HERITAGE IMPACT STATEMENT 2007 CROOKS/ALEXANDER FARM 5463 DUNDAS STREET WEST CITY OF BURLINGTON, ONTARIO March 2012 Prepared for: Evergreen Community (Burlington) Limited Prepared by: WAYNE MORGAN HERITAGE PLANNER HERITAGE IMPACT STATEMENT CROOKS/ALEXANDER FARM 5463 DUNDAS STREET WEST CITY OF BURLINGTON, ONTARIO March 2012 Prepared for: EVERGREEN COMMUNITY (BURLINGTON) LIMITED Prepared by: Wayne Morgan Heritage Planner 21 Land’s End Sutton West, Ontario, L0E 1R0 Tel: 905-722-5398 e-mail: [email protected] Heritage Impact Statement Page i Crooks/Alexander Farm, 5463 Dundas Street West City of Burlington, Ontario EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Policy 8.4.1 b of the Burlington Official Plan (OP) requires the preparation of a Heritage Impact Statement (HIS) when there is a potential for adverse impacts on identified cultural heritage resources from proposed development. The property at 5463 Dundas Street West is listed in the City of Burlington‟s heritage inventory as a potential heritage resource. A HIS was issued in January 2008 for the development site, which included properties in Lots 1 and 2 Concession 1 North Dundas Street (NDS). The January 2008 statement excluded consideration of the Crooks/Alexander Farm House and associated landscape because the consultant was advised that the City had agreed to its demolition (Appendix O). Notwithstanding that prior consent, the City has required a HIS for the Crooks/ Alexander Farm House. In accordance with the OP policy and policies 2.6.1 and 2.6.3 of the Provincial Policy Statement issued under the Planning Act, the owner of lands at 5463 Dundas Street West commissioned this HIS to identify, evaluate and assess the heritage values within and near the subject property in light of the proposed development and to recommend mitigation measures to address any adverse heritage impacts. The subject property contains the built heritage resource known as the Crooks/Alexander Farm House. This 1 ½ storey frame residence is clad in modern siding and rests on a random coursed, rubble stone and concrete block foundation with a gable roof and a one storey rear wing. The house is a mid 19th century vernacular interpretation of the Gothic Revival architectural style. The House was constructed circa 1855 for George Crooks, the son of a prominent and early Ontario family. The Census of Canada suggests that between 1891 and 1901, the exterior cladding of the building was changed from wood to rough cast. The exterior of the house has flat arched openings with pedimented casings and 6 x 6 sashes. The house, which has undergone numerous exterior and interior alterations, exhibits a moderately low level of heritage integrity. The farm, originally owned and rented by George‟s father to others, was occupied by George Crooks for 13 years beginning in 1855 and then by John Alexander and his descendants until 1948. The farm land is intensively cultivated. The house has been unoccupied for a few years. There are no farm outbuildings, such as barns or sheds, remaining. The owner intends to develop the property for residential and associated uses. The site of Crooks/Alexander Farm House is proposed to be used for open space purposes. The subject lands were evaluated for cultural heritage value using criteria established under the Ontario Heritage Act after documenting the historical development of the lands. Heritage resource management options were considered. Based on this evaluation, it is my opinion that the Crooks/ Alexander Farm House at 5463 Dundas Street West does not have sufficient cultural heritage value or interest to warrant retention and conservation under the Act. I have recommended that: - this statement serve as sufficient documentation of the heritage values of the property; and - the demolition of the Crooks/Alexander Farm House be permitted as a condition of development approval subject to securing a commitment to commemorate the heritage values of the property. The adjacent/nearby heritage resources will not be adversely impacted by the proposed development of the subject site. Wayne Morgan March 2012 Heritage Planner Heritage Impact Statement Page ii Crooks/Alexander Farm, 5463 Dundas Street West City of Burlington, Ontario PROJECT PERSONNEL Wayne Morgan Heritage Planner Wayne Morgan March 2012 Heritage Planner Heritage Impact Statement Page iii Crooks/Alexander Farm, 5463 Dundas Street West City of Burlington, Ontario TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1 2.0 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPERTY AND ITS CONTEXT 2 2.1 Location 2 2.2 Ownership and Legal Description 3 2.3 Area Character and Physiography 3 2.4 Context – General Character 5 2.5 Context – Adjacent and Nearby Heritage Properties 6 3.0 HERITAGE POLICIES 8 3.1 The Planning Act and Provincial Policy Statement (2005) 8 3.2 Ontario Heritage Act (OHA) 9 3.3 Places to Grow – Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe 10 3.4 Halton Region Official Plan 10 3.5 Burlington Official Plan and Zoning By-law 11 3.6 Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada 15 3.7 Municipal Heritage Status of the Subject and Adjacent/Nearby Heritage Properties 16 4.0 HISTORICAL SUMMARY 17 4.1 The Nineteenth Century 18 4.2 The Twentieth Century 24 5.0 HERITAGE EVALUATION 27 5.1 The Built and Landscape Resources of the Property 27 5.1.1 Crooks/Alexander Farm House 27 5.1.2 Crooks/Alexander Farm Landscape 32 5.2 Evaluation of the Heritage Resources of the Property 33 5.2.1 Crooks/Alexander Farm House – Cultural Heritage Value 34 5.2.2 Crooks/Alexander Farm Landscape – Cultural Heritage Value 35 5.3 Summary of Cultural Heritage Values 35 5.4 Adjacent/Nearby Heritage Properties 36 6.0 THE DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL AND ITS IMPACT ON THE HERITAGE RESOURCE 37 6.1 Description of the Development Proposal 37 6.2 Impact of the Proposed Development on the Heritage Resource 37 6.3 Options for Managing the Heritage Resource 38 Wayne Morgan March 2012 Heritage Planner Heritage Impact Statement Page iv Crooks/Alexander Farm, 5463 Dundas Street West City of Burlington, Ontario TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) Page 6.4 Recommendations for Mitigating the Impact of the Development On the Heritage Resource 39 6.5 Impact of the Proposed Development on Adjacent/Nearby Heritage Properties 40 7.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 42 7.1 Conclusions 42 7.2 Recommendations 43 SOURCES CONSULTED 44 APPENDICIES A Property Survey B Photographs – Context C Maps D Aerial Photographs E Crooks/Alexander Farm House Exterior Photographs F Crooks/Alexander Farm House Floor Plan Sketches G Crooks/Alexander Farm House Interior Photographs H Crooks/Alexander Farm Property Landscape Photographs I Property Ownership History J Ontario Heritage Act, Regulation 9/06 K Adjacent/Nearby Heritage Properties L Development Proposal M City of Burlington and Region of Halton Planning Document Maps N City of Burlington Heritage Property Data Base – 5463 Dundas St. W. O 2007 Heritage Review Clearance For Demolitions at 5463 Dundas Street West P Curriculum Vitae – Wayne Morgan Wayne Morgan March 2012 Heritage Planner Heritage Impact Statement Page v Crooks/Alexander Farm, 5463 Dundas Street West City of Burlington, Ontario LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1 General Location Map [Source: MapArt Publishing, 2005]. 2 Figure 2.2 Subject Site and its Context [Google Earth, 2011, image 2009]. 2 Figure 2.3 The Area in 1963 [Source: National Air Photo Library, Roll A19345, Photo 26]. 4 Figure 4.1 Upper Canada Treaty No. 1 17 Figure 4.2 Alexander Tombstone 25 Figure 5.1 Crooks/Alexander Farm House, South and East Elevations. 27 Figure 5.2 5210 or 5226 Dundas Street, 1924 [Source: Halton Images] 29 Figure 5.3 Crooks/Alexander Farm House, Front Entrance. 31 Figure 5.4 2007 Landscape around the Crooks/Alexander Farm House viewed from Dundas Street and the farm lane 33 Figure 6.1 Crooks/Alexander Farm House and the Proposed Development 37 Figure 6.2 Algonquin Provincial Park Cache Lake Heritage Zone Highland Inn Plaque. 40 LIST OF TABLES Table 4.1 1851 Census of Canada (nominal), Township of Nelson. 21 Table 4.2 1861 Census of Canada (nominal), Township of Nelson. 22 Table 4.3 1871 Census of Canada (nominal), Township of Nelson. 22 Table 4.4 1881 Census of Canada (nominal), Township of Nelson. 23 Table 4.5 1891 Census of Canada (nominal), Township of Nelson. 24 Table 4.6 1901 Census of Canada (Schedules 1 & 2), Township of Nelson. 24 Table 4.7 1911 Census of Canada (Schedule 1), Township of Nelson. 25 Wayne Morgan March 2012 Heritage Planner Heritage Impact Statement Page 1 Crooks/Alexander Farm, 5463 Dundas Street West City of Burlington, Ontario 1.0 INTRODUCTION The Burlington Official Plan, policy 8.4.1 b), requires a Heritage Impact Statement (HIS) to be conducted when there is potential for a development proposal to adversely impact protected or potential heritage resources. In January 20081 I prepared a HIS for the west portion (5421 Dundas Street West) of the Evergreen Community development proposal. In that statement I recommended that the Crooks/Norton Farm House be conserved and the heritage values of the property be commemorated. I did not examine the property at 5463 Dundas Street West as I had been provided with a heritage clearance letter for the demolition of all buildings on the property at 5463 Dundas Street West (Appendix O). All buildings, except for the Crooks/Alexander House, on the property at 5463 Dundas Street West were demolished. The City has now required that the owner submit a HIS for 5463 Dundas Street West as the property is listed in the City‟s Register of Heritage Properties. Wayne Morgan, Heritage Planner, was retained by the owner to prepare this HIS in accordance with the Burlington Official Plan and to recommend any mitigation actions with respect to the heritage resources and values of the property and adjacent/nearby heritage resources.