Some City residents suggest the vacant Old City Hall can be used as a homeless shelter to help with the housing crisis.
Toronto’s heritage jewel the 126-year-old Old City Hall should be converted to a homeless shelter as its courthouse occupants are bailing out.
City Council is seeking suggestions for the use of the national heritage building at Queen and Bay Streets as its long-time tenants are moving.
The provincial and municipal courthouses that have been tenants of the building will be moving to new quarters in April. It has been leased to the courts since 1972.
The Provincial Courts have relocated to the new courthouse next to Toronto City Hall and municipal courts to St. Lawrence Market North.
“Old City Hall will be vacant with no further active uses planned,” according to a City report.
The 126-year-old National Heritage building will require work or can be used as a Museum of Toronto.
The historic building was built between 1889 and 1899 and is an example of civic architecture. It is a city landmark deemed a Heritage and National Historic Site.
Almost 1,000 people responded to an online survey and consultation in which they suggested possible uses including the iconic building be converted into a shelter for the hundreds of homeless in a Toronto housing crisis.
Other suggestions included use for food sales, event rentals, cultural programming and opportunities for local artists or businesses.
The most popular were calls for a Museum of Toronto, a TTC museum, a library or for use by Metropolitan Toronto University.
The iconic Toronto landmark is filled inside and out with 19th-century-neo-romanesque-style artwork.
But City staff said the building is more than a century old and requires expensive restoration and maintenance.
In 2019 it was estimated that a full restoration and upgrade of the building would require approximately $225 million in 2020 dollars.
The report said given the historic and complex nature of the building, including an inefficient floor plan and heritage status, any future use will need to consider opportunities to improve, conserve and protect the heritage character.
The building was designed by local architect E.J. Lennox and took ten years to construct, from 1889 to 1899. Toronto itself was incorporated as a city in 1834.