IN THE MATTER OF THE ONTARIO
HERITAGE ACT
R.S.O. 1990, CHAPTER O.18 AND
CITY OF TORONTO, PROVINCE OF ONTARIO
877 LAWRENCE AVENUE EAST
NOTICE OF INTENTION TO DESIGNATE
THE PROPERTY
TAKE NOTICE that Council for the
City of Toronto intends to designate the property, including the lands, buildings
and structures thereon known municipally as 877 Lawrence Avenue East under Part
IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.O.18, as amended, as
a property of cultural heritage value or interest.
Reasons for Designation
Description
The property at 877 Lawrence Avenue East (Don
Mills Bank of Montreal) is located on the south side of Lawrence Avenue East,
approximately 170 metres west of The West Donway at the western edge of Don
Mills' commercial centre. The property is comprised of a one-storey
International-Style bank building constructed in 1956 and expanded in 1967.
Statement of Cultural Heritage Value
Design and Physical Value
The property at 877 Lawrence Avenue East has
physical value as a rare example of an International Style structure in the
main commercial area of Don Mills. Once the defining architectural style of the
main commercial area, many International Style structures were lost to
redevelopment, including the Massey Medal for Architecture winning 1955 Don
Mills Convenience Centre. The property is one of only four International Style
structures that remain in the main commercial area.
The property, along with the adjacent property
at 885 Lawrence Avenue East, has design and physical value as a unique example
of two separate bank buildings designed and built as a cohesive ensemble in the
same architectural style within a shared landscape. Nearly identical in design,
both properties are set back from Lawrence Avenue East and are separated by an
open central area incorporating both properties and the public right of way
between them.
Historical and Associative
The property at 877 Lawrence Avenue East has
value for its direct association with the development of Don Mills as an
entirely Modernist master planned community. This is reflected through its
International Style design and visual relationship with the adjacent property
at 885 Lawrence Avenue East, including their unified design and landscape.
The property is also valued for its association
with the architectural firm of John B. Parkin Associates, one of Canada's
leading Modernist and most prolific firms of the 1950s and 1960s that
contributed many significant buildings to Toronto during this period. A leading
proponent of the International Style, the firm played a significant role in the
development of Don Mills, designing many of its most important institutional,
commercial, and industrial buildings. Designed and built in 1956 by John C. Parkin,
the firm's Chief Designer and described as one of Canada’s most important
Modernist architects, the property formed part of a collection of International
Style structures designed by the firm that would define the commercial area of
Don Mills.
The property has further historical and
associative value because it contributes to an understanding of the historical
development of Don Mills as Canada's first entirely Modernist master planned
community. Located within the commercial area of Don Mills, its International
Style design reflects the various Modernist architectural styles that were used
in the community’s development while providing evidence of the original
character of the commercial area which has undergone significant redevelopment.
The property also has value for its association
with John C. Parkin, a pioneer of the International Style in Canada and chief
designer of John B. Parkin Associates from 1947-1969. The property’s scale,
form, and massing reflect John C. Parkin’s mastering of the International
Style.
Contextual
Constructed in 1956 as part of the development
of the commercial area of Don Mills, the property is physically, functionally,
visually and historically linked to its surroundings. This linkage is enhanced
by the property’s International Style design which was in response to the
Modernist design requirements that were part of the master plan for Don Mills.
Constructed with the adjacent property at 885
Lawrence Avenue East as a pair of banks in the same architectural style, set
back from Lawrence Avenue East within a shared landscape, the property is
physically, functionally, and visually linked to its surroundings.
Heritage Attributes
Design or Physical Value
The following heritage attributes contribute to
the design and physical value of the property at 877 Lawrence Avenue East:
·
The scale, form, and
massing of the structure, including the 1967 one bay addition at its eastern
elevation, with its rectangular plan, one-storey height, and flat roof
·
The flat roof with
wide fascia
·
The 18 exterior
support columns and 14 interior support columns
·
The setback,
placement and orientation of the building on the south side Lawrence Avenue
East
·
The open space to the
north and east of the building
Contextual Value
The following heritage attributes contribute to
the contextual value of the property at 877 Lawrence Avenue East:
·
The scale, form, and
massing of the structure with its rectangular plan, one-storey height, and flat
roof
·
The flat roof with
wide fascia
·
The 18 exterior
support columns
·
The setback,
placement and orientation of the building on the south side Lawrence Avenue
East
·
The open space to the
north and east of the building
Notice of Objection to the Notice of Intention to Designate
Notice of an objection to the Notice of
Intention to Designate the Property may be served on the City Clerk, Attention:
Registrar Secretariat, City Clerk's Office, Toronto City Hall, 2nd Floor West,
100 Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M5H 2N2.; Email: RegistrarCCO@toronto.ca within thirty (30) days of March 31, 2025, which is April 30, 2025. The
notice of objection to the Notice of Intention to Designate the Property must
set out the reason(s) for the objection and all relevant facts.
Getting Additional Information:
Further information in respect of the Notice of
Intention to Designate the Property is available from the City of Toronto at:
https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2025.PH19.6.
Dated at the City of Toronto on March 31, 2025.
John D. Elvidge
City Clerk