39 Commissioner Street

Last updated November 14, 2024

The Toronto Harbour Commission built a firehall at 39 Commissioner Street to help attract industrial enterprises to the newly reclaimed Toronto Port Lands in 1928.^[1] It was integrated into Toronto's Fire Services as Station 30. It was sold to the Toronto Firefighter's Association.^[2] The Association moved, and sold the building in 2015.

The building is on the city's list of heritage structures.^[3]

By the 2010s industrial enterprises had largely moved from the Port Lands, which were often described as the largest parcel of underdeveloped downtown real estate in North America.^[1] A plan was developed, and approved, to redevelop the northwest corner of the parcel, building offices and residential buildings on a new artificial island carved out of the existing land.

The new island, Ookwemin Minising, is being raised an additional 2 meters, through landfill, to reduce vulnerability to the rare 100-year or 1000-year flood. However special steps were to be taken to preserve building with inherent cultural heritage. The fire hall is to be moved 23.7 metres (78 ft) south, and raised 1.7 metres (5.6 ft).^[1]^[4]

The building was designed by J.J. Woolnough in the Edwardian Classicism style.^[5]

In May 2016 Derek Flack, writing in Blog TO , characterized the building as the coolest lease then available in Toronto.^[6]

In 2019 the building's tenant was a dog-walking agency.^[7] The city had been in negotiations with the tenant, and the landlord, to buy the building. But when delays in the purchase seemed to risk delaying the redevelopment of the area the city's acting director of real estate services recommended council consider expropriation.

Following the redevelopment the city plans to house public washrooms in the building.^[7]

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References

1 2 3 "Villiers Island Precinct Plan" (PDF). Quayside Toronto . September 2017. p. 27. Retrieved 2020-05-06. 39 Commissioners Street – Toronto Fire Hall No. 30, known as Ashbridges Bay Fire Hall (c 1922-1923), was built by the Toronto Harbour Commission to attract industries to the area through the provision of municipal services.
↑ "A legacy I can be proud of". Fire Watch magazine . Vol. 13, no. 2. 2018-10-01. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
↑ "Don River Mouth Naturalization and Port Lands Flood Protection Project - Appendix C: Inventory of Cultural Heritage Properties in Don Mouth Project Study Area" (PDF). Toronto Region Conservation Authority . 2013-08-16. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
↑ Paul Maka (2019-08-07). "Alterations to a Heritage Property, Intention to Designate under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act – 39 Commissioners Street" (PDF). City of Toronto . Retrieved 2020-06-02. In order to allow for the realization of the PLFP project the proposal is to relocate Fire Hall No. 30 1.7 metres higher and 23.7 metres south of its current position. The move would take place in two phases. The first step would be to move the building to a temporary location. While in this temporary location the grading and foundation work for the final building location will take place. Following completion of this work the second step would be to move the building on to its final footprint.
↑ "Appendix C: Inventory of Cultural Heritage Properties in Don Mouth Project Study Area" (PDF). l. p. 4. Retrieved 2020-05-06. Fire Hall No. 30 was designed by City Architect J. J. Woolnough and completed in 1928. It represents plans to attract industries to the Port Lands District by providing municipal services. The two storey, red brick building is designed in Edwardian Classicism and terminates the view south on Munition Street from Villiers Street.
↑ Derek Flack (2016-05-29). "This might be the coolest space for lease in Toronto". Blog TO . Archived from the original on 2016-05-20. Retrieved 2020-06-02. There's plenty of historical buildings to lease in Toronto at any given time, but every once in a while a true gem hits the market. Such is the case with this old fire hall in the Port Lands at 39 Commissioners St.
1 2 Nick Simos (2019-06-10). "Application for Approval to Expropriate - 39 Commissioners Street" (PDF). City of Toronto . Retrieved 2020-06-02. For the past year, Waterfront Toronto has been in ongoing negotiations for a land exchange/acquisition of 39 Commissioners Street from the existing landowner and their tenant. Negotiations are still ongoing, however, if a resolution is not achieved in the near term, construction timelines for PLFP will be adversely impacted. Waterfront Toronto has accordingly requested that the Waterfront Expropriation Protocol be utilized by submitting a Property Expropriation Request Form and relevant documentation to the City of Toronto.

External links

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[quayside2017-09-1] 1 2 3 "Villiers Island Precinct Plan" (PDF). Quayside Toronto . September 2017. p. 27. Retrieved 2020-05-06. 39 Commissioners Street – Toronto Fire Hall No. 30, known as Ashbridges Bay Fire Hall (c 1922-1923), was built by the Toronto Harbour Commission to attract industries to the area through the provision of municipal services.

[FireWatch2018-10-01-2] "A legacy I can be proud of". Fire Watch magazine . Vol. 13, no. 2. 2018-10-01. Retrieved 2020-06-02.

[trca2013-08-16-3] "Don River Mouth Naturalization and Port Lands Flood Protection Project - Appendix C: Inventory of Cultural Heritage Properties in Don Mouth Project Study Area" (PDF). Toronto Region Conservation Authority . 2013-08-16. Retrieved 2020-06-02.

[toronto2019-08-07-4] Paul Maka (2019-08-07). "Alterations to a Heritage Property, Intention to Designate under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act – 39 Commissioners Street" (PDF). City of Toronto . Retrieved 2020-06-02. In order to allow for the realization of the PLFP project the proposal is to relocate Fire Hall No. 30 1.7 metres higher and 23.7 metres south of its current position. The move would take place in two phases. The first step would be to move the building to a temporary location. While in this temporary location the grading and foundation work for the final building location will take place. Following completion of this work the second step would be to move the building on to its final footprint.

[trcaCInventoryCultural-5] "Appendix C: Inventory of Cultural Heritage Properties in Don Mouth Project Study Area" (PDF). l. p. 4. Retrieved 2020-05-06. Fire Hall No. 30 was designed by City Architect J. J. Woolnough and completed in 1928. It represents plans to attract industries to the Port Lands District by providing municipal services. The two storey, red brick building is designed in Edwardian Classicism and terminates the view south on Munition Street from Villiers Street.

[blogto2016-05-29-6] Derek Flack (2016-05-29). "This might be the coolest space for lease in Toronto". Blog TO . Archived from the original on 2016-05-20. Retrieved 2020-06-02. There's plenty of historical buildings to lease in Toronto at any given time, but every once in a while a true gem hits the market. Such is the case with this old fire hall in the Port Lands at 39 Commissioners St.

[toronto2019-06-10-7] 1 2 Nick Simos (2019-06-10). "Application for Approval to Expropriate - 39 Commissioners Street" (PDF). City of Toronto . Retrieved 2020-06-02. For the past year, Waterfront Toronto has been in ongoing negotiations for a land exchange/acquisition of 39 Commissioners Street from the existing landowner and their tenant. Negotiations are still ongoing, however, if a resolution is not achieved in the near term, construction timelines for PLFP will be adversely impacted. Waterfront Toronto has accordingly requested that the Waterfront Expropriation Protocol be utilized by submitting a Property Expropriation Request Form and relevant documentation to the City of Toronto.

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