Lauren Souch
Biz/Tech Reporter
Two historic Etobicoke hotels are in jeopardy of demolition and may soon be replaced with new condominiums.
Toronto’s first Holiday Inn, located at 2 Holiday Drive, is slated for demolition in the near future, as approved at a Feb. 12 city council meeting.
“That site is going to come right down, we’ll probably be tearing it down shortly,” said councillor Doug Holyday.
The Valhalla Inn, built in 1963, is now an endangered property as a similar proposal for this site will be appearing before city council in the spring.
Paul McCabe, the program co-ordinator for the hotel and restaurant management program and former office manager at the Holiday Inn on Holiday Drive said both sites have historic value within the community.
“They’ve been there a long time,” said McCabe. “Both are a part of the landscape along the 427.”
Holyday said although the Holiday Inn property will be completely demolished, there are plans to preserve some of the Valhalla.
“The historical society and preservation society has decided certain aspects of that building should be preserved, and I think the developer has agreed to do that,” said Holyday.
The entranceway to the Valhalla and its Norwegian-style roof are among aspects included in the preservation plans.
McCabe attributes the demise of both hotels to their location – too far from the airport for those looking to stay before a flight, and too far from downtown for tourists.
“It’s the end for that area,” said McCabe. “Travellers want to be where the action is, and Cloverdale Mall isn’t exactly action-packed. It’s tough for those properties to exist.”
Holyday said the change will be a boost for the community, and that concerns by nearby residents regarding the project have been addressed.
“One of the matters we dealt with was the entrance onto the highway, as it comes right by the site,” said Holyday. “In the long run the province might want to close that and we were trying to ascertain if that was going to happen, and if it was when, and what effect that would have on the site.”