Last month, Toronto City Council took an important step toward establishing a Toronto City Museum at Casa Loma by supporting my motion, along with those by Coun. Joe Mihevc, regarding its use and governance. Council endorsed our idea to ask for expressions of interest from Torontonians to create a space to display our shared history in a historical place.
For more than 40 years, successive councils and prominent residents have debated various venues for a city museum. Casa Loma presents an exciting opportunity to house Toronto’s artifacts in a building that merits their importance. An accessible and central site, with close proximity to public transit and the downtown core, Casa Loma provides an ideal location for a Toronto museum. The landmark is also steps away from the Spadina House Museum and the City of Toronto Archives, creating a potential heritage corridor for students, researchers, tourists and other visitors. I am not suggesting that a city museum replace the exhibit of Sir Henry Pellatt, Casa Loma’s founder, nor the venue’s rental for events that are crucial to the ongoing financial viability of the site. There is ample room in underutilized spaces in the main building and the stables complex across the street.
Although the approval at council is an important first step, the work is really just beginning. To join New York, Chicago, Montreal and most other major urban areas that have a city museum, we will need to move ahead with this city-building initiative with the support of residents. For our city’s history and Casa Loma’s future, let’s create Toronto’s first city museum and share our city’s story.