Century-old building reopens in Toronto

Part of a popular (and historic) attraction in Toronto has officially reopened to the public after three years of construction. 

Earlier this week, the Palm House at Allan Gardens Conservatory officially opened its doors after an extensive restoration project. According to the City of Toronto’s website, the Palm House–the central heritage feature on the oft-visited site on Gerrard Street East–initially opened in 1910. Designed by Robert McCallum, who once served as architect for the city, the palm house has expanded twice: Once in 1920 and again in 1957, when four show house wings were added to the structure. 

According to the city, the land occupied by the palm house and conservatory was donated to the Horticultural Society of Toronto in 1858 by a local politician and landowner named George Allan. 

In 1860, the Allan Gardens opened, allowing residents and visitors to view an extensive collection of plants from around the world. The Horticultural Society of Toronto opened the horticultural pavilion and conservatory, which was used for flower shows and events, in 1879. 

In 1902, the palm house was destroyed by a fire and rebuilt as the domed structure it is today, reopening eight years later. 

The city’s website notes that in 2004, the University of Toronto donated the final conservatory building, which was originally built in 1932. The building is used for teaching and programming by the Friends of Allan Gardens, a volunteer-run organization dedicated to the preservation and revitalization of the gardens. 

In a social media post, the city said that throughout the revitalization process, care was taken to ensure that key historical and architectural features of the Palm House, including the building’s central glass dome, were preserved. Improvements included window glazing, glass cladding replacement, and modernization of the ventilation and air quality systems. 

On May 14, the city marked the grand opening of the rejuvenated Palm House with face painting, performances by Red Pepper Spectacle Arts and Hala on Stilts. 

Now that construction is complete, six new indoor, accessible public washrooms are open during regular operating hours.

All photos from the City of Toronto’s official website