She’s a three-time Olympic gold medalist in the ice dance. He’s a considerably less decorated but still successful defenceman for the Toronto Maple Leafs. But in recent weeks, they’ve embarked on what could be their greatest challenge yet: trying to secure permission to paint the exterior of their heritage home.
Tessa Virtue and Morgan Rielly have retained Amir Remtulla — former chief of staff to Rob Ford — to lobby about their property on Roxborough Drive in Rosedale.
The property previously appeared in this newsletter when it was the subject of a report to the Toronto Preservation Board, though I did not know the owners were celebrities at the time. The circa 1912 six-bedroom, three-bath house, purchased for $6.4 million in September 2022, falls under the North Rosedale Heritage Conservation District, so changes to the house’s exterior require permission. (ONLand records confirm Rielly as the owner of the home.)
That’s a problem because Virtue and Rielly wish to “use a limewash white paint on the masonry along both sides of the two-storey house to ‘address the unsightly discoloration,’ ‘variations in colour, texture, and conditions resulting from mismatched bricks, repairs, and patches’ and to ‘elevate the House’s curb appeal…” according to the report.
Adding to the problem is that the whitewashing was started without first securing permission, and a Heritage Planning staff member happened to notice it while conducting a site visit. The work was halted, leaving an avant-garde two-toned side wall.
Virtue and Rielly were advised to seek permission before continuing, but that permission was denied by the Toronto Preservation Board on May 7, despite an appearance by Virtue to give a deputation. I’d guess she’s the first Olympic gold medalist to ever appear before the Preservation Board but I haven’t checked all the meeting minutes.
The Toronto & East York Community Council will next consider the matter on June 11. Heritage staff continue to recommend refusal, arguing that the house is good as-is—or at least as it was before half the wall was painted white:
One of its most important attributes is its red brick masonry and its historical character and appearance is that of a building with unpainted masonry. Painting this masonry would neither maintain or enhance its architectural style or character. Nor would this comply with good conservation practice.
So far, Remtulla — one of the most prolific lobbyists at City Hall — has logged phone calls and emails to Councillor Dianne Saxe’s office, requesting meetings.
After community council weighs in — assuming it’s not deferred — the issue will go before Council at the meeting that starts on June 26 . If the decision doesn’t go their way, Virtue and Rielly can take the matter to the Ontario Land Tribunal. If they do, the staff recommendation is to send City lawyers to oppose.
by Alive-Oil-8131
25 Comments
We should have a GDT on the 11th
First world problem.
This is the off-season drama I am here for. Looking forward to the follow up post.
Anyone got pictures of their house?
Where is the source? Shouldn’t be able to copy and paste a whole article without providing a link…
These MFers have a 112 year old red brick house, and they want to paint the brick?
Yea heritage people *really* don’t like it when you paint over original brick.
Why buy an old red brick house only to paint it white?
They should be arrested for painting that brick
Hope they loose and pay a fine for wasting everyones time
Who gives a flying fuck, they own the house? Let them do what they want if they make the payments and pay their taxes. It’s a bunch of people who don’t own your property telling you what you should be able to do with it. It’s not like they’re demoing it.
I’m not saying they should do it, obviously it’s a beautiful house, and I wouldn’t. But if I owned it and that’s what I wanted I’d just pay someone to complete it. They can afford the repercussions lol
who fucking cares
Ahhh typical Rich people thinking they can do whatever they want without consequences.
The only reason they would be worried about “curb appeal” is if they were about to sell their house.
Like maybe Reilly is the one getting traded this summer…..dun dun dun.. =P
*Rielly and Virtue LAWYER UP in home dispute! Will resolution be reached before the BABY arrives? Heritage department says “HELL NO!” Plus their colour schemes EXPOSED by designers!*
Their colour preference aside, I’m sure that old brick would look great if it was pressure washed professionally.
Yikes, Mo is down bad on that house.
Bought for $6.4M in 2022 and estimated at just $3.6M today…
Some of the heritage homes in London are a disaster. You can’t make any changes without jumping through these same hurdles, so no one wants to buy them, and the city doesn’t want pay to maintain them either, so they just sit and decay. It’s wild
Welcome to owning a heritage home. (But seriously, leave the home as is.)
What I got from the real estate article was that the house has no garage. How could Morgan Reilly have no garage, and I do have one? He just parks his cars outside? Tessa Virtue gets rained on when she is going out to her car?
Oh well. Just being (minor) celebrities doesn’t mean you can just do what you want with these heritage properties.
FYI limewash paint is considered breathable for anyone worried about the bricks being damaged by moisture. That being said still ugly as fuck, don’t buy a brick house if you don’t like the look of bricks 🤷
“Considerably less decorated but still successful defenceman for the Toronto Maple Leafs” is actually hilarious.
What kind of dunce buys a heritage home with original brick with the goal of painting over it? Lol what a massive waste of money, just go buy yourself a new build if that’s what you want.
So – final call will be provincial, with Rob Ford’s former chief of staff lobbying. I wonder if he knows of anyone who could somehow help him?
Painting a classic brick house white is a disgrace. Horrible decision, they should’ve thought about this before buying a heritage home.
Tbh, they knew it was heritage when they bought it. I say you’re shit out of luck. Move if you don’t like it