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We are delighted to share that the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario (ACO) has recognized President and Senior Principal of GBCA, Christopher Borgal, OAA FRAIC, CAHP as the 2022 recipient of the prestigious Eric Arthur Lifetime Achievement Award.

Chris’s contribution to heritage conservation has been truly outstanding, having worked on thousands of heritage sites and buildings across Canada. While much of his past and present work has been on key buildings in major cities such as on the Parliament Hill’s Centre Block (Ottawa) and on Massey Hall (Toronto), Chris has also dedicated his time to the heart of heritage in Ontario’s smaller towns with projects in Blyth, Goderich and Waterloo amongst others.

Team GBCA congratulates Chris on this well-deserved honour!

For more information, please visit the ACO website.

Heritage Toronto has announced nominations for their 2022 Built Heritage Awards and Massey Hall is among the six finalists. Find out more about the project here.

The presentation gala will take place at the historic Carlu (444 Yonge Street) on October 17, 2022.

The City of Windsor announced nominations for their 2022 Built Heritage Awards and is recognizing the work at Mackenzie Hall / the Essex County Court House – specifically the extensive repair and cleaning of the impressive stone exterior.

GBCA, in collaboration with studio g+G inc., worked with the City of Windsor’s Facilities Department to develop an appropriate conservation strategy for this important nineteenth century landmark building.

The presentation of the heritage awards will take place on September 22, 2022.

Urban Toronto published an update on the work at Eastern Avenue, where the former industrial building is being converted into condominiums. GBCA has been working with Graywood Developments and Diamond Schmitt Architects on the adaptive reuse of the former bakery building at 462 Eastern Avenue since 2016. Link to the Urban Toronto website.

The Daily Commercial News recently reported on the development at the southwest corner of Dundas and Church Streets, which includes an historic former bank building. When GBCA began working on the project, the 1913 building had not yet been included on the City of Toronto’s Heritage Register. After completing a cultural heritage evaluation, the building, which was designed by renowned Canadian architect, John M. Lyle, was determined to have heritage value and was incorporated into the plans for redeveloping the site.

You can read the article here.

After years of construction, and even more years of careful planning that included historic research and on-site investigations, the conservation efforts of Massey Music Hall have been realized, with the Hall reopening November 25, 2021.

GBCA worked closely with the Corporation of Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall and the design team (led by KPMB Architects) to ensure that the key heritage-character defining features of this National Historic Site were conserved through the up-dating and new construction. GBCA’s scope of work included the preparation of a comprehensive Conservation Plan and oversight of all of the repairs to the original heritage materials throughout the hall, including the plaster ceiling, the stained glass windows, the original woodwork and metal work, and the iconic Art Deco lobby.

Read more in this article in the Globe and Mail.

GBCA is pleased to be recognized by our peers at the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals with two awards.

The Award of Excellence in the category of Conservation – Architecture was presented to Christopher Borgal (GBCA Architects) and Jason Grossi (studio g+G inc., architect) for the project “John Muir Branch – Windsor Public Library” (Windsor, ON).

An Award of Merit in the category of Conservation – Small & Lovely was presented to Emad Ghattas and Christopher Borgal (GBCA Architects), Donovan Pauly and Sam Trigila (Clifford Restoration) and Monique Palma Whittaker (MPW Art Restoration) for the project “Silver Dollar Room” (Toronto, ON).

Read the related article in Canadian Architect.

NOW Magazine has provided a look inside the former Silver Dollar Room – you can check out the photographs on their website.

GBCA has been the heritage consultant on this project, ensuring that the key character-defining features were salvaged and reused in the new space. Senior Associate, Emad Ghattas, will be presenting a paper on the project at this year’s upcoming (virtual) Heritage Canada conference. For more information on the conference, go to the Heritage Canada website.

In 2015, GBCA prepared a Heritage Impact Assessment for the proposed CF Toronto Eaton Centre Bridge. Providing access between the Eaton Centre and the historic former Simpson’s Department Store Building (now the Hudson’s Bay Company Store), the new bridge had to appropriately address the heritage significance of this important building.

The stunning bridge was designed by Zeidler Architecture in association with Wilkinson Eyre and was recognized with the Award of Excellence in the Elements category in the 2021 Toronto Urban Design Awards. According to the jury: instead of a utilitarian structure connecting busy commercial zones, this structure captured the public’s imagination by achieving a sense of tactile and visual dynamism that enhanced the existing architecture.

Congratulations to the entire team and the owner, The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited.

To read more about this year’s awards, go to the City of Toronto website.

The redevelopment of Montcrest School on Broadview Avenue has won the Toronto Urban Design Award of Excellence in the Private Buildings in Context Category for 2021.

Montcrest School occupies a collection of Queen Anne revival homes in Toronto’s Riverdale community. A new infill volume was designed by Montgomery Sisam Architects to improve the functionality of the school while preserving the heritage of the house forms that have become synonymous with the school’s identity along Broadview Avenue.

GBCA prepared a Heritage Impact Assessment, developing a conservation strategy that would allow for the modernization of the school space both inside and outside while conserving the heritage fabric of these early twentieth century buildings. Subsequently a Conservation Plan was developed for the buildings. GBCA also assisted with heritage approvals with the City of Toronto.

To read more about this year’s awards, go to the City website.