Gladstone Hotel sidewalk (city of Toronto)

City council get chance to reverse refusal of Gladstone Hotel patio permit

by Nisean Lorde for Post City Posted: June 4, 2024 Photo: Gladstone Hotel sidewalk (city of Toronto)

Toronto and East York Community Council will have the chance to reverse the city’s recent decision to deny a permit for a sidewalk cafe at 1214 Queen St. W.

On April 5, the Gladstone House (formerly the Gladstone Hotel) applied for a sidewalk cafe permit for 113.04 square metres—which would accommodate approximately 95 patrons—alongside a newly constructed wide sidewalk at the Gladstone Avenue flankage.

According to a May 23 letter directed to Council from the Director of Business Licensing and Regulatory Services, Municipal Licensing & Standards (ML&S), the application meets the physical criteria for a sidewalk cafe permit as set out in the City’s Municipal Code.

“The City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 742-2.3 requires all applicants for flankage cafes to display a public notice posting of the application at the establishment for no less than 21 days,” the letter states. “Furthermore, the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 742-2.3 also requires that all property owners and occupants located within a 60-metre radius of the proposed café location on a local road be notified in writing.”

However, the ML&S said they received “multiple objections” to the public posting, and, so, a refusal letter was sent to Gladstone House on April 29, advising them that the sidewalk café permit application was denied.

On May 3, the City received a letter from Gladstone House asking that they appeal the decision. Next Tuesday, the Toronto and East York Community Council will make the final decision on this item—and many on social media are encouraging local residents to support Gladstone House.

“The Gladstone Hotel applied for a sidewalk cafe permit along a newly constructed wide sidewalk. Neighbours whined and the city denied the request so the streetscape can continue to look awful. Council has a chance to reverse this decision this week,” one X user wrote.

“This is what this street used to look like. The city killed the trees during sidewalk widening construction. Plenty of space has been added to allow for this sidewalk cafe to exist. It now extends further than the space that was previously allocated to sidewalk + CafeTO patio.”

“Please look at the response here and say YES to a city that is lively and vibrant. There is nothing unique about this stretch of Gladstone that justifies refusing this proposal,” the X user stated,

Others agreed, noting that—based on the City’s preference for sidewalks—this space was clearly designed to accommodate a patio.

“The pedestrian clearway is concrete, programmable/ patio space uses interlocking pavers. Very standard for new city sidewalks.”

This item will be considered by city council at 10:30 am on June 11.

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