Let's fix it: Old City Hall has finally reopened. What's next for the Toronto landmark?
Shawn Micallef is a Toronto-based writer and a freelance contributing columnist for the Star. Follow him on Bluesky: @shawnmicallef.bsky.social.
The short block of Queen Street between Yonge and Bay Streets is having a tough time. Prominent, both a crossroads and a destination, it's closed for Ontario Line construction, forcing streetcars to detour while pedestrians scuttle through narrow passages.
On top of that, the block is bookended by two massive historic buildings sitting empty. The demise of the Hudson Bay flagship store is keenly felt here and its absence is like a hole in the downtown fabric. At the other end of the block, Old City Hall remains grand but it, too, is empty of purpose now that the provincial courts moved to their new building behind New City Hall.
Opinion articles are based on the author's interpretations and judgments of facts, data and events. More details
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