The City of Toronto is considering pouring $1.64 million into a drain. But not just any drain.The city’s historic central drain from 1831 is one of many archaeological discoveries made during the St. Lawrence north market’s renovation near Front and Jarvis Streets.The proposal for a glass “viewing portal” looking onto the drain under the new north market redevelopment would be visible “through a glass covered interpretation area,” the report to committee says.The drain feature would cost $1.96 million and the existing redevelopment budget could fund it but construction would require an additional $1.64 million.The government management committee will consider the proposal on Sept. 25, followed by city council on Oct. 2.The current north market redevelopment budget is $91.5 million and includes 250 underground parking spaces, a five-storey atrium, a market hall and mezzanine, court services and courtrooms.Four markets have sat on the current north market site. Drainage systems, walls, storage cellars and support columns have been uncovered from the 1820, 1831, 1851 and 1904 periods.Heritage Preservation Services hoped to create a comprehensive glass floor over the 1831 drain, but the original $5.3 million plan fell through.The glass floor plan was not feasible because of the technical requirements for a floor that would bear traffic, while remaining see-through and not slippery.Suzanne Kavanagh, president of the St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Association, called the project a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase Toronto’s heritage.“We’ve got some naysayers walking around saying, you want to celebrate a pipe?” she said. “But there is a story to go with it.”Kavanagh said the total cost of the redevelopment puts the viewing portal’s $1.96 million cost into perspective, especially since preservation requirements increase costs.Larry Wayne Richards, who spent nine years on the ...
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