On Monday, October 7th at Roy Thomson Hall, a panel of women leading the various aspects of the ambitious Massey Hall revitalization project discussed their respective roles in the Toronto landmark’s first major renovation since 1948.

In 2012, the 450-square-meter parcel of land directly behind Massey Hall became available when it was deemed unnecessary for the abutting condo project. Tricon Capital and MOD Developments graciously transferred this parcel to Massey Hall which sparked the idea of a revitalization project to be completed in honour of the Hall’s 125th anniversary in 2019. During the discussion, the panelists described Massey Hall, which has been closed since July 2018, as undergoing more than just a simple restoration project.

Eileen Costello, Partner at Aird & Berlis, introducing the panel and later acting as moderator. Costello is also the Chair of the Board of Governors for Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall. First to speak was Miranda Mulholland, an accomplished musician, owner of the Roaring Girl Records record label , and founder of the Muskoka Music Festival. Mulholland also sits on the Board of Governors of Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall and, as Costello said in her introduction, “[she] serves as an important member of the Board, to do a ‘gut-check’ and remind us that we might all have opinions but she’s actually played at Massey Hall.” Having grown up attending shows at Massey Hall, including her own great grandmother who was an opera singer, Mulholland has had the opportunity to “watch people that I revere and love so much perform in that hall up close.” She had the opportunity to perform there herself a few years ago with the band Great Lake Swimmers. “Up until that point I hadn’t understood why it as so magical. To step on that stage and under those lights and see the way the balconies kind of bow into the stage and feel the intimacy [with the audience],” she said. Mulholland reminded us that some of the key stakeholders in this project are not only the people and artists who have graced the stage but also the ones who are still to come.

Marianne McKenna, Partner at KPMB Architects and the project architect, spoke next. “[I]t’s about cherishing the hall, the experience of being there… and understanding the breadth of legendary performers that have played there,” she said, acknowledging the big responsibility she has as project architect. Through a series of images, she illustrated that Massey Hall never completely “worked.”  For instance, Massey Hall completely lacks a ‘back of house’ and area for performers to load their equipment.

The opportunity to add a new building to the south side, which Massey himself wanted to do but was unable to accomplish at the time, will actually transform the experience by adding more usable functions to Massey Hall. “It’s about finding a balance between operations, comfort, and code,” said McKenna. Summarizing the elements that will change, she said that a lot will stay the same. The elements that will change include the creation of a general admission area which will see the installation of 600-700 seats on moveable rails which, depending on the event and performer’s needs, can move creating a seatless area on the main floor. There will finally be a loading dock which will allow artists and their crews to unload in a dedicated area instead of going through the front doors on Shuter Street. In addition, two new performance areas of varying size will be created, allowing different types of performances and artists to use the space along with new gathering areas, office space, and rooms for educational programming.

Dr. Sharon Vattay followed McKenna to speak about the restoration component. A Principal at GBCA Heritage Architects and Planners, Dr. Vattay is an architectural historian whose expertise lies in research and assessment of heritage resources. Conserving the heritage value of Massey Hall isn’t just a challenge in this project, Dr. Vatay said. “It’s our duty. If we don’t save it now for future generations, they’re going to look back at us and say ‘what did they do?’” And it isn’t just about bricks and mortar. “Intangible aspects of the site contain value, such as the wrapping of the balcony seats around the stage,” she said. Dr. Vattay and her team at GBCA prepared a Heritage Impact Assessment and Conservation Management Plan, which were the guiding documents needed to get through the necessary approvals. Using original floor plans, documentation, and photographs, they undertook the exercise of going through each piece and asking “what do we need to conserve to conserve the value, instead of just the physical piece itself,” Dr. Vattay said. Elements of the Art Deco lobby will remain, the Massey Hall sign will be preserved, and the fire escapes will be removed, revealing the original stone name banner on the front facade of the building that has been hidden since 1911. Dr. Vattay’s team is also working with an acoustical engineering to ensure the plaster work on the ceiling will be conserved, restored, and will improve the acoustics of the auditorium.

Last to speak was Elise Guerra, a member of the team at Eve Guinan Design Stained Glass Studio (EGD Glass). Guerra and her team are helping to restore and bring to light the stained glass windows in Massey Hall that have been boarded up for over 70 years. Using before and after photos, Guerra stunned the audience with the amount of dust, pollution, and “grime of the city” that has accumulated on the windows. She details the intricate process of dismantling every window, cleaning and restoring all the individual pieces, and assembling it again like a huge puzzle. Below is one example of a before and after photo of the stained glass restoration work being done.

The evening concluded with an intimate performance by a Canadian singer-songwriter Hannah Georgas, who sang two songs — one original and one cover of The Cranberries’ ‘No Need to Argue’.