Toronto History Project finds itself homeless
The Toronto History Project has occupied 3,000 square feet of 1 Bloor St. E. for the last decade, storing their 43 filing cabinets, thousands of historical tomes and reference books, hundreds of maps and a collection of militaria and glass plate images.
According to Toronto History Project manager Jane Beecroft, the group of volunteer history enthusiasts are awaiting the wrecking ball, after they were asked to leave by the end of December.
"I've been hunting for weeks and I've come up dry," said Beecroft in a plea to the community to lend the group some space to operate. "I'm about to have a heart attack."�When Bazis International purchased the property at the corner of Yonge and Bloor streets and announced plans to build an 80-storey condo building, the Toronto History Project went to work looking for a new space. However, they haven't found a large enough space to fit their needs.
MPPs, MPs, councillors and real estate agents have all been consulted in Beecroft's effort to find new space.
Part of their struggle is due to a collection of antique furniture that must be stored until the Tollkeeper's Cottage, an undertaking of the Toronto History Project to restore one of the last remaining houses occupied by the man responsible for collecting road tolls, is finished at the corner of Davenport Road and Bathurst Street.
The furniture will take up permanent residency in the cottage once completed. However, that won't be at least until Canada Day, pending the necessary funding to complete the project.
Even once the cottage is completed, the Toronto History Project itself will not be able to use the cottage as an office because it is quite small, explained Beecroft.
"It's a historic building that will become a museum," she said, adding that the modern addition will be used to house a kitchen, administration and bathrooms necessary to operate the museum.
"We're two and a half weeks away from the wrecker's ball," Beecroft said earlier this week.
The Toronto History Project was founded in 1983. According to Beecroft, the members used to meet at kitchen tables, or park benches. But as their work grew, it became too difficult to lug their research documents around from place to place.
They found their first home at Cumberland Terrace in 1987 as the property owners at the time opened up an unused space to them.
When the property was sold, the project moved to the current location at Bloor and Yonge streets where they have stayed, and grown for the last decade.
Although they are not currently a registered charity, Beecroft said the group is working towards securing that charitable number so donors of space or money can receive tax credits.
The group would prefer if the space be available in their area of study which includes Yorkville, the Annex, Seaton Village, and Rosedale.
"It's basically midtown," said Beecroft. "But we'll take space outside of the area if we have to."
The project is also in need of funds to assist with the moving.
Anyone with available space should contact Beecroft via email at info@tollkeeperscottage.ca or by telephone 416-515-7546, keeping in mind that the number may soon be disconnected.
