Heritage lost with WoodGreen demolition

With the burgeoning condo construction in the city, concerns about safeguarding heritage properties and historical identity are noted.

Articles were recently published by the Star about places and things with meaningful connections to Toronto’s cultural heritage.

Called a “cultural symbol,” Sam The Record Man’s sign is set for restoration and a place of prominence, and Honest Ed’s store signs are being resold online for “a little piece of Toronto history.”

The restoration of the historic Broadview Hotel shows exemplary vision by a developer with “great affinity for the neighbourhood” and resolute respect for the historical value of the landmark.

As the Broadview Hotel moves forward to completion, a short distance away, the incomprehensible demolition of WoodGreen Church brought down massive walls of bricks, timbers and steel beams.

The exquisite, 60-foot-high stained glass window of Remembrance, which was dedicated to the memory of the fallen soldiers, was reduced to shattered shards in the debris. To inflict further humiliation, the once-towering spire lay broken in the rubble, stripped of its coveted copper cladding.

A 2014 report by the city’s heritage preservation services detailed the undeniable historical value of the church as a significant local landmark of rare architectural excellence and an important contributor to the character of the neighbourhood.

While historical churches across the country are being repurposed and converted into residential lofts, with the architecture, exposed brick and stunning stained-glass windows touted as unique features, the destruction of WoodGreen Church, steeped in history, brought an important part of Toronto’s east-end heritage to a poignant end. Ellen Watson, Aurora