Sneaky Dee's saved from 16-storey condo redevelopment at Bathurst and College
The iconic dive bar and music venue is safe after developer withdrew proposal when it was discovered they didn't own all five properties needed for the project.
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Sneaky Dee's is staying put. The iconic Bathurst and College dive bar and music venue has been saved from a 16-storey condo redevelopment after the developer formally withdrew its proposal on Friday, July 3.
Coun. Dianne Saxe credits an "unexpected breakthrough" two weeks earlier when the Save Sneaky Dee's movement discovered the developer did not own all five properties included in the application. After requesting a title search, Saxe confirmed the developer owned only two of the five properties. When approached about the discrepancy, the developer claimed they had received "oral consent" from the Royal Bank to develop its property — an explanation Saxe found inconsistent with how a major financial institution typically handles real estate.
Saxe contacted senior representatives at the Royal Bank directly. Their answer was clear: they had not consented to any redevelopment. On Friday, Globe Realty Holdings Ltd., a Royal Bank subsidiary, submitted a letter stating "RBC has no agreement of purchase and sale or any agreement of any kind" and that they would object to any official plan redesignation or zoning amendments. The developer's withdrawal letter came shortly after.
"This victory belongs to everyone who signed petitions, attended meetings, shared their stories, asked hard questions, and refused to let one of Toronto's most beloved music venues disappear without a fight," Saxe said in a statement. The community effort proved that when people come together to protect the places that define the city, extraordinary things are possible.
