Interventions to Protect

Davisville Junior Public School, 1962

BRANCH:
Toronto
ADDRESS:
43 Millwood Road
Toronto ON
M4S 1J6
UPDATED:
October 21, 2021

Architect: Peter Pennington
Commissioned by Chief Architect Frederick C. Etherington for Toronto School Board.

National Trust for Canada 10 Most Endangered Places, 2017

Can Davisville public school be saved?

From avant garde to the absurd: The rise and fall of Davisville Junior Public School


ACO Toronto, “Mod Squad” of architects Kim Storey, Carol Kleinfeldt, Roman Mychaelowyz, Luigi Ferrara, Monica Kuhn with Robert Moffat (author of Toronto Modern) and columnist Dave LeBlanc, opposed demolition and advocated for the school’s designation as heritage. At Ryerson University Architect Joey Giaimo organized a symposium that produced a number of ideas for the building’s adaptive re-use. April 7, 2018 ACO Toronto held symposium “Toronto School Buildings AT RISK” with Globe & Mail architectural critic Alex Bozikovic. In spite of their efforts - and Heritage Preservation Services and Toronto Preservation Board recommendations - Toronto District School Board argued eloquently for a school that would need to be entirely new if it is to serve 21st century educational and community needs and Toronto City Council rejected designation. Demolition completed 2018-2019. A sad loss – another of too many – for Toronto Mid-Century Modern.

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