Midland Park Modernism Newsletter - Spring 2016

View this email in your browser

Forward

Midland Park Modernism
Newsletter | SPRING 2016
NEW VARIANCE APPLICATION ALERT

Original Housing Brochure Cover Artwork 1958-1962

ALERT! NEW Property Variance Application

To be Approved May 12th!

Address: 182 BIRKDALE ROAD
located in the heart of Midland Park

In 2014, Midland Park residents we were faced with a proposed Monster Home at 10 Rosswood, the proposed house would have been twice the height and 3 times the size of neighbouring houses, thus destroying the look and feel of the neighbourhood. With assistance from Michael Thompson to bring the developer and the neighbours together, we were able to express our views and concerns to the owner. The end result was the developer just recently sold the house "as is". Persistence paid off and common sense prevailed. We would like to bring your attention to a NEW VARIANCE APPLICATION just received YESTERDAY. This proposed house will be a full 2 stories, more than twice the square footage plus, the extra height of the roof.

Click on this Notice link to view the Public Hearing Notice and graphics link for this Variance Permission Request. The new owner of the house is a real estate lawyer who lives in Mississauga. He bought the house in June 2015. The house is sitting empty. Note: The house is an award winning Elwood model. This model won a design award in 1957.

The proposed house is larger in every dimension normally permitted, but will easily be approved by the Committee of Adjustment unless residents send in letters opposing the application. Variance requests:

min set back from front lot line is 9.81m they want 7.12
min set back on north is 1.8m they want 1.3m
min set back on west is 1.8m they want 1.3m
min front yard soft landscaping is 75% they want 67.4%

Note: The applicant has the right to propose the construction of a structure five times the size of the average house on the street, regardless of how it negatively impacts the neighbourhood.

Note: The residents of Midland Park have the right to oppose this structure because of the negative effect on the neighbourhood and the precedent it will set on future redevelopment.

In addition, the proposed design and materials of the new house does not fit in with the existing neighbourhood and can be quite easily modified to better suit neighbouring houses. We are hoping that, with the help of Michael Thompson, we can have this variance deferred so that the community can meet with the owner and discuss suggested design changes that fit in with the current look and feel of the neighbourhood.

LET OUR VOICES BE HEARD

In order to have this variance deferred to a later date we need residents to send letters to the Committee of Appeals before the hearing date of May 12th, 2016.

During the upcoming Committee of Adjustment hearing, we, as tax payers and residents, have the opportunity to stand up and be heard. The Committee will 'hear' all individuals who have an opinion on this matter.

We have been told that this variance proposal is not a 'slam dunk' but, the committee needs to hear from residents in order to make a sound decision for the community. It is critical for residents to speak up and be heard. The more people that take a stand the better we will be heard.

PETITION SIGNATURES COUNT BUT WE NEED LETTERS SENT TO THE COMMITTEE OF ADJUSTMENT OR THIS VARIANCE APPLICATION WILL BE APPROVED.

This application has been put forth to the city of Toronto, Committee of Adjustment who will make a ruling at the following committee meeting:

DATE AND TIME: Thursday, May 12, 2016 at 9:30 a.m.

LOCATION: Council Chamber, Scarborough Civic Centre, 150 Borough Dr.

This proposal will be approved unless there is sufficient opposition. You can show up in person or send your thoughts to the Committee of Adjustment. Letters must be received at least one day BEFORE the meeting.

Letters should be addressed to:

Denise Rundle, Manager & Deputy Secretary Treasurer Scarborough Panel, Committee of Adjustment

150 Borough Drive
Toronto ON M1P 4N7
Tel: 416-396-7014
Fax: 416-396-7341

EMAIL YOUR LETTER TO:

Brian Caradonna, Application Technician

Tel. No.: 416-396-7014
Email: bcarado@toronto.ca

Thank you in advance for your support! We need you right now! We succeeded with the 10 Rosswood house; let's win this one for our community heritage as well.

A RARE, INTACT MID-CENTURY

MODERN COMMUNITY

WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT MIDLAND PARK?

How do you buy a modern house in Canada? Mostly you cannot. You can, however, buy a modern house in Midland Park. Midland Park is a rare mid-century modern community and by all accounts, is considered an architectural "endangered species".

MID-CENTURY MODERN
is an architectural, interior, product and graphic design movement that took place from approx. 1933 to 1965.

MID-CENTURY MODERN PRESERVATION IS PREVALENT ACROSS NORTH AMERICA
The effort to protect Midland Park because it is a mid-century modern community, is not just a local phenomenon. There is an effort underway to protect MCM houses and communities across N.A. in order to prevent the loss of mid-century homes and keep the character of these neighbourhoods intact. This is a global event.

DO RESIDENTS WANT TO CONSERVE THE CHARACTER OF MIDLAND PARK?

Conservation starts with residents.

Do Midland Park residents care?
"YES, WE DO!"

Our "Preservation Petition" has outstanding community response with 94% of residents polled "in favour" of heritage protection and conservation. We are continuing our petition walk this month, to the following streets: Dorcot, Canadine, Abbottswood, and Dogwood Cres.

PETITION RESULTS VERY FAVOURABLE!

SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL "PETITION WALK" VOLUNTEERS

We thank the passion of the residents who volunteer to perform the Petition Walk. They truly are amazing at what they are doing and we wouldn't be as far along in the HCD process without them. Time and again we are thanked for all that we are doing to save and conserve the character of our mid-century modern community. The additional signatures we will get during the 2016 phase of our petition will help prioritize Midland Park in front of the many other neighbourhoods vying for a spot in the next budget of 2017-19. This is a crucial time for resident advocacy.

MIDLAND PARK STORE

SHOP THE NEW MIDLAND PARK STORE!
NEED A MUG? See the great selection of branded items! ALL PROCEEDS go straight to Midland Park Heritage funding. All designs created by the Midland Park Modernism Alliance. All one of a kind.

City of Toronto Heritage Preservation Services Update

We had the great pleasure of giving Toronto Heritage Preservation Services (THPS) a tour of the community in February 2016. The tour was very well received and we are looking forward to next steps toward HCD study. We continue to receive positive feedback from city representatives. Our biggest challenge is getting Midland Park prioritized in the city budget ahead of other neighbourhoods.

The Acadian (above) can be found in Phase Two; built from 1961-62. Take a look at the Acadian models on Rosswood Crescent which have a very unique variation to the carport!

Preservation without Protection

While we wait for our community to get through the queue of other properties seeking heritage status, we will continue to engage with residents on the historical relevance and architectural value of this mid-century modern community. The only thing that stands between a redeveloper and a Curran Hall house are the residents who care enough to take a stand for conservation.

Let's Celebrate Modernism.

HERITAGE CONSERVATION DISTRICT UPDATE

It's Official. On December 3rd, 2015, the Midland Park community was formally nominated to become a Heritage Conservation District (HCD). If this prestigious designation is achieved, Midland Park will have the honourable distinction of becoming just the 2nd Mid-20th Century Modern HCD IN CANADA and the very first HCD in Scarborough.

The Midland Park nomination included glowing support letters from:

1. Rick Schofield, Chair Scarborough Heritage Preservation Committee
2. Honourable Paul Hellyer, Former Owner and President of Curran Hall and Canada's former Minister of Defence
3. John Race Family, Former Curran Hall Executive- Secretary/Treasurer
4. Dave Leblanc, Architecture Journalist and mid-century modern expert
5. Salma Zahid, Member of Parliament for Scarborough Centre

In addition, on September 15th 2015, the Scarborough Preservation Panel passed a motion to recommend HCD for Midland Park.

HERITAGE TREE PLAN

Our trees are so important. Not only are they adored by residents, the trees of Midland Park are integral to the character of this modernist community. We have a special initiative for the long term protection of boulevard trees which includes maintaining the large tree canopy, pyramidal shape, protection against disease and pests, and maintaining the heritage of Linden species prominence. Let's all do our part and protect our trees.

HISTORICAL MOMENTS

"The Rosswood". This house model is extremely rare, only built in Phase One of Midland Park. This model sketch can only be found in a very rare brochure that was only published for a short time in 1958.

MODERN ELEMENTS

Modern exterior elements - fences, doors, mailboxes and the like - are looking better than ever in the neighbourhood. We will be out to capture photos of the latest additions in the summer months and will post on our website.

Visit our website now for all new SPRING photos! Click on any of the elements below to go directly to our website!