Don Mills | Page 4

Armour · Aug 1, 2016

Leaside deserves kudos, too

Re: How Don Mills changed city-building, July 24

How Don Mills changed city-building, July 24

I enjoyed reading Angela Boyd’s piece. However not all of Macklin Hancock’s “big ideas” were new. “Garden city principles,” such as the curving streets and separation of land uses, were already 40 years old in Canada, and well employed by Frederick Todd in his plan for Leaside.

According to Paul Dilse (2014), “The Town of Leaside may be, and likely is, the first new town established on garden city principles in Ontario. Eight years after the launch of the world’s first garden city (Letchworth in England) Frederick Todd laid out the Town of Leaside – one of three model new towns laid out on garden city principles for the Canadian Northern Railway.” The others were Port Mann in B.C. and the Town of Mount Royal in Quebec.

There’s a sign on Leslie just north of Eglinton that proclaims Don Mills as “the first planned community in Ontario.” It’s hyperbole. The sign should be shifted to Leaside, located less than two kilometres to the south!

Geoff Kettel, Toronto

https://www.thestar.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editors/2016/07/29/leaside-deserves-kudos-too.html

Armour · Aug 11, 2016

The heritage building at 855 Lawrence Ave E (Scotia Bank) has recently undergone a renovation. The corner east, west and south corner walls have been covered in what appears to be red glazed brick. It looks really nice, but wasn't the central body of the building originally all glass? I saw a photo of the building in its original state some time ago, but I can't recall where I found it. Can anyone track down a photo of it before it was renovated years ago?

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.7361...4!1snoIRXx4oEhDfGHB2Q_JisQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Edit: Nevermind. Found some photos here:

University of Calgary

DonValleyRainbow · Aug 11, 2016

Armour said:
The heritage building at 855 Lawrence Ave E (Scotia Bank) has recently undergone a renovation. The corner east, west and south corner walls have been covered in what appears to be red glazed brick. It looks really nice, but wasn't the central body of the building originally all glass? I saw a photo of the building in its original state some time ago, but I can't recall where I found it. Can anyone track down a photo of it before it was renovated years ago?

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.7361...4!1snoIRXx4oEhDfGHB2Q_JisQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Edit: Nevermind. Found some photos here:

University of Calgary

What a great little building. Making it brick seems to be against its original form.

Edward Skira · Jun 19, 2017

City of Toronto Media Relations has issued the following:
==========================================

Media Advisory

June 19, 2017

Underpass mural to be unveiled in Toronto's Ward 34 tomorrow

Deputy Mayor Denzil Minnan-Wong (Ward 34 Don Valley East) will be joined by artist Sarah Collard and community representatives to unveil a new mural at the junction of Brookbanks Drive and Three Valleys Drive on the walls in the underpass of the Don Valley Parkway. The mural was created as part of the StreetARToronto Underpass Program (known as StART UP).

Date: Tuesday, June 20
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Location: Site at northeast corner of Brookbanks Drive and Three Valleys Drive, at the Don Valley Parkway underpass

Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. In 2017, Toronto will honour Canada's 150th birthday with "TO Canada with Love," a year-long program of celebrations, commemorations and exhibitions. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/TorontoComms and on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/cityofto.

-30-

salsa · Jun 20, 2017

Edward Skira said:
Underpass mural to be unveiled in Toronto's Ward 34 tomorrow

This is the mural.

https://twitter.com/start_toronto/status/876183671732097024

Don by the River · Jul 17, 2017

It is with great sadness that I report that Henry Fliess' masterpiece, Yarmon House (arguably his magnum opus) has been defaced (without permit, I might add), despite a pending heritage review (which deffered approval of redevelopment plans until the end of the year, when Heritage Preservation Services have finished their assessment; or would have, as there is no point in continuing the process, given the circumstances). As of yesterday evening, all of the wood paneling on the facade of the house had been removed, the balcony and its fieldstone foundation were dismantled and most of the stone on the south wall had been taken off (it is most likely completely gone now). Given the variances at the latest Committee of Adjustment meeting in early June (which resulted in the aforementioned deferral), no demolition permit could have been issued. I assume the new owners (the property was sold last December) worked in an underhanded way to strip the house of its architectural/design elements which are integral to its heritage potential, thus sabotaging the prospect of having their property designated (which would have put a wrench in their plan to build their dream home).

In addition to the shady practice going on here, the owners also cut down several, healthy, mature trees on the property without any permit of arbourist's report. When neighbours confronted the tree cutters for an explanation, they were told in an intimidating tone that the trees were sick; which is a flat out lie. Below is a link to the house and some photos I took of it as of yesterday evening.

12 Spinney Court (formerly: 91 Laurentide Drive)

http://mls-spotlight.agentshowing.com/162rbz

July 16th: