurement of qualified heritage consultants to research, evaluate, and prepare heritage evaluation reports for a subset of listed properties prioritized for designation. City Planning retained the services of Alex Corey Heritage Consulting ("the Consultant") to research and evaluate a citywide group of eighteen pre-1870 listed properties which includes the subject property at 7 Meadowcrest Road. The Consultant evaluated the subject property and determined that it meets the provincial criteria.

The Consultant's research on the subject property is included in Attachment 3 of this report. The research, analysis, and evaluation contained within Attachment 3 reflect the Consultant's professional expertise and opinion. Staff have independently reviewed the Consultant's research and heritage evaluation and concur with the determination that the property at 7 Meadowcrest Road has cultural heritage value and meets five of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. 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.

Designation enables City Council to review proposed alterations or demolitions to the property and enforce heritage property standards and maintenance.