Is Anyone Going to Defend the Views of the Legislative Assembly?
Catherine Nasmith If ever there was a case of a provincial interest in a municipal planning matter it is the case of the proposed development at 21 Avenue Road, the site of the Four Seasons Hotel at Avenue Road and Yorkville. Tall buildings in this location would appear directly behind the roofline of the Legislature, destroying the visual integrity of a carefully conceived vista that has been enjoyed for over 100 years. Almost two years ago in an article entitled, Who Defends the View of The Ontario Legislature? http://www.builtheritagenews.ca/newsletter_archive/38.html#9 (Built Heritage News Issue 110, article no 9) I posed a number of questions regarding the need to protect the views of the Legislative Assembly from several overly high development projects proposed in the area to the north of the Legislature. Sadly the answer to the question seems to be no-one, at least not yet. The protection this view once had through City of Toronto planning instruments was eroded in the post ama
