817 Mount Pleasant Road - Notice of Intention to Designate a Property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act

It contains a Mid-Century Modernist style church, bell tower, and columbarium. A location map and current photograph of the heritage property is found in Attachment 2. The distinctive A-Frame Mid-Century Modernist style church with bell tower is an architectural landmark on Mount Pleasant Road. Commissioned by Estonian immigrants and designed by Estonian-Canadian architect and church member Michael Bach (1916-1972), St. Peter's Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church was constructed in 1955 and dedicated as a memorial to the thousands of Estonians who died in both World Wars, the Estonian War of Independence, and as refugees. Since its construction it has continuously served as an active place of worship and commemoration site for Toronto's Estonian Evangelical Lutheran community and as a cultural hub for the broader Estonian-Canadian community for over 70 years. Staff have determined that the property at 817 Mount Pleasant Road has cultural heritage value and meets 5 of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. 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 accordance with 3.1.6.50 of the Official Plan and the City's Protocol for the Identification and Review of Heritage Places of Worship, Heritage Planning staff consulted members of the Council of St. Peter's Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church to determine if any of the heritage attributes identified in the Statement of Significance and in a future designating by-law were liturgical elements, and therefore not subject to regulation while the property remained in use by the congregation. St. Peter's Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church confirmed that none of the identified attributes were liturgical elements. The property was listed on the City's Heritage Register on June 14-15, 2023. While staff were consulting with the Church, the property was deemed removed from the Register on June 14, 2025, two years after its listing date in accordance with the Act, however this does not restrict Council's ability to designate the property at this time. Designation enables City Council to review proposed alterations or demolitions to the property and enforce heritage property standards and maintenance.

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.