Condo Living

November 26, 2024 Published by Toronto and Area Chapter - By James Russell

Condo Profile: MTCC 1272

From the Fall 2024 issue of CCI Toronto Condovoice Magazine.

The Thoroughbred of Condominium Communities

In days of ole the very air of Queen Street East trembled from the thunder of hooves as a half dozen magnificent equines, their muscles taut, hair glistening with sweat, hurtled like crazed demons toward the finish line to the cheers of elegantly dressed women in exquisite bonnets and men in stately, single button coats and regal top hats.

In 1993, Woodbine race track, having been renamed Greenwood Raceway in 1963, was then relocated in 1994 to 780 acre plot north of Pearson Airport and re-Christened Woodbine Racetrack. When the track and stadium were demolished, it opened up a huge swath of land, which MTCC 1272, built in 1999, claimed a portion on the northern border. Today, residents with suites on the south side of MTCC 1272 still face what was Woodbine Race Track’s finish line, now a vast panorama of townhouses.

BUILDING
MTCC 1272, or ‘The Beach Condominiums’ as her residents refer to their three storey community, turns twenty-fife years young this year, having opened in 1999. “Residents are a mix of all ages, from retirees to young folk, whether singles or couples starting out their lives together,” says Ginette Purser, the Board’s President who adds “everybody is a ‘resident’, we don’t care if they buy or rent - everyone is welcome.” That spirit of welcome and community was more than evident during the pandemic, when young people in the building reached out to the more senior and physically challenged resident’s in the building, offering to shop, deliver meals or run errands, recounts Ginette.

MTCC 1272 houses forty-eight, boutique, one, two and three bedroom suites. The building was Phase 2 of a development comprising five, Queen Street facing condominium buildings, each a separate corporation. In total the five buildings contain 317 units and span several blocks, incorporating appropriately named streets such as Northern Dancer (a famous thoroughbred), Winners Circle, Joseph Duggan Rd. (one of the property’s more recent owners), and Sarah Ashbridge whose family fled to Canada to escape persecution in America, were granted a series of plots comprising six-hundred acres stretching from Lake Ontario to Danforth Ave and including the land where MTCC 1272 sits.

Suites on the north side of MTCC 1272, with its three faux-Tuscan style columns and beach-sand coloured north façade are graced with balconies that face lively Queen Street, while suites on the south side have expansive terraces that some residents like Ginette, have turned into lush, urban gardens. The building’s amenities include a well-equipped gym and a large multi-purpose room, both open to residents 24/7. The multi-purpose room is often used by the building’s students as a study area. Stunningly beautiful photos of the Beach community, taken by Beach resident Erwin Buck, adorn walls throughout the common areas including their recently renovated lobby, which serves not only as an impressive entrance to the building but “the lobby is a meeting place,” says the Board’s Treasurer Hayley Annhernu. One of the lobby’s denizens is Tony who regularly holds court in the lobby with an ample supply of dog treats for his canine friends, all of whom he greets by name.

RESIDENTS
The residents of MTCC 1272 enjoy a wide variety of social events including Music Evenings, their annual BBQ, movie nights and the weekly ‘Klatsch’, a word derived from ‘Kaffeeklat’, once a German word for ‘gossip’ but currently used to describe a casual gathering of people for informal conversation and, of course, a hot cup of brew. The popular Klatsch takes place every Monday afternoon. Admission is seventy-five cents.

The resident’s own publication, The Community News Bulletin, published by the Community Events Planning Group, includes greetings from new owners in the building, news about local businesses gardening tips, and tips for residents - such as how not to accidentally lock oneself out of one’s suite. The Bulletin is distributed to all five Beach Condominiums’ buildings.

BOARD
MTCC 1272’s Board is made up of Ginette Purser, President; Hayley Annhernu, Treasurer and member of the building’s Gardening Task Force, and George Marian, who in addition to serving as the Board’s Vice President, is a professional singer, or “a Gentleman Crooner,” as he describes himself.

Ginette, elected as President in 2021, has been in the building 11 years, having purchased in 2013 with her husband Paul who grew up in the Beach, while Ginette had been living nearby before moving into MTCC 1272. George Marian has been in the building seven years, while Hayley, a relative newcomer, moved into the building three years ago, in part because she had friends in the building.

The Beach holds a special significance for George, “I met my wife in the Beach.” George, who moved to the Beach from Winnipeg, and his wife have lived in the building seven years and he was elected to the Board in 2018.

Ginette, George and Hayley prefer one-on-one communication with residents, in addition to feedback they receive in the lobby’s suggestion box and at their AGM, a hybrid mix of online and in person attendance.

MANAGEMENT
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with the board for the past three and a half years,” says Michael Rotondo, MTCC 1272’s off-site Property Manager, who then adds, “It’s my favourite building.”

Junior Property Manager Mike Marchese, filling at times for Michael, shares Michael’s high regard for MTCC 1272, “this building is amazing, it basically runs itself.” Not surprisingly, The Board and residents are just as enthusiastic about their property manager, “Michael is fabulous,” says Ginette, “he’s on top of things.”

A major contributor to MTCC 1272’s ability to create and sustain a championship community is Maria Claudia who visits MTCC1272 once a week. “I believe Maria’s title is cleaner but I call her our Cleaner Extraordinaire), “She takes such pride in her work,” adds Ginette. Maria, not only keeps the building spotless but does double duty watering the building’s garden and greenery.

PROJECTS
When it comes to infrastructure improvements, “We have gone beyond requirements,” says Hayley who uses the example of automatic door openers, which the Board installed long before Section 3.8.3.3. of the Ontario Building Code mandated the openers. Recent improvements to the building’s facilities also include a refurbished multi-purpose room, elevator upgrades and replacing their lobby furniture to meet the requirements of CAN/ULC-S109.

The addition ambiance of a wicker conversation set and cedar planters to the the multi-purpose room’s spacious balcony added additional As with any building, contractors come and go, often on a one off basis so it warmed Ginette’s heart when one of their repeat contractors once told Ginette that her’s was “the friendliest building” of all his clients.

Hayley revealed that although the Board is not aware of any residents currently parking EV vehicles in the garage, a survey taken after their last AGM found that about 50% of the owners were in favour of the Board installing an EV charging station. Subsequently, “we have interviewed (EV charging) companies,” says Hayley.

GREENING
The Board and residents are especially proud of their perennial garden, located in MTCC1272’s south-side, concrete planters. In addition, there are three cedar planters on multi-purpose room’s terrace. The planters, overseen by the Gardening Task Force and maintained by residents, contain a wealth of native plants, chosen to attract pollinators while the ground level planters contain a healthy collection of tomato, pepper, lettuce, oregano, rosemary, sage, and colandro, as well as day lilies, coneflowers, and geraniums.

Residents are encouraged to share ideas, participate is small projects (e.g. planting flowers, assembly of accessories, etc). residents deposit their organics, garbage, and recyclables in, what George refers to as “different buckets (bins)” in the ground floor recycling room.

About six years ago, the Board replaced their lighting in the common elements and underground garage with LEDs. The Board is also looking at installing solar panels, says Hayley, “and possibly a green roof,” adds Ginette.

CONCLUSION
A 25th Anniversary Planning Committee is being established to organize a celebration. The Committee also plans to reach out to former owners. And although the echoing clop, clop, clop of horse’s hooves can still be heard on occasion , it is only the passing patrol of the Metro Police mounted unit.

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James Russell, Newsletters et Cetera