Heritage arguments fall short as Planning Committee backs high rise development on pub property in Hyde Park

The planning committee is rejecting calls to designate Crossings Pub as a heritage building and instead backs a high-rise development..

The Planning and Environment Committee (PEC) rejected the recommendations of city staff, choosing to instead back a developer’s plan to build two high rise apartment buildings on the site of Crossings Pub in Hyde Park.

On Wednesday, a pair of staff reports regarding 1269 Hyde Park Rd. recommended that the yellow brick Victorian-era house be granted heritage designation, and that a rezoning request to build the apartment buildings be refused because they would be too tall for the location.

The heritage planner’s report explains, “Local lore emerged at this time, that Sir John A. MacDonald would stay at (the) house when visiting the area, however, research could not confirm nor deny the legend.”

An evaluation of the building found it meets three of nine criteria for designation under the Ontario Heritage Act.

While enough for municipal heritage planners to recommend designation, it didn’t meet Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis’s bar for protection.

Lewis then cited the home’s omission from a recent list of properties prioritized for heritage designation by the Community Advisory Committee on Planning, “They brought forward a list—this was not one of them.”

“Living in the area, this is an iconic building. It has a lot of significance to the community, and I can’t imagine the landscape without it,” said Coun. Corrine Rahman.

Ultimately, PEC voted to refuse the heritage designation, and later in the meeting supported the rezoning to permit the two high rises.

Coun. Steve Lehman said although not required, the developer has indicated they intend to create a commemoration on the property that might include elements of the building.

“Despite the fact that they are not held to it, they truly want to incorporate what they believe is important,” Lehman explained.

Crossings Pub continues to operate inside the landmark home and the developer has not applied for a demolition permit.