Report to: Development Services Committee Date of Meeting: May 20^th 2008

SUBJECT: Intention to Designate under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act

Roger Hawkins House

7149 16^th Avenue

Mattamy Homes

PREPARED BY: Peter Wokral, Heritage Planner, ext. 7955

RECOMMENDATION:

That as recommended by Heritage Markham and required by the conditions of draft approval for the plan of subdivision in this area, the Roger Hawkins House – 7149 16^th Avenue be approved for designation under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act as a property of cultural heritage value or interest;

That the Clerk’s Department be authorized to publish and serve Council’s Notice of Intention to Designate as per the requirements of the Ontario Heritage Act;

That if there are no objections to the designation in accordance with the provisions of the Ontario Heritage Act, the Clerk be authorized to place a designation by-law before Council for adoption;

And That if there are any objections in accordance with the provisions of the Ontario Heritage Act, the Clerk be directed to refer the proposed designation to the Ontario Conservation Review Board.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Not applicable

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Not applicable

1. Purpose 2. Background 3. Discussion 4. Financial 5. Environmental

6. Accessibility 7. Engage ^21st 8. Affected Units 9. Attachment(s)

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to recommend to Council that the “Roger Hawkins House” be designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.

BACKGROUND:

The building is listed on the Town of Markham Register

The subject building is located at 7149 16^th Avenue. It is included in the Markham Register of Property of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest. The Register is the Town’s inventory of non-designated properties identified as having cultural heritage value or interest, Part IV properties (individual designations) and Part V properties (district designation). The house is also contained within the Secondary Plan for the Cornell Planning District.

The Hawkins House is a good example of a Vernacular Georgian Tradition dwelling of the 1870’s

The Hawkins house is a 1 1/2 storey structure of frame construction built for Albert Reesor c. 1875 to house a tenant farmer by the name of Roger Hawkins. The date of construction coincides with the tenancy of Roger Hawkins who farmed a 90 acre parcel of land for Mr. Reesor. Roger’s brother James was the husband of Christian Reesor’s oldest daughter, Fanny. This modest, simply detailed, dwelling is reflective of the type of homes constructed for tenant farmers who honed their skills and saved their money before eventually acquiring their own farms.

The Statement of Significance- Reasons for Designation is attached as Appendix ‘A’.

The building has been evaluated using the Town’s heritage evaluation system

The building was evaluated by Heritage Markham and staff using the Town’s Heritage Building Evaluation System. The Hawkins House was evaluated as a Group 3 Heritage Building. Group 3 are considered to be noteworthy and worthy of documentation. However, Heritage Section Staff and Heritage Markham recommended that the house be designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act as it helps represents the significant trend of tenant farming and 19^th century agricultural culture as a whole.

The building has been assessed using the Ministry of Culture’s Designation Criteria

The Government of Ontario on January 25, 2006 passed a regulation (O.Reg. 9/16) which prescribes criteria for determining a property’s cultural heritage value or interest for the purpose of designation. Municipal councils are permitted to designate a property to be of cultural heritage value or interest if the property meets the prescribed criteria.

The purpose of the regulation is to provide an objective base for the determination and evaluation of resources of cultural heritage value. The prescribed criteria help ensure the effective, comprehensive and consistent determination of value or interest by all Ontario municipalities. The criteria are essentially a test against which properties can be judged; the stronger the characteristics of the property compared to the standard, the greater the property’s cultural heritage value. The property may be designated if it meets one or more of the criteria.

The subject property has cultural heritage value or interest as it meets the following criteria:

• The property has historical value or associative value because it:
• Has direct associations with a theme, event, belief, person, activity, organization or institution that is significant to a community;
• Yields, or has the potential to yield, information that contributes to an understanding of a community or culture, or
• The property has contextual value because it:
• Is important in defining, maintaining or supporting the character of an area,

Heritage Markham has recommended designation

The designation process under the Ontario Heritage Act requires a municipal council to consult with its municipal heritage committee when properties are considered for designation. The historical research and heritage attributes related to this heritage resource were reviewed by Heritage Markham on August 11^th 2004 and the Committee has recommended that the resource be designated as a property of cultural heritage value or interest.

The building is located within a future development area

The building is in private ownership within a future development area of the Cornell community. The Hawkins House will continue to function as a dwelling surrounded by new single detached dwellings. The Hawkins House was listed as a property having cultural heritage value or interest in the Secondary Plan for the Cornell Planning District (see Appendix ‘B’)

OPTIONS/ DISCUSSION:

The preservation of the heritage resource is consistent with Town policies

The Town of Markham Official Plan and the Cornell Planning District Secondary Plan, contain Cultural Heritage policies related to the protection and preservation of heritage resources and how they are to be treated within the development process of an area. These policies support the preservation of heritage resources on their original site or on another location on the original property, and the integration into new development proposals. The designation of this resource will ensure that its heritage attributes are addressed and protected.

Provincial planning policies support designation

The Ontario Government’s current Provincial Policy Statement which was issued under Section 3 of the Planning Act and came into effect March 2005 includes cultural heritage policies. These policies indicate that significant built heritage resources and significant cultural heritage landscapes shall be conserved. Designation provides a mechanism to achieve the necessary protection. The policies further indicate that development and site alteration may be permitted on adjacent lands to protected heritage property where the proposed development has been evaluated and it has been demonstrated that the heritage attributes of the resource will be conserved.

Designation will help facilitate the integration of the resource into the planning process

Heritage designation was a requirement of the conditions of draft approval for the plan of subdivision for this area. Designation will enhance the resource’s status during changes in ownership and offer protection from potential alterations that may affect the heritage attributes and value.

The applicant is in agreement with the recommendation to designate

Mattamy Homes is aware of and in support of the recommendation to designate the Hawkins House under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.

Habitat for Humanity is interested in undertaking the restoration of the Hawkins House

The York Region branch of Habitat for Humanity has been involved in negotiations with Mattamy Homes to undertake the restoration of the Hawkins House. Habitat for Humanity is working separately from Mattamy to submit their own scaled back Site Plan application for the house, to better suit families with more modest incomes. The representatives from Habitat for Humanity are aware that the guiding principal concerning the Hawkins house is one of restoration, and that the house is to be designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.

Designation acknowledges the importance of the heritage resource

Designation signifies to both the owner and the broader community that the property contains a significant resource that is important to the community. Designation doesn’t restrict the use of the property. However, it does require the owner to seek approval for property alterations that are likely to affect the heritage attributes described in the designation by-law. Council can also prevent, rather than just delay, the demolition of a resource on a designated heritage property.

The designation of this cultural heritage resource is supported by staff.

FINANCIAL TEMPLATE (Separate Attachment):

Not applicable

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS:

The preservation of heritage buildings is environmentally sustainable because it conserves embodied energy, prevents sound construction materials from entering landfill sites, and reduces the need to produce and transport new construction materials.

ACCESSIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS:

Not applicable

ENGAGE 21^ST CONSIDERATIONS:

Heritage designation helps achieve a quality community by recognizing, promoting and protecting heritage resources, which strengthen the sense of community.

BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:

Acceptance of this recommendation to designate the property located at 7149 16^th Avenue under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act will require the Clerk’s Department to initiate the following actions:

• publish and serve on the property owner, the Ontario Heritage Trust and the public through newspaper advertisement, Council’s notice of intention to designate the property as per the requirements of the Act: and

• prepare the designation by-law for the property

RECOMMENDED

BY:

Valerie Shuttleworth, M.C.I.P., R.P.P. Director of Planning & Urban Design

Jim Baird, M.C.I.P., R.P.P. Commissioner of Development Services

ATTACHMENTS:

Figure 1 – Owner/Agent and Location Map

Figure 2 - Aerial Map

Figure 3 - Building Photographs

Appendix ‘A’ – Statement of Significance/ Reasons for Designation

Appendix ‘B’ _ Cultural Heritage Resources within the Cornell Planning District Secondary Plan

Q:\Development\Heritage\PROPERTY\SIXTNTH\7149\Designation Report May 20th 2008.doc

FIGURE 1

OWNER: Wykland Esates Inc.

Chris Strzemieczny

2360 Bristol Circle

Oakville, ON

L6H 6M5

(905) 829-7610 fax

LOCATION MAP: