We all love and hate Massey Hall. The grand old dame of Shuter Street has come pretty close to being a bag lady in recent years, what with the crumbling plaster and bumsprung seats. So, after much talk, an announcement yesterday that the first phase of redevelopment might be ready to start is welcome news.
- Classical Music 101: What Does A Conductor Do? - June 17, 2019
- Classical Music 101 | What Does Period Instrument Mean? - May 6, 2019
- CLASSICAL MUSIC 101 | What Does It Mean To Be In Tune? - April 23, 2019
MOD Developments, currently selling a condo tower next door, is donating nearly 5,000 square feet of land immediately to the south of Massey Hall. Even though this may represent less than half the ground floor of a typical Bridle Path neo-château, this is enough of an addition to the building’s current footprint to provide new backstage facilities, including a loading dock and a proper green room.
This will be the focus of the revitalization project’s first phase, expected to last four years from the moment that Toronto City Council approves a proposal submitted by the Board of Governors of the Corporation of Roy Thomson Hall and Massey Hall.
“The federal and provincial governments have each committed $8M to Phase One of the project, which has the endorsement of the City of Toronto’s Heritage Preservation Board, City Councilor Kristyn Wong-Tam, City staff and the Ontario Heritage Trust,” said yesterday’s press release.
The Corporation is also in the midst of a major fundraising drive to supplement the promised public monies with private funds.
The new backstage facilities will come about after the demolition of the Albert Building to the south of the hall on Victoria St.
The Corporation will continue to offer concerts at the venue during construction, which will be complete in 2017 — if City Council approves the project next month.
Work on what the public sees and sits on — the lobbies, the plaster, those awful seats, the cramped washrooms and dingy common areas — only starts once the first phase is complete.
The Corporation says it will provide its next update on progress in the fall.
John Terauds
- Classical Music 101: What Does A Conductor Do? - June 17, 2019
- Classical Music 101 | What Does Period Instrument Mean? - May 6, 2019
- CLASSICAL MUSIC 101 | What Does It Mean To Be In Tune? - April 23, 2019
