The City is restoring the historic Palm House building at Allan Gardens Conservatory. The improvements will include window glazing, glass cladding replacement and functional modernization of the ventilation and air quality systems and controls. The current Palm House opened in 1910 following a fire that destroyed the previous pavilion. This vital work will preserve and improve an iconic Toronto building for future generations to enjoy.
The timeline is subject to change.
The interior scaffolding has been disassembled and removed. Heating and mechanical ventilation are operational.
Work is progressing, with the dome’s reglazing nearly finished. The exterior scaffolding will soon be completely disassembled and removed. From November 2024 to February 2025, the commissioning process will take place. During this time, systems and building features will be tested to ensure they meet design specifications, requirements and building regulations. This process is essential to ensuring the building’s long-term performance and safety.
Work continues with the reroofing and mechanical equipment installation in the boiler house.
Work continues with the installation of the dome’s glass and the rotunda windows.
Interior restoration work continues and is focused on hot water space heating rads and circulation piping.
Restoration work continues with a focus on the architectural woodwork, interior wall areas and exterior.
Restoration work continues. Paint recoating of the steel structure is complete with some touch-ups planned in January 2024. New ventilation equipment will be constructed on the boiler house roof.
Restoration work continues and includes roof and brick masonry restoration and steel structure priming for paint.
Quality control for the dome glazing has been approved and the glass and frames are in the process of being made.
The Palm House’s dome structural frame has been stripped to bare steel, detailed inspection of the steel condition has been completed, and repairs have started. The interior clay brick around the perimeter of the building is being cleaned. Materials for the porch have arrived on-site and the concrete floor has been installed.
The meticulous cleaning of the dome steel structure nears completion. Close inspection of the condition of the cleaned steel rails and arches, and cataloguing for deteriorated sections requiring repairs or reinforcement, is underway.
Cleaning to remove coating and corrosion from the building’s steel structure is taking place from April to June 2023.
By the end of March, the necessary interior scaffolding platforms will be installed so that the existing interior access ladder can be disassembled and removed.
Preparation work continues. Work platforms and protective enclosure scaffolding will be installed to the interior and exterior of the building the first week of March. The interior concrete floor has been installed.
Preparation work in the interior of the Palm House building for the new concrete floor is ongoing. The concrete floor will be installed the first week of February.
The steel scaffolding structure is installed. The scaffolding framework platform will be enveloped in fire retardant fabric by the end of January. The staff parking lot at the west side of the Palm House has re-opened.
Due to winter weather, the scaffolding framework installation has been postponed and will now be completed on January 9 and January 10, 2023. The staff parking lot at the west side of the Palm House will be closed during this time to accommodate the crane and large materials like beams and plywood.
On October 21, 2022, construction for the Palm House building restoration started. The building is closed to the public during construction. The Conservatory is open to the public (the indoor public washrooms are closed) but is not available for wedding or photography permits, or bookings of any kind until construction is completed in spring 2024.
The construction contractors have installed fencing and hoarding (a fence or barrier between the construction site and the public) at the entrance of the Palm House building and at a section of the paved path connected to the entrance to ensure public safety.
On August 31, 2022, the construction contract for the project was awarded.