Toronto Bathurst Quay Revitalization | ?m | 2s | City of Toronto | Kearns Mancini

There was an announcement in the winter that a city museum (Humanitas) is being proposed for this site.
 
Great story, Ed007.

You can tell just by looking at the structure that there are many wonderful stories attached to it. There is "heart" still present with that site.

I'm sure the other silo's got some great stories as well, but it doesn't trigger any instant emotion for me like this one does.
 
Ed007Toronto said:
I spent three summers working at Canada Malting during my high school/university days. 82-84. Best paying job I had for many years. When it started to close down I moved to the Molson plant across the street. Three more years at a great paying student job. And this one provided free beer.

We used to grab beer at both plants (fresh beer from Molson was a regular offering at CM) and then head up to the roof to watch the airshow or fireworks. Great times.
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Sounds perfect!
 
From: Toronto and East York Community Council – January 15, 2008 Agenda

Request by Facilities and Real Estate to demolish all structures west of
the silo units and rehabilitate the silos - Former Canada Malting
Complex

Recommendations

City Planning Division recommends that:
1. City Council defer its decision on a partial demolition of the Canada Malting Complex until the Economic Development, Culture and Tourism Division has completed a feasibility study on the Toronto Museum Project currently being considered for this site; and
2. Heritage Preservation Services staff respond to Facilities and Real Estate’s
recommendation to partially demolish the former Canada Malting Complex prior to
their 2009 Capital Budget Submission deadline.

Summary

The purpose of this report is to inform the Toronto Preservation Board of a recent structural condition survey and heritage impact assessment prepared by the City’s Facilities and Real Estate Division for the former Canada Malting Complex site and to provide recommendations with respect to Asset Preservation’s request to demolish all structures west of the silo units.

After consulting with the Economic Development Culture and Tourism (EDCT) Division and Asset Preservation, the Director of Policy and Research is requesting that consideration of a partial demolition on the site be deferred until a report on the feasibility of locating the Toronto Museum Project on this site is presented to City Council next year (tentatively scheduled for April 2008).

Background Report
 
This news is disappointing. The whole building is part of the city's heritage, not just the silos. The other part contained the germination-kiln unit, and creates a courtyard. A building of this caliber at the crucial waterfront location should have the necessary structural work done, if possible.
 
From blogto.com:

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The Canada Malting Co. silos and plant facilities at the foot of Bathurst Street is the most visible reminder of Toronto's past waterfront industrial heritage. Listed on Toronto's inventory of historic properties since 1973, it is the most intact remnant of the original silo complexes that took advantage of the harbour.

What might not be as obvious to the casual observer passing by (save for those who visit Ireland Park and for those who venture past the fences that surround the hulking facility), is that there are 2 buildings that comprise the malt plant: The tall silos and the separate malting facility to the immidiate west of the silos. The two are separated by an internal courtyard of sorts and are connected by an enclosed aerial walkway.

But the question of what to actually do with the carcass has always been a very difficult question.

In the past there was, among other proposals, a call to turn it into a music centre called Metronome Canada, but that died an early death. More recently, the foot of the building became home to Ireland Park.

Back in May, 2007, Toronto and East York Community Council (TEYCC) received a structural condition assessment report that identified many significant problems with the entire facililty, and recommended that it all be demolished. A further heritage impact assessment report concluded that there is merit (and challenges) associated with preserving the entire facility, however, if demolishing the western building meant the silos could be better preserved, then so be it. Industrial heritage triage, of sorts.

Ultimately, though, the question of the fate of the facility has yet to be answered. On Tuesday of this week, Toronto and East York Community Council adopted a report recommending that any Toronto Council decisions regarding the future fate of the facility be delayed until Toronto Economic Development Culture and Tourism deliver their report on the feasibility of using the facility for the Toronto Museum Project. This report is currently expected to be presented in April, 2008.
 
The malting silos at the foot of Bathurst across from the Island airport seem to be mentioned a lot as a possible location for this project but it sounds like a lot of people want the silos to remain intact. I pass by the silo everyday and I try to imagine any sort of configuration that would allow for the silos to remain while creating a great venue for the museum and I just don't see it. One issue is the Community Centre and Pre-school that sit in front and beside the factory and how these would play a role in the future of the area. I think that perhaps if anything is to become of this they're going to have to tear down the factory and simply start anew. It has the chance to be a fantastic venue and I would hate to see it limited because we feel that some cement silos need to be preserved. I understand we should try to preserve where we can but this isn't our Tate Modern. Besides, Ireland Park deserves a fantastic building next door to complement it.


EDIT: nevermind, I guess I should have read the PDF before posting. Not only is the malting factory the location of this project but they also won't be building within the silo. Furthermore, the silo is actually a heritage property as well.
 
From the Post:

Development Could Pay For Museum
Foot Of Bathurst; Report proposes mixed use for Canada Malting

Peter Kuitenbrouwer, National Post
Published: Wednesday, May 28, 2008

A hotel, condominium and/or an exclusive restaurant could rise on the Canada Malting site just east of the foot of Bathurst Street as a way to finance a Toronto museum on the waterfront pier.

A new report containing the "mixed-use redevelopment proposal" for the two-hectare site goes to the city's executive committee next Thursday for debate.

Since Ottawa expropriated Canada Malting Co. in 1987, no one has come up with the money or the momentum to reuse the empty industrial complex, now city-owned, the report says.

The city hired consultant Historica Research Ltd., which concluded that, "if demolition of the buildings west of the silos will lead to conservation of the landmark elevator complex, partial preservation is better than none."

This idea would save the towering 1928 and 1944 grain silos, which one local resident has praised as "the future castles of the 20th century."

The report recommends a two-stage process to "invite interest from private sector developer(s) in a mixed-use redevelopment of the Canada Malting site."

"The idea of residential and hotel proved the most concerning" during consultations, the staff report says, "although if they were deemed to be a necessary revenue source to allow for site improvements the community was more open to the idea."

Developments on the site would include a Toronto museum, though it is unclear how much the city hopes a private developer would pay toward the museum. The city says the museum would cost $100-million, including $62-million for construction, $16-million for the project and $17-million for exhibits.

"The institution would be operated by a private nonprofit charity and would take six years to plan, design and construct," the report says.

"The Toronto museum project would be funded by contributions from other levels of government, corporations and individual donors," the report says.

This project, formerly known as Humanitas, proposes exhibits on three themes: "gathering place," "global village" and "city soul."

The local councillor, Adam Vaughan (Trinity-Spadina), said he is very excited by the enthusiasm that locals have shown for the project.

"We had 400 people to a design charette," Mr. Vaughan enthused. "This is a great iconic site to put a museum. We need to create the capital. What might a small hotel look like? What about a conference centre on the site? Combining one or more could create the energy. We've workshopped the idea for almost two years now."

Mr. Vaughan said some locals favour a floating swimming pool in Lake Ontario just next to the silo site.

The site had previously been earmarked for the once-touted Metronome project, which raised $15-million toward a Canadian music centre there. The original plan was to create the world's first music city -- a site devoted entirely to a Canadian music museum, concert theatre and space for music education and industry promotion.

But when Metronome backers failed to meet their $40-million fundraising goal, they forfeited their lease on the Canada Malting site. Rita Davies, Toronto's executive director of culture, targeted that same site for the city's museum project.

pkuitenbrouwer@nationalpost.com

AoD
 
Does anybody recall the 18th century wharf that was uncovered fairly recently? or know what has become of it?? Seems to me that a waterfront location for a museum of Toronto would be an ideal setting for a restoration of this sort of wharf, or a segment thereof, and maybe with a tall ship on hand to complete an exhibit of Toronto's early shipping days/ War of 1812 battles on the lake sort of thing?
 
Tewder:

I think it was right under the West Harbour City site - they recorded the conditions and took piece out with the intent of putting it in the future Toronto Museum. So I assume it must being processed and preserved by Toronto Archives or something.

AoD
 
My concern with some aspects of the concept below is that it sort of waters down, strays from, deconstructs the concept of what a Museum of Toronto, in a more literal sense, should be. To me it would be more honest and straightforward to simply stick with the 'story', the story of Toronto, that is, than to go wandering philosophically into the whole urban-centres-of-the-world thing, which starts to smack a little of a politicizing agenda (this museum project is being 'spearheaded' by Toronto's Executive Director of Culture). Multiculturalism, and diversity in general, are important concepts for Toronto, and an important part of the story of Toronto's evolution/history, but they are not the 'whole' story, and to gloss over the rest of history as somehow unworthy or unimportant seems somehow to miss the point: this is a museum of Toronto, not a museum of multiculturalism. This may feel like a subtle distinction in a city where 50% are foreign born, but to me this only makes the argument for a more true and ingenuous approach to a Museum of Toronto more just: the history of the city belongs to all of us now, regardless of where we come from. Clearly the mandate has become a little lost:

From the article: "As for the H-word, the project's previous name – which confused and alienated potential supporters – is mercifully gone."

I think there will be greater confusion now. 'Humanitas' was an honest name for what the people behind this project truely wanted, and the name change merely feels like a bait and switch tactic...


Toronto Star said:
Toronto Museum plan alive and kicking

Jun 02, 2008 04:30 AM
Martin Knelman

Fast forward to 2015.

On a lovely summer evening, you take your family to the foot of Bathurst St. to visit Toronto's latest cultural attraction: a museum devoted to the history of this city, with links to other cities.

As you arrive, you are wowed by iconic structures that were once the Canada Malting Silos, enhanced by a stunning light show.

You ride to the top, where there's a restaurant and a viewing platform. On the way up, you take a time trip through the history of Toronto, hearing voices and music of the city over decades.

From the lobby, there's a splendid view of the lake, along with a sight-and-sound exhibit showing the morphing of the shoreline from the ice age to the condo age.

All this is part of an exciting plan that will go to city council's executive committee tomorrow seeking approval to proceed to the next stage: a call for proposals from potential co-development partners.

The project has been spearheaded by Rita Davies, Toronto's visionary executive director of culture, with the help of volunteer champions David Crombie and Sarmite Bulte and Toronto museum consultant Gail Lord of Lord Cultural Resources.

If the Toronto Museum Project – as it is now known – has a familiar ring to it, that's because an earlier version was debated four years ago. It was then called Humanitas.

Early last year, Davies settled on the silos location: a 1.4-hectare site on prime city-owned waterfront land, where previous plans to build a music museum had failed to move forward.

"The original cost was $150 million," says Davies, "but that stopped people in their tracks. We realized it would work better with less space and a total cost of $100 million. We want to leave room not only for what a co-developer might build but also open outdoor public space on the waterfront."

The museum (a new building next to the silos) would have a collection of some objects, but the emphasis would be on ideas and futuristic interactive features.

For example, Lord envisions an "immersive urban planetarium," a round room with a huge globe where school kids could choose any city in the world and compare its population, roads, transit system and schools to Toronto's.

Next door might be a "civil society room" with direct feeds to Toronto City Hall and city halls in other centres around the world.

Galleries would explore the soul of the city through its artists and performers, depicting not only diverse cultures and languages, but the struggles that led to the character of the city today.

Okay, but how could the cash-strapped city finance this dream?

Davies estimates that of the $100 million budget, $20 million would come from a commercial co-developer, $20 million from Ottawa and $20 million from Queen's Park. The remaining $40 million would be raised privately through a capital campaign.

As for the H-word, the project's previous name – which confused and alienated potential supporters – is mercifully gone.

"I can't seem to remember what the word was," quips Davies
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