Letters to the Editor: Loss of Art Deco brickwork on building sad to see
It’s sad to see someone destroying the historical facade of one of very few Art Deco buildings (1931) remaining in our area, as is happening on the northeast corner of Kingston and Scarborough roads!
Part of the west wall has already had its Flemish Bond brickwork (every second brick turned sideways) plastered over, along with one of the grooved concrete pillars set into the wall.
Some of the decorative concrete frieze banding has also been chipped away!
The Beach and East Toronto Historical Society has recognized this whole structure (continuing up Scarborough Road and along Kingston Road) as architecturally and historically significant; but the City of Toronto has been slow to grant official protection to such gems.
I would like to encourage everyone who cares about the preservation of our local history to communicate their concern to their local councillor, and to heritageplanning@toronto.ca
Mary Campbell
968–976 Kingston Road and 281–285 Scarborough Road is a significant example of Art Deco ornamentation in the east end. The building has an aesthetic relationship with the RC Harris Water filtration plant, also in the east end. The Kingston and Scarborough Road building adds character to the streetscape, it has been a part of the community since 1911. Defacing buildings like this shows a lack of insight to what brings beauty and continuity to Toronto. Heritage Toronto needs to do their part to protect these buildings. An application to provide heritage protection was submitted in 2019. This is an outrage.
What kind of ***** would do something like that??
Leave our local heritage buildings alone and stop the desecration of this landmark now.