It’s one of Toronto’s most recognizable buildings, playing host to annual Remembrance Day ceremonies, but soon it will be vacant leaving officials with what the future role will be for Old City Hall.
When construction was completed in 1899, architect E.J. Lennox’s creation was for a time the biggest municipal building on the continent. The landmark building once faced demolition in the name of urban renewal and after decades of hosting provincial services, its main tenant will soon be moving out. Provincial Courts services have already been winding down and are expected to be out by the end of April.
The vacancy will leave the city with a several possibilities for what will occupy a building that the majority of Torontonians have likely never stepped foot in.
“This has tremendous potential, I mean it has the realities of being a heritage space and we have to be very careful with it,” said Scott Barrett, the city’s Director of Property Management Services.
But he said what many people will see as constraints, could also be seen as opportunity.
For a time the city appeared poised to turn the building into a museum dedicated to its local history. Barrett said there are many options up for consideration, including performance pace, or what it was historically intended to be used for; meeting space. But he’s careful to not put a label on what the building will be.
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“What we don’t want to do right now, is say ‘it’s going to be ‘something,’ we need to study, we need to consult, we need to have a good direction for the building,” Barrett said.
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City officials have carefully catalogued Old City Hall’s many heritage features over the years and was in the middle of an extensive study on the building when the pandemic hit.
The most recent figures for the price of renovating the building were completed in 2019, which estimated the overhaul would cost $225 million. But a report before Toronto’s Executive Committee next week points out those figures are out of date.
Barrett confirmed that factors like inflation and rising construction costs will require a more fulsome look at the project. “2020 dollars are not 2024 dollars,” he said.
Mayor Olivia Chow said the building is an important part of the city’s heritage and needs to be persevered. But she acknowledged the cost will be a challenge and encouraged heritage institutions to pitch in with ideas and suggestions.
A determination for what comes next, won’t happen until a staff report due in mid-2026 lays out the needs, costs, and potential uses of the building. Barrett said.
Once the provincial tenants vacate, the building won’t be simply closed until a decision is made. The hope is that rentals and events could be used as a way to offset the cost of maintaining the building, adding that the amount of heritage wood in the building will require climate control monitoring to ensure humidity keeps it in check.
One of the many advantages that he pointed to, aside from the stunning ceilings and carvings sprinkled throughout, is that the structure has kept up with the times.
The expansive attic shows off some of the modern heating and cooling installations and after serving as a court house, it’s wired with fiber optic cable.
Whatever is decided, Barrett said a key priority should be making sure there is some form of public access.
“It creates curiosity, mystery about the building, people want to take a look,” he said. “It is a public asset that is an incredible jewel and that we need to continue to celebrate.”