Creating a welcoming accessible place while celebrating the rich history of the church, the site it sits on and the Annex community.
“In its beginnings, Walmer was characterized by openness—to different types of people, and to different ideas and projects.” – A Century for the City, Walmer Road Baptist Church 1889-1989 by Donald Goertz
This site is located in the heart the Annex, one of Toronto’s most dynamic and storied neighbourhoods. It’s situated on traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples.
The existing church has long been a place of community and social innovation. It’s where a food bank, theatre initiative, and Canada’s first co-located daycare all thrived and a diversity of people came together for over a century.
TAS and our partners, the Walmer Road Baptist Church have been working together to create a bold new vision for this site. Our proposal includes:
Adaptive reuse of the existing sanctuary, to include a new space for the Walmer Road Baptist Church and a new commercial community hub.
162 new condominiums in a 20-story building.
A publicly accessible courtyard for residents and members of the local neighbourhood.
The commercial community hub will be a welcoming, inclusive place that restores the sanctuary’s historical role as a place for community, connection and social innovation.
We are excited to evolve this place at the corner of Lowther and Walmer in the Annex with and for the community and see this project as a tremendous example of our commitment to building for impact.
Source: TAS Impact
