June 8, 1999
To:Toronto Community Council
From:Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services
Subject:222 Bremner Blvd., Application No. 999036: Request for approval of variances from Chapter 297, Signs, of the
former City of Toronto Municipal Code, upon application by Vince Quattrociocchi on behalf of Metro Toronto Convention
Centre, 255 Front Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2W6. (Ward 24 - Downtown)
Purpose:
To review and make recommendations respecting an application for minor variances to permit one illuminated canopy sign
which identifies the "Metro Toronto Convention Centre-South Building" and one illuminated ground sign to identify the
parking garage through the "P" symbol at 222 Bremner Blvd.
Source of Funds:
Not applicable.
Recommendations:
- That City Council approve Application No. 999036 respecting minor variances from Chapter 297, Signs, of the former
City of Toronto Municipal Code to permit one backlit illuminated canopy sign which identifies the "Metro Toronto
Convention Centre-South Building" and one illuminated ground sign to identify the parking garage through the "P"
symbol at 222 Bremner Blvd.
- That the applicant be advised, upon approval of Application No. 999036, of the requirement to obtain the necessary
permits from the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services.
Comments:
The property, known as "Metro Toronto Convention Centre-South Building ", is located south of the railway tracks at the
north-west corner of Bremner Blvd. and Simcoe Street, in a (G) park zoning district. On March 1, 1994, City Council
adopted By-law No. 1994-0181 respecting the Metro Toronto Convention Centre expansion, giving approval to the
construction of the south building with an additional floor space of 95,000 mē. The expansion included a three level
convention facility, located primarily beneath Central Park, that is linked by a tunnel under the main rail corridor to the
main Metro Toronto Convention Centre-North Building which fronts on to Front Street West.
The applicant is requesting permission to erect one illuminated canopy sign on the south elevation which identifies the
"Metro Toronto Convention Centre-South Building " and one illuminated ground sign to identify the parking garage
through the "P" symbol (see Figure 1). The proposed canopy sign is 8.38 metres long and 1.60 metres high, with an area of
13.41 mē and the proposed ground sign, "P" for the parking symbol, is 0.91 metre long and 0.95 metre high with an area of
0.86 mē.
The original application also involved a proposed third party advertising fascia sign but this additional request was later
withdrawn following discussion with my staff.
The proposed canopy and ground signs do not comply with Chapter 297 of the Municipal Code in the following ways:
1. the proposed canopy sign is not permitted in a (G) park zoning district;
2.the height of the proposed ground sign (3.69 metres) exceeds by 1.69 metres the permitted height of 2.0 metres.
The first variance occurs because an illuminated canopy sign for identification is not permitted in a (G) park zoning
district. In this instance, it is recognized that the Metro Toronto Convention Centre is a major public building which hosts a
variety of important public and business events and caters to thousands of visitors for those events every year. A recent
survey concluded that the majority of the visitors were not aware of the location and direction to the South Building. In my
opinion, the proposed canopy sign will help with identification for the South Building of the convention centre and it will
not adversely impact the street views of the building or surrounding uses.
The second variance relates to the height of the proposed ground sign "P", the parking symbol (3.69 metres) which exceeds
by 1.69 metres the permitted height of 2.0 metres. In this case, the height of the proposed ground sign is appropriate given
its location in front of the central column between the entrance and exit doors of the parking garage. I do not feel that will
have an adverse impact on the streetscape or the surrounding uses.
I am recommending approval of this application as I find the variances requested to be minor and within the general intent
and purpose of the sign provisions of the Municipal Code.
Contact Name:
Norm Girdhar
Telephone: (416) 392-7209
Fax: (416) 392-0580
E-Mail: ngirdhar@toronto.ca
Beate Bowron
Director, Community Planning, South District
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