Toronto city council has approved a 13-floor mixed-use tower , that will house a Buddhist temple at the top. The project is led by a local Tibetan Buddhist congregation, and will be located in city’s Parkdale neighborhood, in an area known as Little Tibet. The existing Karma Sonam Dargye Ling temple will be replaced by the new structure, along with several other buildings.

The new mixed-use structure will be named Kagyu Monastery, and the congregation aims for it to become a cultural and communal anchor for the area, which is home to one of the largest Tibetan communities in North America. The project lead is Lama Tenzin Dakpa, who also serves as head of the congregation’s current temple. Construction is scheduled to be completed in three years.

Ppeaking on the effect that the building will have on the enclave, Lama Tenzin stated, “I can see very clearly that if we complete this project, it will benefit so many people.” (TorontoToday)

The finished structure will house 80 residential units; including 19 rental replacements. There will also be retail space, private daycare, and 300 square meters of amenity space. The upper floors, 9–13, will house the Buddhist temple, which will be open to the public. There will also be 15 visitor units for temple guests on the third floor.

Lama Tenzin noted that the project had been in the works for several years. The congregation began acquiring land in 2015. The first property was 10 Maynard Avenue, which was purchased for C$2.9 million (US$2.09 million). Soon afterward, 12 Maynard Avenue was purchased in 2015 for C$1.7 million (US$1.2 million), and 1464 King Street West was the final purchase in 2023 for C$1.2 million (US$860,000). Once all of the properties were acquired, the seed for the 13-floor tower was planted.

Lama Tenzin described the change in plans, saying, “We changed our plan because we spent so much money already on those properties. We thought maybe we should try to do something that benefits more people and also brings more income that maintains the temple and property.” (TorontoToday)

The structure is slated to cost between C$45 million (US$32.4 million) and C$50 million (US$36 million). The 19-unit low-rise that now sits on the site along with a mature tree are slated for demolition. However, some city reports have stated that the removal of the tree is a point of contention for some residents.

The chair of the Parkdale Residents Association, Rick Amis, described community reactions, stating: “Some residents welcome the investment in an established community institution, while others have raised questions about the scale of the proposal, its relationship to the surrounding neighborhood, and the potential loss of a mature tree.” (TorontoToday)

Parkdale is experiencing rapid development. More than 4,800 residential units have been proposed or approved recently across 23 applications. Many in the community are supportive of the Tibetan community, but they want to ensure that new growth is done in a thoughtful way.

Amis described the situation: “That cultural richness has helped shape the neighborhood for decades.” He went on to describe the challenge for new building projects as “ensuring that growth enhances the neighborhood rather than diminishing the qualities that make Parkdale unique.” (TorontoToday)

Lama Tenzin said he had spoken with several community members who support the project, although he acknowledged some opposition, stating, “There are obviously a couple of people who talk against it.” (TorontoToday)

However, he responded to the concerns by pointing out that the building would provide needed support for elderly Tibetans who relied on the temple for services. He also pointed out that affordable housing would be part of the project, “Rental housing is the biggest part of our project.” (TorontoToday)

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13-storey tower topped with a Buddhist temple approved in Parkdale (TorontoToday)

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