Toronto St Lawrence Market North | 25.3m | 5s | City of Toronto | Rogers Stirk Harbour

Dropped by city hall, missed the session but was able to get the news release:

News Release
September 8, 2015

Evidence of previous markets discovered at North St. Lawrence Market building construction site

Toronto Deputy Mayor Pam McConnell (Ward 28 Toronto Centre-Rosedale) and Dr. Peter Popkin of Golder Associates Ltd., the lead archeologist at the North SI. Lawrence Market Redevelopment project site, today announced a discovery of important historical value to the City of Toronto.

During the Stage 2 and 3 archeological assessment of the site, evidence for the 1831, 1851 , and 1904 markets were discovered. The finds include foundation piers from the 1831 building, a large arched flagstone sewer relating to either the 1831 or the 1851 development, and the original, pre-development ground surface preserved within the interior courtyard of the 1831 building.

The St. Lawrence Market North property has been the home to a market and market activities since at least 1803, when LI. Governor Peter Hunter proclaimed that the property was to be home to a public market for the sale of cattle, sheep, poultry and other provisions, goods and merchandise.

"The St. Lawrence North Market revitalization is grounded on the historic importance of this precinct as an economic focal point and gathering place for Torontonians," said Deputy Mayor McConnell. "The unearthing of a rich archeological record on the site will increase our understanding of this
history and complement the buildout of a new North Market facility that maximizes its uses and its potential as a destination for residents and tourists."

"The first permanent brick market building was erected on this site in 1831 . The north end of the structure served as the Town Hall, and after 1834, the City Hall. The building was subsequently destroyed by the 1849 Toronto fire," said Dr. Popkin. 'While the Stage 2/3 archeological assessment is on-going and final recommendations have not yet been determined, the high potential for in-situ preservation of large areas of the original ground surface and the 1831 sub-surface structures, as well as the exceedingly important historical value of the property to the development of the City of Toronto, makes it likely that further archeological assessment of the property will be required prior to ground disturbance,"

In light of the findings, the next step in the North SI. Lawrence Market Redevelopment project will be to engage in Stage 4 mitigation of development impacts to ensure the conservation of any structures that are of important historical value. The existing structure must be demolished to allow full site
access before Stage 4 mitigation can safely occur. This added step will delay the construction of the new building, but the length of the delay is not yet known as archeological assessments continue.

Phase 1 of the North SI. Lawrence Market project concluded in June 2015 with the opening of the temporary North Market building at 125 The Esplanade. Phase 2 will continue with archeological mitigation of the site and Phase 3 will follow with the construction of the building (subject to cost
confirmation by the architect and tender approval).

Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto reSidents, businesses and visitors can visit http://www.toronto.ca, call 311 , 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us @TorontoComms.

Media contact: Natasha Hinds Fitzsimmins, Strategic Communications, 416-392-8889, nhinds@toronto.ca
 
Oh wow! Way better than anything I expected. And it sounds so well preserved!

I really hope the city reconsiders this project as a result. Something like Pointe a Calliere in Montreal would be amazing here, with the market above.
 
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Honestly, its time to scrap the North Market building altogether. This needs to become the home of a Toronto museum. There is no better location!
 
Honestly, its time to scrap the North Market building altogether. This needs to become the home of a Toronto museum. There is no better location!
As it has been the site of a Market since 1804 I think one could equally - or more - say there is no better site for a Market! Though a museum on top rather than Courts would be great!)
 
Honestly, its time to scrap the North Market building altogether. This needs to become the home of a Toronto museum. There is no better location!

Foundation piers and ground surface isn't really all that interesting to look at in and on itself - perhaps a glass floor for it would suffice? I'd rather not have this project shelved and restarted.

AoD
 
As it has been the site of a Market since 1804 I think one could equally - or more - say there is no better site for a Market! Though a museum on top rather than Courts would be great!)

haha, fair point. Though if they are looking to preserve everything in-situ, it could completely derail the market idea. I can't imagine it being a suitable market venue without being on the street level.
 
Foundation piers and ground surface isn't really all that interesting to look at in and on itself - perhaps a glass floor for it would suffice? I'd rather not have this project shelved and restarted.

AoD

Have you been to La Calliere? The place is always packed with tourists, and its nothing more than ground surface and foundation piers. It's a major attraction in Montreal and is actually very interesting.

It's actually incredibly similar to what is described in the press release. You have an old arched sewer, the old courtyard, and building foundations. That's not insignificant at all.
 
Very interesting! So when the existing building was constructed in 1968, there was no requirement for an archaeological assessment? Or was it just that the foundation was shallow enough that it didn't require any excavation?
 
Very interesting! So when the existing building was constructed in 1968, there was no requirement for an archaeological assessment?

Archaeological assessment? In 1968 they were planning to tear down old City Hall and Union Station! Archaeological assessment was the furthest thing in their minds.
 
Sure, they hated anything built within the last 50 to 70 years, but the old market would have been coming up on 140 years old even then. I guess it was a different time.
 
Sure, they hated anything built within the last 50 to 70 years, but the old market would have been coming up on 140 years old even then. I guess it was a different time.

To be fair, they have been tearing down previous markets on the site even before the 50s/60s - the bunker replaced the 3rd market built in 1904. We got to where we are through cycles of creation and destruction - it's an essential element of city building.

AoD
 
We got to where we are through cycles of creation and destruction - it's an essential element of city building.

AoD

To illustrate... This is what Front Street would look like today if we didn't go through cycles of creation and destruction:

23-cawthrahouse-town-of-york.jpg

http://www.townofyork.com
 
There's no view from that place on the extreme left! How'd that separation distance get past the Low Buildings Guidelines?

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