The Toronto Preservation Board have officially recommended Kensington Market be deemed a Heritage Conservation District.
The city’s iconic neighbourhood, full of eclectic shops and restaurants that celebrate Toronto’s diversity, would be protected with the designation.
The designation means any kind of demolitions, new buildings or new developments would have to be carefully considered.
The area, which is already a National Historic Site, is a unique and important historic neighbourhood with over 700 properties, bordered by College Street to the north, Dundas Street to the south, Spadina Avenue to the east and Bathurst Street to the west.
It has seen several waves of immigration from the late 19th century to the present, “with each generation contributing to the overall character and dynamism of Kensington Market,” read a statement on the city’s website.
The city has been working towards a heritage designation for Kensington Market for the last 10 years, starting in 2015. It was sparked after a developer backed away from plans to build a Walmart in the area following public opposition.
In the report, city staff wrote they hope to be able to preserve the history of the neighbourhood while still allowing it to grow with the people who live there.
“We certainly hope it is possible to take what everyone loves about Kensington Market into the future,” said Senior Planner with the City of Toronto, Tatum Taylor Chauba.
City councillor Dianne Saxe told CityNews that compared to other conservation districts, “the rules in Kensington will be very light touch.”
“Most districts are trying to preserve a specific kind of architecture, we’re not trying to do that here,” said Saxe.
The report will now go before City Council at its next meeting.
