ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE REVIEWNorth Toronto Collegiate Institute

Prepared for the Toronto District School Board – Facilities Services / Executive Officeby William N. Greer, OAA, FRAIC. Architect / Heritage Consultant. January 21, 2004

Main entrance facade of North Toronto Collegiate at 70 Roehampton Avenue in 2004

Cornerstone Laying of NorthToronto Collegiate in 1912

Reference: “A Student History of North Toronto Collegiate”, Editors- Nancy Baines & Fanklin Bialystok.- Cassen House, Toronto.

The first North Toronto Collegiate building as built in 1912 at original address 17 Broadway Avenue

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Working drawing of one of the two entrances in the 1921 two-storey addition

One of the Roehampton entrances today showing the 1928 third storey addition

In 1929 most architectural details still existed on the 1912 façade even with the third storey addition

The 1912 façade existing today with alterations, missing architectural elements and the 1928 third storey addition

The one storey east wing & the two storey west wing with the auditorium added to the 1912 -1928 building in 1955

The 1966 west addition to the existing1921-1928 building looking northeast from Roehampton Avenue

Sports field and north façade looking southeastfrom Broadway Avenue in 2004

CONCLUSIONS in the HERITAGE REVIEW

• It is recommended that the architectural fabric of the front North facade of the 1912 North Toronto Collegiate Institute building should be dismantled and fully restored architecturally as an integral and functioning part of the design and plan of the new building.

• In this location it would commemorate the architectural and historical importance and the unique educational record of North Toronto Collegiate Institute.

POSTSCRIPT

• A detailed Condition Assessment of the 1912 façade should be undertaken to determine if evidence of deterioration of “stone” trim, now under a protective coating, can be suitably preserved within this brick masonry facade. If not then preservation of the existing elements, as well as full restoration of all of the missing decorative features, may make retention and the relocation of this masonry façade an impractical and undesirable proposal.

• An alternative is to adopt the identical preservation and relocation procedures, recommended for the 1912 façade, and apply them to preservation and restoration of the entire two-storey 1921 Collegiate Gothic Roehampton Avenue façade as part of the new building.

• In this case Historical continuity and architectural authenticity would still be retained, as with the 1912 façade, and the currently active main entrances of North Toronto Collegiate Institute would be preserved as prominent functioning elements of the new building.