City council is exploring new ways to repurpose Old City Hall, including a museum. Do you have any ideas?

Toronto's Old City Hall is about to be empty as City Council scrambles find funding to keep it open. (CTV News Toronto).

A nostalgic landmark in the heart of Toronto is about to be left empty.

The Ontario Court of Justice criminal court that was located inside Old City Hall left the building for a new facility on Armoury Street last year and now the remaining provincial offenses courts are set to move out as well, potentially leaving Old City Hall vacant by the end of April.

City council is hoping to find a new use for Old City Hall but in 2019 staff estimated it would cost approximately $225 million for a “full restoration” of the building.

Staff have also warned that an “an inefficient floor plan” and Old City Hall’s heritage status could be complicating factors, as the site is reimagined.

Built nearly 140 years ago, Maylor Olivia Chow has described the landmark near Bay and Queen streets as “phenomenal” and says the city must do everything possible to preserve the building.

“Coming from a person who studied fine art at university I’m in awe… whether I’m outside or inside so we need to do everything we can to protect the magnificent building,” she said at an executive committee meeting on Tuesday.

Old City Hall has primarily served as a courthouse since 1972.

Once vacant, staff have suggested that parts of the building could be used on an interim basis for temporary retail and food and beverage pop-ups as well as for cultural programming, like Nuit Blanche and Doors Open Toronto.

But long-term ideas like a museum or a Toronto Public Library branch could be costly.

“The city doesn’t have any financial means,” Chow said this week, citing urgent leaking repairs needed for Nathan Phillips Square and even leaks within City Hall itself.

She says leaks are so bad that her own hallway within Toronto City Hall floods whenever it rains.

What is Chow proposing?

Chow says she approached the Canada Infrastructure Bank for low-cost financing and says the bank’s CEO expressed interest but fell short of a commitment.

According to a motion that will go before city council this month, she hopes to partner with the bank to invest in “key City of Toronto civic assets” which include Old City Hall, Nathan Phillips Square and Mel Lastman Square.

A Toronto Museum? ‘Let’s just get on with it and get it done’

Coun. Josh Matlow (Ward 12, Toronto-St. Paul’s), who has long championed the idea of a “Museum of Toronto”, says the time to act is now, adding that it’s an idea that’s sat on the table for decades.

“This goes back to (former mayor) David Crombie’s days in the 1970s,” Matlow told CTV News Toronto. “Every great city around the world has a museum that shares their city stories with visitors and residents alike. That’s what great cities do.”

Knowing the city is already stretched for cash, Matlow also raised the idea of creating a foundation, where ‘generous’ philanthropists can donate to help fund the project.

However, during the committee meeting, Coun. Shelley Carroll (Ward 17, Don Velley North) shot down the idea suggesting she doesn’t think philanthropists would interested unless they can help run the museum.

“Let’s install a board of trustees and let the philanthropic community not only donate to make the thing possible but to ensure the management of it,” she said.

Speaking with CTV News Toronto, Matlow pushed back on these concerns saying, “We don’t need to hand over the keys and tell them that they get to curate it.”

“Some people just want to leave the world better than they found it,” he said. ‘Let’s just get on with it and get it done.’

Now approved by the executive committee, Matlow’s motion will now go to City Council for its final approval.

Concerns about private investment

Coun. Gord Parks cautioned against allowing private equity to take control of the building, pointing to concerns about “backdoor privatizations.” He warned that a financing deal with private investors could put Old City Hall in the hands of a private firm rather than keeping it as a public space.

Chow clarified that any potential deal would be a partnership between the city and the Canada Infrastructure Bank, not a privatization move.

“I will in no way agree to allow the City of Toronto, Nathan Phillips Square, to be owned by a private equity firm,” she said.

What’s next?

At Tuesday’s executive committee meeting, council voted to move forward with Matlow’s motion to explore turning the building into a museum. They also approved Chow’s proposal to ‘explore’ potential partnerships with the Canada Infrastructure Bank for funding.

Both will now be carried to a city council meeting for their final approval.

Got an idea for transforming Old City Hall? We want to hear from you

As city officials continue to explore the future of Old City Hall, CP24/CTV News Toronto wants to hear from you.

What do you think Old City Hall should become? How should it be funded? Should it house a museum, public space, or something else entirely?

Share your thoughts by emailing us at [e-mail] with your name, general location, and phone number in case we want to follow up. Your comments may be used in a CTVNews.ca story.