In Toronto’s Rosedale neighborhood, the owners of a mansion are facing orders to dismantle a recently constructed wall on their property, despite having obtained a permit for its construction less than a year ago. The couple, Michele and Matthew McGrath, sought approval from the city’s transportation department in July 2023 to build a wall and security gates on their property’s Glen Road and Whitney Avenue boundaries. However, the property is located within a designated heritage neighborhood, and city records reveal that permission to build the wall was granted before preservation planners were made aware of the project.
The homeowners have taken legal action, petitioning the court to allow the wall to remain standing and to cover their legal expenses. Matthew McGrath expressed the distress and financial burden caused by the situation, emphasizing that they followed the city’s guidelines throughout the process. The North Toronto Residents Association declined to comment, and Councilor Dianne Saxe did not respond to requests for input.
The project, which involved careful selection of materials to match the existing architecture, was approved by the Toronto and East York Community Council in May 2024. However, concerns were raised by the city’s heritage planning department regarding the impact of the wall on the North Rosedale Heritage Conservation District. The couple was instructed to halt construction until a heritage permit was obtained, leading to a subsequent order to remove the wall in March.
Despite the ongoing legal dispute, the homeowners submitted an application for a heritage permit in July, citing exemptions under the Ontario Heritage Act for landscaping projects within conservation districts. The Toronto Preservation Board later rejected the permit application in a September hearing, citing the wall’s negative impact on the district’s ambiance. The lawsuit initiated by the couple is progressing, with the timeline for further court proceedings remaining uncertain.