New mega-tower planned near Toronto's oldest church sparks concern over sha ...

2026-5-3 05:58| 发布者：青青草查看：24| 评论：0 |来自: 加国同城 58.ca

摘要：Heritage enthusiasts are praying for some divine intervention in their squabble with the developer of a 91-storey condo tower planned for a site next to St. James Cathedral.

Heritage enthusiasts are praying for some divine intervention in their squabble with the developer of a 91-storey condo tower planned for a site next to St. James Cathedral.

The problem, they say, is shadow.

Ian Morrison, a member of the heritage committee of the St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Association, says the 177-year-old cathedral is supposed to be protected from new shadow by a city policy that shields significant buildings within historic neighbourhoods.

"Until the last decade, it has had sunshine on it, which is part of the beauty of the building and why it's architecturally important," Morrison said. "An atheist would agree with that."

Morrison also sits on the board of a nearby condo tower, which last Thursday presented a letter to the Toronto and East York Community Council asking for a more extensive shadow study on the proposed new building before the developer's re-zoning application is allowed to proceed.

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The community council voted instead to recommend city council approve the zoning amendment without conditions.

Developer-commissioned study says impact would be minimal

The cathedral was designated a heritage site by the City of Toronto in 1977 and the entire St. Lawrence neighbourhood was designated a heritage conservation district in 2015.

Heritage designation limits changes that can be made to buildings without the permission of city council.

A 2021 city study of the area says "St. James Cathedral is an important and defining landmark of the District. Additional shadows on the building would negatively impact the reading of the spire and the stained glass windows."

St. James Cathedral, the city's oldest church and a centerpiece of the St. Lawrence neighbourhood, was established in 1849, on a parcel of land set aside in 1797. It has been a designated heritage site since 1977. — St. James Cathedral, the city's oldest church and a centerpiece of the St. Lawrence neighbourhood, was established in 1849 on a parcel of land set aside in 1797. It has been a designated heritage site since 1977. (City of Toronto)

A shadow study commissioned by the developer, Goband Development Ltd., indicates there are already shadows cast on the cathedral by recently erected towers, and there would be little new shadow impact on the cathedral if the application is approved and the building erected.

But Morrison and Leslie Barnes, a member of the Toronto and East York Community Preservation Panel, argue the studies done so far only predict that shadow that would be cast up until 6:18 p.m. in May, June and July.

During the summer months, they say, that shadow will grow as the evening progresses and by sunset, shadow will virtually cover the church's sanctuary.

Leslie Barnes, of the Toronto and East York Community Preservation Panel, says that while she understands the need for more housing, there also needs to be space made for heritage buildings and neighbourhoods. (Mike Smee/CBC)

"The problem with shadow is that it affects all the designated elements inside — all the beautiful stained glass," said Barnes. "The whole feeling of the church will be ruined by the shadow.”

The condo tower was proposed to the city by Goband in 2023. It can't proceed until the area where it is to be built, 23 Toronto St., has been re-zoned. As well, a community consultation must be held. Neither has happened yet, according to city records on the application.

Although Goband didn't respond to requests for comment from CBC Toronto, the company's planning consultant, Jonanthan Tinney, told CBC Toronto the plan is following all city rules.

"Overall, the 23 Toronto St. proposal generates no new shadow impacts on St. James Cathedral during the majority of the year," Tinney wrote. "While there is some fast-moving shadow generated during the peak summer months, the proposal generates no shadows until approximately 5 p.m., these pass within 1.5-2 hours.

Tinney said his studies only measure shadows cast over the cathedral until 6:18 p.m. because that is what the city asked for.

Project would include 840 new homes

The project envisions office and retail space in the tower as well as 840 residential units.

"Overall, the applicant and their design team have worked hard, on a very constrained site, to create more than 800 new homes and revitalize several heritage properties while minimizing the impacts on the surrounding community,” Tinney wrote. “They feel this application strikes that balance."

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Also presenting a letter to councillors Thursday was Will de la Guardia of More Neighbours Toronto, who urged the committee to approve the re-zoning application.

“This is exactly the kind of mixed-use development our downtown needs,” he wrote. “Few sites in the city are better served by transit: King, Queen, and St. Andrew stations are all within 500 metres.”

Barnes said she recognizes the need for new housing, however “a 91-storey condo is going to cause a significant alteration, to things like shadows, in the downtown area.”