Scarborough’s little-known treasure
Considering Scarborough’s place in the psyche of Greater Toronto, the magnificently unknown Guild Inn is appropriately positioned — a treasure of superb value mysteriously underexposed to the point of anonymity.
Locked in a languorous landscape above the breathtaking views along the Scarborough Bluffs, the grounds, the gardens, the architectural “ruins,” the heritage and the essence of the Guild Inn has cried out for exposure since its founder Spencer Clark died in 1986.
Alas, an unlikely herald showed up this week on the wings of the gala opening of The Guild Inn Estate, a first-class special events destination venue that promises to blow the cover on one of Toronto’s best-kept secrets.
“I never thought I’d see this,” said Mayor John Tory, attending the gala.
“After so many false starts, it took someone with courage to take a huge risk. And they’ve done a classy, beautiful job.
“This will be a mecca for people to come to and see what Scarborough is about,” Tory said, no doubt nodding to his Scarborough voters.
Brian Ashton, a former city councillor who once represented the area off Kingston Rd. near Eglinton, toured the revitalized enclave and wasn’t at a loss for words.
“This is a specific example of heritage preservation and partnership with the private sector,” said Ashton.
“It’s rediscovering the Garden of Eden in Scarborough.”
It’s near impossible to satisfy the environmental, heritage, cultural, neighbourhood and conservation needs of this extremely sensitive jewel of a site. Every would-be proponent — and there have been many — marvel at the balancing act needed for success. The fact that Dynamic Hospitality and Entertainment Group managed to achieve it, without community protest and conflict, is a near miracle.
For the thousands who attended Wednesday night’s gala in a newly conceived restaurant-banquet-andevent space, the exposure released a burst of pride and memories and hope for a future open to the rest of the city.
David Arnold, president of the Guildwood Village Community Association, is pleased with the start of the Guild’s renaissance.
“It’s come a long way. It took a lot of work by the city, the community and a lot of groups. This is a great day, to see it come to fruition,” Arnold said, rubbing shoulders with friends of the Guild.
But it’s only a start, he acknowledged.
“They said we need this part first. Then we can get the cultural precinct. We are going to hold them to that,” Arnold said, adding that the city has $5 million for the plan.
This was once a bustling artists’ colony. Royalty slept here in the old Bickford Inn, built in 1914. Wedding night memories abound. Teenage tales of discovery and delight beckon from bush and trails. Sculptures still speak of awe and human ingenuity. The gardens are awakening again. And remnants of Toronto’s significant downtown buildings still stand erect in their Guild Inn graveyard.
The crowd at the opening of the new Guild Inn enjoyed the food in the banquet hall, spilled out into the new gazebo, lingered on the massive verandah-like terrace with views of the restored Bickford House that were enough to prompt a second look to see if the restored inn was, in fact, new.
The buzz and atmosphere was one of rediscovering an old friend. Some attendees struggled to locate special spots where EB Cox’s sculpture rested or Emmanuel Hahn’s horse was quartered.
The great Spencer Clark bought the property and surrounding land in 1932. He sold off much of it to developers, with strict covenants regarding design. He kept 36 hectares of woodland and spectacular views atop the bluffs and turned it into an artists’ colony.
When old downtown buildings were being demolished to make way for the current bank towers, Clark waged a one-man rescue mission, often saving gargoyles, facades, capitals, reliefs, columns and other fragments. These he re-erected on the Guild site. Some he buried for future use. Others, such as the columns from the Bank of Toronto building demolished in 1966, he used to construct the framing of an outdoor Greek theatre.
In addition, Clark often bought supplies, gave them to artists, then purchased the finished work. He started a rudimentary outdoor sculpture garden, but ran out of steam and energy. One of his biggest coups was to convince the government to purchase the site. It has been maintained as a park, but little else. The old inn, in effect, closed in 2002 and every effort to repurpose the heritage site has failed.
The main historical original Bickford House had fallen so deeply into disrepair it was a “rat-infested hole with dead cats and squirrels” when Sam D’Uva of Dynamic Hospitality made the site visit in response to the city’s request for proposal.
“My reaction was, ‘Wow, what a gem. Shame on me, I didn’t even know it existed,’ ” D’Uva tells The Star. “There’s nothing like it in the city. Eighty-eight acres to bring back Toronto’s history. This is the premier special events venue east of the city. Come and compare.”
Without compromising the heritage and artistic elements of the Guild, Dynamic has set it up for an idyllic future. The Bickford House is reimagined as a 60-seat restaurant with original art work, wooden beams and panelling and stairwell and fireplace. It’s framed by a gazebo on one side and the new events space able to house 1,000 guests or more intimate events. And the entire effect is one of elegant restraint that’s respectful of the history and the surrounding natural beauty.
The challenge for the architectural team led by Peter Pascaris was, “This is a big, beautiful park. Where do you put a big building? Somehow, we hit the right note. Once in a while you get a pretty job. We want to take pictures of this and say, ‘I did this.’ ”
The city of Toronto has a cultural precinct plan for the Guild that includes restoration of the two long cabins, one the oldest building in Scarborough, and the creation of the Clark Centre for the Arts, a community arts space in Clark’s old office.
If Friends of the Guild or the thousands of Guild Inn lovers were wise, they’d be lining up at the mayor’s office to push him to find the kind of deep-pocketed donors who can pump the millions needed to turn this natural sanctuary into the sculpture garden and park that Spencer Clark envisioned.
More on that later. Royson James’ column appears weekly. rjames@thestar.ca