THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF BURLINGTON

 

BY-LAW NUMBER 98-2000

 

A By-law to designate property known as 4250 and 4252 Lakeshore Road (Shoreacres Estate), 447 Nelson Avenue, and 5615 Blind Line, in the City of Burlington, in the Regional Municipality of Halton, as properties having historical and architectural value and interest pursuant to the Ontario Heritage Act.

 

WHEREAS by Section 29(6)(a) of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, chapter O.18, as amended, the Council of a municipality shall pass a by-law designated property to be of historical and architectural value and interest where no Notice of Objection to the designation has been served on the City Clerk within thirty days after the date of first publication of the Notice of Intention to Designate in a newspaper having general circulation in the municipality;

 

AND WHEREAS Notice of Intention to Designate was published in a local newspaper and served on the owners of the properties and Community Heritage Ontario by registered mail;

 

AND WHEREAS the reasons for the said designations are set out in Schedule “A” attached hereto and forming part of this by-law;

 

AND WHEREAS no Notice of Objection was served on the City Clerk of the City of Burlington.

 

NOW THEREFORE THE COUNCIL OF THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF BURLINGTON HEREBY ENACTS AS FOLLOWS:

 

1.  THAT 4250 and 4252 Lakeshore Road (Shoreacres Estate), Firstly, Pin 07018-0052, being Lot 2, Plan 171 and; Secondly, Pin 07017-0002, being Lot unnumbered, Plan 171 and Lots 3, 4, & 5, Plan 171 designated as PART 1, 20R-10055; 447 Nelson Avenue, Pin 07083-0073, being Part Lot 8, S. of Ontario Street, Plan 65 being the SE 30 feet; 5615 Blind Line, Pin 07204-006, being Part Lots 4 and 5, Concession 3 NS designated as PART 1, 20R-5992 (one and a half storey frame building, only, as described on the reference plan); be designated as being of architectural and historical value and interest.

 

2.  THAT the City Clerk be directed to cause a Notice of this by-law to be published in a local newspaper having general circulation in the municipality.

 

3.  THAT the City Clerk be directed to cause a certified copy of this by-law to be served upon the owners of 4250 and 4252 Lakeshore Road (Shoreacres Estate), 447 Nelson Avenue, and 5615 Blind Line, in the City of Burlington, in the Regional Municipality of Halton, and Community Heritage Ontario.

 

4.  THAT this by-law shall take effect on the date of its registration in the Land Registry Office for the Land Registry Division of Halton (No. 20).

 

 

ENACTED AND PASSED THIS 10th day of July, 2000.

 

 

 

MAYOR: _____________________________________

 

 

CITY CLERK: _________________________________

 

 

SCHEDULE “A”

 

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION

 

 

4250 and 4252 Lakeshore Road (Shoreacres Estate)

 

Shore Acres is Burlington’s greatest Lakeshore Road estate.  The mansion was built in 1930 to a design by architect Stewart McPhie in association with W. L. Somerville, on the site of an earlier farmhouse, for Edythe MacKay, the daughter and heir of Cyrus Birge, who was a director of the Canadian Steel Company (now Stelco).

 

Built of local limestone, the mansion has formal design elements.  Classical influence is seen in the Tuscan columns on the east and south elevations and the scroll pediment above the west entrance.  Classical features combine with aspects of avant-garde 1930s design in the asymmetry of four elevations, each with a distinct character.

 

A central arched window embellishes the west elevation, while rectangular windows are spaced equally around the other elevations.  Dormer windows crown the roof.  The green shingled roof accentuates the painted shutters.  Although some maintenance has been deferred, the wood trim is all original.

 

Interior features such as the original screened panels in the lower hall, the dining room mural, the original lighting fixtures, the staircase, and the ceramic tiles, are all worthy of preservation.

 

A wood clapboard doll’s house reflects the style of the other original outbuildings and should be restored, perhaps in another location.  The groundskeeper’s house or gatehouse is built in a vernacular craftsman cottage style like others built elsewhere in Burlington by W. D. Flatt between 1910 and 1916, when he was part owner of this property.

 

The estate grounds, designed by landscape architect Arthur H. Sharpe, incorporate the native wetlands of Shoreacres Creek with formal garden rooms and a variety of open and enclosed spaces.  The re-designing of the estate should rise to the quality of his work.

 

447 Nelson Avenue (The Thomas Dunbar House)

 

Built circa 1894 by Charles Coleman with his brothers A. B. and James, who were then the Village of Burlington’s major builders, this frame structure has retained many of the architectural features characteristic of Coleman houses.  The two-level front verandah, open at ground level but now enclosed at the second level, has decorative carpentry work.  The front gable is embellished with the original fish-scale shingles, defined by a lower band with relief rosettes, and bargeboard gable trim of lace-edged cutout wood.  The house makes a strong contribution to the Victorian heritage streetscape of Nelson Avenue.

 

5615 Blind Line (The Emmerson Colling Centenniel Farmhouse)

 

Emerson Colling (1815-1903) was one of the seven children of Joseph and Jane Featherstone Colling, who emigrated from Weardale, County Durham, England, in 1822 and settled near Lowville, purchasing a 100-acre parcel of uncleared land.  In the 1840s Joseph brought more land, in what was to become known as “the Colling Block”, located between Blind Line and Guelph Line, and between Colling Road and Britannia Road.  The Colling family were very successful farmers, and many descendents continue to live in Burlington and the Lowville area.  They provided land for the construction of the Methodist Church and Manse, both now designated structures.  Other houses associated with them have outstanding heritage value: two have been designated, and two have received Heritage Awards.

 

After Joseph’s death in 1863, the Colling Block was divided: each of his four sons received 150 acres.  Emerson’s farm remained in the family for more than 150 years: in 1903 it passed to his son Jacob; in 1939 to Featherstone & Garnet Colling; in 1942 to Garnet alone.  In 1999 the 105-acre property was bought at auction by the present owner.

 

Emerson’s house is a composite structure: the original one-storey log house was built in 1932, probably on the original Colling property.  The 1851 Census records it on its present site, and records Emerson’s three brothers as living in one-and-half storey frame houses, at least one of which was identical to the frame structure now on this site.  It seems likely that this frame structure was relocated in 1890 from the John Colling property, near the Church at Guelph Line and Britannia Road.  It is the oldest of the Colling buildings.

 

The 1832 log structure has a typical three-bay centre-door plan.  An enclosed verandah at the rear, overlooking an outstanding view of the escarpment and ravine area, is an old addition.  The frame structure, originally clad with narrow wood clapboard siding, was built in vernacular Classic Revival style.  Both its front and rear elevations have three bays with central entrances.  The medium-pitched end-gabled roof and the cornice with plain boxed returns are characteristic of Classic Revival style.  The high front elevation accommodates high ceilings and large windows for the second floor, and reflects the tax assessment advantage of one-and-a-half-storey structures.  The outstanding design feature is the front entrances, with its carefully detailed wood surround, small-paned transom and sidelights, and Classic Revival pilasters and architrave.

 

Heritage Burlington LACAC’s designation report and the Reasons for Designation support the new owner’s intention to build a new house on this property and to maintain the historic structure for a use such as a separate guest house.

 

 

NOTE: On December 22, 1999, Cabinet approved Amendment No. 113/96 to the Niagara Escarpment Plan in order to permit the construction of a new dwelling provided the existing dwelling is designated and has a heritage easement filed on title.  Given the timing of the recent amendment, the City and Regional Official Plans have yet to be brought into conformity with this amendment.  Consequently, a condition of Niagara Escarpment Plan Permit to construct the new dwelling will require the existing dwelling to be made non-habitable upon the occupancy of the new dwelling until such time as the City and Regional Official Plan are brought into conformity.  The owner has agreed to designate the heritage building and provide a heritage easement the existing structure at 5615 Blind Line in favour of the City of Burlington.