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1 August 2004
Scrivener Square
Works, Even if You Don't Realize It
It has been called
"one of Toronto's great "lost" buildings," but no longer.
For decades, the old Canadian Pacific Railway station at Yonge and Summerhill was a mess. It had
spent more time as a liquor store (74 years) than a passenger terminal (15 years) and, despite its
elegance, it was hidden behind decades of grime and surrounded by an expanse of asphalt filled with
cars. Even the clock at the top of its exquisite tower, a copy of the famous Campanile in St. Mark's
Square in Venice, had been removed and replaced with plywood.
Now the station's transformation is complete. Its promise has been realized and once again it is
fully connected to the city, an architectural and urban gem. Not surprisingly, the project won the
2004 Heritage Canada Corporate Prize. Even the clock has been restored.
Opened in 1916, this remarkable Beaux-Arts building became an instant landmark.
Constructed of Tyndall limestone, it was intended as a monument as well as a symbol of a city with
grand ambitions to beautify itself.
Nearly 90 years later, those ambitions have been fulfilled, at least in this tiny pocket of Toronto.
Last year, the owners, Woodcliffe Corp., and its long-term tenant, the LCBO, refurbished
the building. Ripping out acres of drywall and acoustical ceiling, they revealed a structure that
dates from an age that took trains and the idea of public transportation seriously.
In 2000, they organized a competition to design the space in front of the station, now called Margaret
Scrivener Square after the late MPP who represented the area for years. The winners, Toronto architect
Stephen Teeple and artist Robert Fones, created a contemplative piazza where people can take a break,
drink a coffee or simply watch the water, which forms a major element of the new square.
The highlight is a bronze "tipping fountain." It has a large horizontal trough that fills
with water; once it reaches a certain point, it spills its load into the pool below. The cycle, which
takes a minute or two to complete, exerts a decidedly hypnotic effect. According to Fones, "The
mechanical motion of the fountain echoes the steam locomotives associated with the building's original
use a train station. The timed tipping fountain also relates to the clock in the nearby tower as well
as the former timetables of train arrivals and departures."
Though it's unlikely these allusions will occur to the average user, it hardly matters. We react to
such features on many levels - emotional, physical, cerebral - without always knowing why. Indeed, the
essence of good design lies in evoking specific responses, i.e. manipulating people without them
being aware.
Fones and Teeple were also interested in the geological history of the site, which eons ago was under
the waters of Lake Iroquois. Much of Scrivener Square appears to be situated on top of large pools of
water that flow from east to west just below the surface. On the eastern half of the property, a
series of concrete walls bend upward as if they had been folded back to expose what the designers call
the "deeper tectonic forces."
The ground is concrete embellished with black granite edges and bands. Two rows of four ginkgo trees
soften the hardness of these surfaces, though they have decades to go before reaching maturity. For
seating, there are five benches. On the west side, along Yonge St. under the railway overpass, there's
a cafe that animates the space effectively. It could be more of a presence, however. Given the amount
of room, a few extra tables and umbrellas would enliven the square even more.
Of course, in this city, where many remain leery of the very idea of urbanism, some will view a place
like Scrivener Square as a missed opportunity to green the downtown core. But it's important to
remember that green space isn't necessarily the best way to enhance the public realm. This site, for
example, is much too small to function as a park. Besides, it should complement the train station,
not hide or disguise it. The intention is to create a local gathering place, not a playground or
sports field.
"I've been putting this project together since 1987," says Woodcliffe executive
vice-president Mitchell Cohen, sighing. "Finally, we got it done. We wanted
something that would honour the history of the station, animate the space and become a focal point
for the area. People have been saying we're crazy for years, but it's worked out great."
No doubt about that. Every community should have a place like this, especially in Toronto. We are,
don't forget, the self-proclaimed city of neighbourhoods.
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