509 Parliament Street - Notice of Intention to Designate a Property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act

The theatre has been an arts and entertainment venue in the heart of Cabbagetown for more than 90 years. Originally known as the Carlton Theatre, the building was designed in a Classical Revival style in 1929 by Architect Herbert Duerr, known for his theatre designs from the late 1920s to the late 1940s. The building was home to the Carlton Theatre from 1930-1954, followed by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation 1954-1995 where the popular comedy show, "Air Farce", later known as "Royal Canadian Air Farce", was produced in the building from 1978 through the 1990s where it featured a live studio audience, and since 1995 is owned and operated by the Canadian Children's Dance Theatre, now know as the Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre. The property was listed on the City's Heritage Register on March 29, 2023. Staff have undertaken research and evaluation and determined that the property at 509 Parliament Street meets Ontario Regulation 9/06, the criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act under the Design / Physical, Historical / Associative and Contextual criteria categories. A property may be designated under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, if it meets two or more of the nine criteria. In March 2023 the City received a rezoning application to permit the development on site for a 10-storey mixed use building containing 85 dwelling units and retail at grade. The development proposes the retention of the existing façade at 509 Parliament Street. The adjacent building to the south at 505-507 Parliament Street is to be demolished. The City Clerk issued a complete application notice on May 5, 2023. Council must make its decision at its October 11-13, 2023, meeting to provide sufficient time for the City Clerk to issue a notice of intention to designate before the waiver provided by the owner expires on October 31, 2023.

2. If there are no objections to the designation, City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the Bill in Council designating the property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.