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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPLN 29-24Report to Planning & Development Committee Report Number: PLN 29-24 Date: November 4, 2024 From: Kyle Bentley Director, City Development & CBO Subject: 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) Notice of Intention to Designate a Property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act - File: A-3300-089 Recommendation: 1. That Council endorse the recommendations of the Heritage Pickering Advisory Committee, dated February 28, 2024, to designate 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) under Section 29, Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act; 2. That Council direct staff to serve a Notice of Intention to Designate the property located at 5113 Brock Road (Claremont), known as the G.M. Forsyth House, as a property of cultural heritage value or interest, pursuant to Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, included as Attachments 4 and 5 to Report PLN 29-24; 3. That, should no Notice of Objection be received by the City Clerk within 30 days of the publication of the Notice of Intention to Designate, the Designation By-law for 5113 Brock Road (Claremont), included as Attachment 6 to Report PLN 29-24, be forwarded to Council for enactment, and that staff be directed to carry out the notice requirements as prescribed under Section 29(8) of the Ontario Heritage Act; and 4. That the appropriate officials of the City of Pickering be authorized to take such actions as necessary to give effect to this report. Executive Summary: The purpose of this report is to obtain Council’s approval to designate 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) under Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act (see Location Map, Attachment 1). At the meeting held on February 28, 2024, the Heritage Pickering Advisory Committee (HPAC) passed a motion recommending that City Council designate 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act and to serve the property owner with a Notice of Intention to Designate. Through the application of Ontario Regulation 9/06, Criteria for Determining Cultural Heritage Value or Interest, the property was determined to have design value as a representative example of a historic Ontario farmstead, including a representative early-20th-century American Foursquare farmhouse. The property was found to have associative value for its connection with G.M. Forsyth, a prominent municipal leader and farmer. The property was also found to define and maintain the rural character of Brock Road in Claremont. PLN 29-24 November 4, 2024 Subject: 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) – Notice of Intention to Designate a Property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act Page 2 Relationship to the Pickering Strategic Plan: The recommendations in this report respond to the Pickering Strategic Plan Priorities of Champion Economic Leadership and Innovation; Advocate for an Inclusive, Welcoming, Safe & Healthy Community; and Strengthen Existing & Build New Partnerships. Financial Implications: No direct financial implications for the City are associated with the recommended action to designate. Discussion: The purpose of this report is to obtain Council’s approval to designate 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) under Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. The original property was located on the east side of Brock Road, north of William Street/Lane Street, at the northeast edge of Claremont (see Location Map, Attachment 1). The property covered approximately 36.6 hectares, and historically included the G.M. Forsyth House, a barn, silos and surrounding agricultural fields. The G.M. Forsyth House is a two-storey American Foursquare Farmhouse, setback about 37 metres from Brock Road, with its façade facing the road. The property is accessed via a semi-circular driveway (see Photograph 1 on page 5 of this report). The property is not currently recognized for its heritage value, as it is neither listed nor designated on the City of Pickering’s Municipal Heritage Register. 1. Background In August 2022, the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) approved a Zoning By-Law Amendment and Draft Plan of Subdivision, submitted by Geranium Homes, for the development of 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) into a residential subdivision consisting of 71 lots for detached dwellings (see Location Map, Attachment 1). The Draft Plan of Subdivision is subject to the conditions of draft approval outlined in the OLT Decision. The OLT approved the Zoning By-law Amendment to rezone the property to Oak Ridges Moraine – Hamlet Residential Six (ORM-R6) to facilitate a residential subdivision. The proposed development includes retaining the existing farmhouse in situ on a newly created lot, identified as Lot 71 in the plan of subdivision (see Draft Plan of Subdivision, Attachment 2). The development will also include new public roads, a public park, open space buffers, and two stormwater management facilities. Franklin Street will be extended north to Lane Street through the property, and a new street (Samarillo Place) is planned north of the farmhouse to provide vehicular and pedestrian access to the subdivision from Brock Road. The centrally located public park will feature a sports court, playground, soccer field, and a network of paths, accessible from Franklin Street and Lane Street via Samarillo Place. PLN 29-24 November 4, 2024 Subject: 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) – Notice of Intention to Designate a Property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act Page 3 To make way for the development, the existing barn and silos have been demolished, with select building materials salvaged for use on or off-site. The farmhouse on Lot 71 will be surrounded by generous front, rear and side yards, with a proposed lot size of 0.51 of a hectare. Minimal re-grading along the north lot line, and the installation of a replacement septic bed to the south are planned. The existing 37 metre setback from Brock Road, along with the semi-circular driveway, mature trees, and retaining wall, will remain unchanged. A new driveway entrance from Samarillo Place will connect to the existing driveway north of the farmhouse, replacing the current north entrance from Brock Road. However, the existing south entrance from Brock Road will be retained. A new detached garage is proposed for the northeast corner of the lot. As per the sale agreement, Lot 71 will remain under the ownership of the property’s previous landowner. Although the property has no formal heritage designation, the OLT Decision outlined four cultural heritage requirements. Condition 18 required that a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) must be provided as a condition of Draft Plan Approval. To satisfy this condition, an HIA was prepared by ERA Architects Inc. (ERA, 2022), detailing the heritage attributes and features of the property. 2. The City has determined the G.M. Forsyth House has Cultural Heritage Value or Interest As noted above, Geranium Homes has submitted an HIA, prepared by ERA, dated December 9, 2022 (see Heritage Impact Assessment, Attachment 2, and Heritage Impact Assessment Addendum, Attachment 3). The HIA determined that the G.M. Forsyth House meets the criteria for designation as set out in Ontario Regulation 9/06 and qualifies for designation under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act, as it met five of the nine criteria. The 9/06 evaluation is outlined in Table 1 below. The property at 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) is valued as an excellent representative example of an early-twentieth-century American Foursquare farmhouse. Its distinctive features include a square plan, a two-storey scale, a hipped roof, and design elements such as a wrap-around verandah and a two-storey frontispiece. The property also has historical and associative significance due to its direct association with G.M. Forsyth, a prominent municipal leader and farmer in Claremont. Forsyth held many important offices in Pickering Township and the Village of Claremont during his political career, culminating in his appointment as Warden of Ontario County in 1923. As Reeve of Pickering Township, he played a key role in bringing hydroelectric power to Claremont. This association is reflected in the grandeur of the farmhouse and its estate-style landscape. In addition, 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) has contextual value for defining, maintaining, and supporting the rural character of Brock Road in Claremont. Located at the northern edge of the village, its agricultural landscape provides a backdrop to the late-nineteenth-century village fabric. Lastly, the property is considered a local landmark within Claremont. PLN 29-24 November 4, 2024 Subject: 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) – Notice of Intention to Designate a Property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act Page 4 Table 1: Evaluation of 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) as per Ontario Regulation 9/06 Criteria O. Reg. 9/06 Criteria Y/N Comments 1. The property has design value or physical value because it is a rare, unique, representative, or early example of a style, type, expression, material, or construction method. Y The property is a representative example of a historic Ontario farmstead, evidenced by its farmhouse, barn, and silos, which form part of an agricultural landscape of open fields and mature (front-yard) trees. As an individual component of the farmstead, the farmhouse is a fine representative example of an early-twentieth-century American Foursquare farmhouse. 2. The property has design value or physical value because it displays a high degree of craftsmanship or artistic merit. N The property does not display a high degree of craftsmanship or artistic merit. The farmhouse displays craftsmanship that is typical of the early twentieth-century period. 3. The property has design value or physical value because it demonstrates a high degree of technical or scientific achievement. N The property does not demonstrate a high degree of technical or scientific achievement. 4. 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. Y The property has a direct association with G.M. Forsyth, a prominent municipal leader and farmer who is historically significant to the community. Forsyth held many major offices in both the Township of Pickering and the Village of Claremont throughout his political career. 5. The property has historical value or associative value because it yields, or has the potential to yield, information that contributes to an understanding of a community or culture. N The property does not offer new knowledge or a greater understanding of particular aspects of the community’s history or culture. 6. The property has historical value or associative value because it demonstrates or reflects the work or ideas of an architect, artist, builder, designer or theorist who is significant to a community. N The architect or builder of the farmhouse is not documented in the historical record. There is no evidence that the mason, C.H. Found, or landscape gardener, James Douce, are significant to the community. PLN 29-24 November 4, 2024 Subject: 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) – Notice of Intention to Designate a Property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act Page 5 O. Reg. 9/06 Criteria Y/N Comments 7. The property has contextual value because it is important in defining, maintaining, or supporting the character of an area. Y The property is important in defining, maintaining and supporting the rural character of Brock Road in Claremont, a historic village in the former Township of Pickering. Brock Road, north of Lane Street, can be characterized by its agricultural landscape on the east side of the road (i.e. the Site), which forms the backdrop to the late- nineteenth-century village fabric. The area contains a concentration of late-nineteenth-century houses near the railway, built in a variety of vernacular styles, with mature front-yard trees creating a green edge along the road. 8. The property has contextual value because it is physically, functionally, visually, or historically linked to its surroundings. Y The property has a relationship to its broader context, and it is physically and historically linked to its rural surroundings. 9. The property has contextual value because it is a landmark. Y The property is considered a local landmark in Claremont. Photograph 1: View of G.M. Forsyth house (ERA, 2022) PLN 29-24 November 4, 2024 Subject: 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) – Notice of Intention to Designate a Property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act Page 6 3. The HIA recommended property-specific mitigation measures The HIA recommended retaining the G.M. Forsyth house in situ with a green buffer zone and proposed rehabilitating the structure. The report concluded that the proposed setbacks would preserve the farmhouse’s historical relationship to Brock Road, mitigating the impact of the reduced lot size. Regarding the impact of the development on the barn and silos, the HIA recommended salvaging the barn’s wood materials for future reuse, either in an on-site installation or as a contribution to other local historic barn structures. The specific use will be determined as the design and development process continues. 4. The Heritage Pickering Advisory Committee and the property owner have been consulted On February 28, 2024, City Development staff consulted with the Heritage Pickering Advisory Committee. The committee passed a motion recommending that Council designate the property under Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. 5. The designation of the property aligns with the City of Pickering Official Plan policies Chapter 8 of the Official Plan outlines the City’s cultural heritage goal, which is for City Council to respect and conserve important cultural heritage resources from all time periods and integrate them into the community. In consultation with its heritage committee, where warranted, City Council shall implement the provisions of the Ontario Heritage Act, including the designation of heritage sites. When considering the use and reuse of heritage resources, City Council shall maintain, if possible, the original use of heritage structures and sites, and if possible, retain their original location and orientation. City Council shall work to prevent the demolition, destruction, or inappropriate alteration of important cultural heritage resources to the extent possible. Additionally, where possible, Council shall restore, rehabilitate, maintain, and enhance heritage resources owned by the City, and encourage private owners to do the same. 6. Notice of Intention to Designate The Notice of Intention to Designate has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Ontario Heritage Act and, subject to Council’s approval, will be published on the City’s website (see Attachment 4). A copy of the notice will also be sent to the Ontario Heritage Trust and the property owner (see Attachment 5). If no objection is received by the City Clerk within the 30-day timeframe, staff recommends that Council enact the draft designation by-law as set out in Attachment 6 of this report, and serve a Notice of Passing in accordance with Section 29(8) of the Ontario Heritage Act. PLN 29-24 November 4, 2024 Subject: 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) – Notice of Intention to Designate a Property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act Page 7 7. Conclusion The designation of a property under Part IV or Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act gives Council the authority to prevent the demolition of a building or structure on a heritage property. The owner of a designated property must obtain written consent from Council before demolishing any building on a heritage property. Additionally, owners of properties designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act must acquire a Heritage Permit for most alterations, the construction of new buildings, and hard landscaping. To ensure its conservation, and to enable the City to provide resources to the owner through the heritage permitting process, City staff recommend proceeding with serving a Notice of Intention to Designate the property. It is recommended that Council designate 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) under Section 29, Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act, in accordance with the Draft Designation By-law. Attachments: 1. Location Map 2. Heritage Impact Assessment, prepared by ERA Inc., dated December 29, 2022 3. Heritage Impact Assessment Addendum, prepared by ERA Inc., dated June 14, 2023 4. Notice of Intention to Designate to be published on the City’s Website 5. Notice of Intention to Designate for the Ontario Heritage Trust and property owner 6. Draft Designation By-law for the G.M. Forsyth House at 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) PLN 29-24 November 4, 2024 Subject: 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) – Notice of Intention to Designate a Property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act Page 8 Prepared By: Approved/Endorsed By: Nilesh Surti, MCIP, RPP Catherine Rose, MCIP, RPP Division Head, Development Review Chief Planner & Urban Design Kyle Bentley, P. Eng. Director, City Development & CBO NS:ld Recommended for the consideration of Pickering City Council Marisa Carpino, M.A. Chief Administrative Officer Original Signed By Original Signed By Original Signed By Original Signed By Cla r e mon t Stre e t Bund y S t r e e t Fr a n k l i n S t r e e t Lane Street Bro c k R o a d Tom T h o m s o n C o u r t Wi l l i a m S t r e e t To m T h o m s o n C o u r t Wi x s o n S t r e e t Location Map Municipal Address: Date: Oct. 01, 2024© The Corporation of the City of Pickering Produced (in part) under license from: © Queens Printer, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. All rights reserved.; © Her Majesty the Queen inRight of Canada, Department of Natural Resources. All rights reserved.; © Teranet Enterprises Inc. and its suppliers. All rights reserved.; © Municipal Property Assessment Corporation and its suppliers. All rights reserved.SCALE: 1:4,000THIS IS NOT A PLAN OF SURVEY. L:\PLANNING\01-MapFiles\01-City Development\01-PLN Reports\2024\PLN xx-24 - 5113 Brock Road\5133 Brock Rd.aprx City Development Department 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) Subject Lands Attachment 1 to Report PLN 29-24 Heritage impact assessment 5113 Old Brock Road Claremont, Pickering, ON December 9, 2022 Attachment 2 to Report PLN 29-24 PREPARED FOR:PREPARED BY: ii HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD, CLAREMONT ERA Architects Inc. #600-625 Church St Toronto ON, M4Y 2G1 416-963-4497 Claremont Development Inc. #300-3190 Steeles Ave E Markham ON, L3R 1G9 905-477-1177 Project #21-332-01 Prepared by PE / SI / EA / JG iiiISSuED: 9 DECEMBER 2022 CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY IV 1 INTRODUCTION 5 1.1 Report Scope 5 1.2 Present Owner Contact Information 5 1.3 Site Description and Context 7 1.4 Heritage Status 10 2 BACKGROUND RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS 11 2.1 Historical Context 11 2.2 Site Evolution 17 3 CULTURAL HERITAGE VALUE 21 3.1 Ontario Regulation 9/06 Analysis 21 3.2 Draft Statement of Significance 24 4 ASSESSMENT OF EXISTING CONDITION 26 5 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT 39 6 IMPACT ASSESSMENT 42 7 CONSIDERED ALTERNATIVES AND MITIGATION STRATEGIES 44 8 RECOMMENDED CONSERVATION STRATEGY 47 9 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 48 APPENDIX A: PROJECT PERSONNEL 49 APPENDIX B: LIST OF SOURCES 50 APPENDIX C: HERITAGE POLICY REVIEW 51 APPENDIX D: CLAREMONT SECONDARY PLAN STUDY HERITAGE INVENTORY (1978) 54 iv HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD, CLAREMONT ExEcutivE Summary Impact of Proposed Development The proposed development anticipates the following impacts to the Site’s cultural heritage value, based on ERA’s draft Statement of Significance: • Removal of the barn and silos to accommo- date new residential lots; • Isolation of the farmhouse from its agri- cultural context on the Site, including the reduction of the farmstead lot size to 0.51 hectares; • New construction in the immediate vicin- ity of the farmhouse, including new houses on estate size lots, a detached garage, a replacement septic bed, and a new road; and • Alteration of the Site’s existing rural land- scape and topography along Old Brock Road, through the introduction of four new residential lots flanking Old Brock Road and a 1.8 metre wood privacy fence and contin- uous hedgerow. Mitigation and Conservation Strategy The potential impacts of the proposed development are proposed to be partially mitigated through a recommended design and landscape strategy, which would interpret the Site’s rural character. This would include design guidelines for the new houses along Old Brock Road, and an interpretive rural landscape strategy. A buffer zone is proposed around the farmhouse, with generous setbacks from the north, east, and south properties lines (24 metres, 19 metres, and 36 metres, respectively). The existing setback from Old Brock Road will be maintained, along with the front-yard mature trees and semi-circular driveway. Although a minimal change in grade is proposed (up to 0.60m) with an upward slope to the north lot line, it will not impact any heritage landscape features. Background ERA Architects Inc. (“ERA”) was retained by Claremont Development Inc. to prepare a Heritage Impact Assessment (“HIA”) for the proposed redevelopment of 5113 Old Brock Road, Claremont (the “Site”). The Site comprises a large farmstead property, including a farmhouse (1916), barn, and four silos. Heritage Status The Site is not listed on the City of Pickering’s Heritage Register, or designated under Section 29, Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act (“OHA”). It is not located within a designated Heritage Conservation District (“HCD”). The Site is not considered adjacent to any listed or designated properties. ERA has evaluated the Site in accordance with Ontario Regulation 9/06 (“O. Reg. 9/06”). We find that the Site meets the criteria for design/physical, historical/associative, and contextual value. As such, the property is a candidate for designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the OHA. • It has design value as a representative example of an historic Ontario farmstead, including a representative early-20th centu- ry American Foursquare farmhouse. • It has historical/associative value for its direct association with G.M. Forsyth, a prominent municipal leader and farmer. • It has contextual value for defining, main- taining, and supporting a rural character along Old Brock Road in Claremont. Proposed Development The proposed development involves the full in-situ retention of the existing farmhouse within a new residential subdivision, including 71 lots for detached dwellings, new public roads, a new public park, open space buffers, and two stormwater management facilities. 5ISSuED: 9 DECEMBER 2022 1 introduction ERA Architects Inc. (“ERA”) was retained by Claremont Development Inc. to prepare a Heritage Impact Assessment (“HIA”) for the proposed redevelopment of 5113 Old Brock Road, Claremont (the “Site”). ERA was retained in accordance with the Minutes of Settlement for the Site (OLT Case Number OLT-22-002250), which stipulates that an HIA be provided as a condition of Draft Plan Approval. The purpose of an HIA, according to the City’s Terms of Reference (2022), is to “determine if any cultural heritage resources may be adversely impacted by a specific proposed development or site alteration, and to recommend an overall approach to conserve the resource(s)” (City of Pickering, 2022). This report was prepared with reference to the following documents: • Parks Canada Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada (2010); • Provincial Policy Statement (2020); • O. Reg. 9/06; • Ontario Heritage Toolkit; • Durham Regional Official Plan (consolidated 2020); and • City of Pickering Official Plan, Edition 9 (consolidated 2022); and • City of Pickering Terms of Reference for Heritage Impact Assessments (April, 2022). 1.1 Report Scope 1.2 Present Owner Contact Information Claremont Development Inc. #300-3190 Steeles Ave E Markham ON, L3R 1G9 905-477-1177 6 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD, CLAREMONT View of the farmhouse on the Site from the driveway entrance (ERA, 2022). West and south elevations of the farmhouse (ERA, 2022). 7ISSuED: 9 DECEMBER 2022 1.3 Site Description and Context The Site comprises a large farmstead property, known municipally as 5113 Old Brock Road. Located at the northeastern edge of Claremont, in Pickering, the Site’s principal frontage extends along Old Brock Road north of Lane Street. The Site also has a large frontage on Brock Road extending between Central Street and the railway corridor. The Site contains the following buildings and structures, which are set against an agricultural landscape of open fields and mature trees: • A two-storey brick farmhouse, set back from Old Brock Road. It is estimated to have been built by G.M. Forsyth in 1916. The front yard features a semi-circular driveway lined with mature trees. • A frame barn with a concrete foundation, located immediate- ly north of the farmhouse. It is estimated to have been built during the early-to-mid-20th century. • Four silos, with one located beside the barn, and the remain- ing three clustered near centre of the Site at the end of a drive lane. Old Brock Road transects the village of Claremont, an historic rural settlement in the City of Pickering. The area north of Lane Street is defined by its rural context, which includes a collection of late- 19th century houses near the railway, and an agricultural landscape (i.e. the Site) on the east side of Old Brock Road. Developed as a northern extension of the village following the arrival of the railway, the area contains notable examples of late-19th century residential architecture, including the Tobias Castor House (5230 Old Brock Road), built circa 1890. To the west of the site is a natural area along Mitchell Creek, a tributary of the East Duffins Creek. There is also some infill development along its edge, on the west side of Old Brock Road, mostly in the form of mid-to-late 20th century bungalow-style houses. To the south of the Site is the main village of Claremont, which is centred on the “four corners” intersection at Old Brock Road and Central Street. The 19th-century village, which is laid out on a grid pattern, has been encircled by contemporary (post-1980) residential subdivisions. Farmhouse (ERA, 2022). Barn (ERA, 2022). Silo, beside barn (ERA, 2022). Silos, near centre of the Site (ERA, 2022). 8 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD, CLAREMONT Aerial photograph showing the Site, shaded blue (Google Maps, 2022; annotated by ERA). Ol d B r o c k R d Central St Br o c k R d Railwa y 9ISSuED: 9 DECEMBER 2022 Preliminary servicing plan for the Site, showing the proposed layout of the subdivision (SCS Consulting Group; annotated by ERA). 10 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD, CLAREMONT 1.4 Heritage Status On-Site Heritage Resources The Site is not listed on the City’s Heritage Register, or designated under Section 29, Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act (“OHA”). It is not located within a designated Heritage Conservation District (“HCD”). The Site is not included on the City’s Inventory of Historic Properties (2002), however it was identified in the Claremont Secondary Plan Study Heritage Inventory (1978), attached in Appendix D. Adjacent Heritage Resources The Site is not considered adjacent to any properties that are listed on the City’s Heritage Register, or designated under Section 29, Part IV of the OHA. 11ISSuED: 9 DECEMBER 2022 2 Background rESEarch and analySiS 2.1 Historical Context Indigenous History (Pre-1800s) The Site forms part of the territory of the Wendat, Haudenosaunee, and Mississaugas (part of the Anishinaabe Nation). For each of these nations, rivers and waterways were central to traditional ways of life before the arrival of European settlers. The Site is located just east of Mitchell Creek, a tributary of the East Duffins Creek. Within the Duffins Creek Watershed, there are approximately seventeen registered archaeological sites from the Late Woodland Period (AD 700-1651), a period associated with the emergence of horticulture and semi-permanent villages in Southern Ontario. The Draper Site (AlGt-2), an ancestral Wendat village, is the largest known village site in the Duffins Creek Watershed. Located near Highway 7 approximately eight kilometers southwest of Claremont, it was excavated in the mid-1970s in anticipation of the new Toronto Airport in Pickering. Following the northward dispersal of the Wendat, the Seneca established a village known as Ganatsekwyagon at the mouth of the Rouge River in the mid-to-late 1600s, at the foot of the Toronto Carrying Place Trail (east branch); an important portage route which connected Lake Ontario with the upper Great Lakes. Towards the end of the 17th-century, the Mississaugas arrived in southern Ontario, where they continued to follow a yearly cycle of movement and resource-harvesting along the rivers in the Greater Toronto Area, including the Credit, Humber, Don and Rouge. The mouth of Duffins Creek would have been used by the Mississaugas as a seasonal hunting and fishing grounds. After the British conquest of New France in 1763, the British Crown issued a royal proclamation, which established guidelines for the colonization of Indigenous territories in North America. The proclamation stated that Indigenous peoples held title to their territory until it was ceded by a treaty. Despite this, the Site was not subject to a treaty until 1923, after the area had been settled by Euro-Canadians. In 1923, the Williams Treaties were signed between seven Anishinaabe First Nations and the Crown. In 2018, the Williams Treaties First Nations negotiated an out-of-court settlement with the Provincial and Federal govern- ments, contending that the Crown did not provide proper compensation and unjustly denied harvesting rights. 1688 French map of Lake Ontario, show- ing the village of Ganatsekwyagon and the Carrying Place trail. The approximate location of the Site is indicated with a blue arrow (university of Toronto Map and Data Library). 12 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD, CLAREMONT Pickering Township The Constitutional Act of 1791 established the new colony of upper Canada (today’s Ontario), and set in place a British colonial administration. Shortly thereafter, the government began to survey the province’s first counties and townships, with the townships divided into a grid of 200-acre lots organized by concession lines and sideroads. The Site was located in Pickering Township, which was originally part of York County before being partitioned off to the newly-formed Ontario County in 1852. The grid pattern superimposed a colonial understanding of land over the seasonal and resource-dependent relationship held by the Mississaugas, who were displaced from their territory and left with small reserves. In 1806, Joseph Wixson patented Lot 18 in the Ninth Concession of Pickering Township, a 200-acre farm lot which included the Site. The Wixson brothers, Joseph and Joshua, were among the first European settlers in the northern part of Pickering Township, having arrived from New York towards the end of the 18th century. The Wixons settled on either side of Brock Road, north of the 9th Concession, where Joseph is said to have cleared approximately 400 acres. Writing in 1973, local historian Robert A. Miller noted that “Joseph took up land and built his house just where the road deviates between Claremont and the C.P.R. Station, close to the big elm tree on the west side of Brock Road. Joshua settled on the east side of Brock Road and built his house south east of the C.P.R” (Miller, 1973, pg.158). In the 1830s, a number of English families settled on the Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Concessions of Pickering Township, including the Tracys, Gosticks, Palmers, Bennetts and Winters. Brock Road and Kingston Road were the only main roads in the township at this time. By the mid-19th century, the northern part of Pickering Township was emerging as a productive agricultural landscape, as described by local historian Lillian Gauslin in 1974: “houses and barns were built. Pigs, cows and horses were found on almost every farm, and large clearings were to be seen almost everywhere. The log houses were giving way to brick and then to stone” (Gauslin, 1974, pg.20). It was during this period that crossroads hamlets, such as Claremont, were established as rural centres for religion, education and commerce. Historical sketch of Pickering Township, showing the crossroads settlements along Brock Road during the early-to- mid-19th century. The Site is indicated with a blue arrow (Pickering Library). 13ISSuED: 9 DECEMBER 2022 1860 Tremaine’s Map of Ontario County. Lot 18 in the Ninth Concession is shaded blue. The location of the Site is indicated with a blue circle (university of Toronto; annotated by ERA). 14 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD, CLAREMONT Historic Ontario Farmstead Typology (ERA). Historic Ontario Farmsteads Farms of this era in the Site’s vicinity, and elsewhere in Ontario, were typically characterized by a combination of built and landscape features that today we recognize as the Ontario Farmstead. Farmhouses formed only one central component of the interrelated features of these productive agricultural landscapes. Other typological features of the Ontario Farmstead included barns, fields, tree-lined driveways, and orchards. 15ISSuED: 9 DECEMBER 2022 The Village of Claremont The origins of Claremont can be traced back to the 1840s, when the first businesses were established at the “four corners” (Old Brock Road and the Ninth Concession). In 1844, John C. Michell opened a general store on the east side of Brock Road, approximately half a mile south of the present village. Not long after, in 1847, a stone store was erected by John Hamilton on the southwest corner of the intersection, which was leased to Thomas Noble. Originally known as Noble’s Corners, by the 1850s the village featured several stores and a tavern, along with a number of cottage industries, including: two blacksmiths, a saw mill, a wagon-maker, a cooper, a tanner and several grist mills. Change came in 1884 with the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway just north of the village,transforming Claremont from “an insignificant little settlement to a thriving village” (Gauslin, 1974, pg.27). The railway allowed for increased settlement in the northern part of the township, while facilitating the shipment of grain and livestock. Two grain elevators, along with coal and lime sheds, were constructed near the station. As detailed in the Claremont Secondary Plan Study Heritage Inventory, “a proportionately high number of the hamlet’s buildings date from around this [railway] period, especially in the northern sector near the tracks, when a noticeable increase in population took place” (Ian MacPherson Associates, 1978, pg.6). Old Brock Road in Claremont, no date (Pickering Library). 1877 Map of the Village of Claremont, from the Ontario County Atlas. The loca- tion of the Site is indicated with a blue arrow (Gauslin, 1974, pg.22; annotated by ERA). 16 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD, CLAREMONT Looking south on Old Brock Road in Claremont, early-20th century. Likely at the bend in the road just south of the Site (Pick- ering Library). Looking south on Old Brock Road from just south of the railway, early-20th century (Pickering Library). 17ISSuED: 9 DECEMBER 2022 2.2 Site Evolution Based on the historical research outlined below, it is estimated that the existing farmhouse on the Site was built in 1916 by G.M. Forsyth, a prominent municipal leader and farmer. It is estimated that the barn and silo were built during the early-to-mid 20th century, followed by the three silos at the centre of the Site post-1954. The following section includes a detailed chronological summary of the Site’s history of ownership and development. The existing farmhouse and outbuildings are located on Lot 18 in the Ninth Concession of Pickering Township, which was patented by Joseph Wixson in 1806. A review of secondary sources suggests that Joshua Wixson, Joseph’s brother, settled on the east side of Old Brock Road (on or near the Site) towards the end of the 18th century. By the 1860s, as illustrated by Tremaine’s Map of Ontario County, the 200-acre farm lot had been subdivided into a number of smaller parcels, with the area southeast of Old Brock Road (including the Site) owned by Joseph Wixson. Although many of the land registry records are illegible, it is estimated that Joseph Wixson sold the property in 1871 to John Reid, who was recorded as the owner in the 1877 County Atlas. The Tweedsmuir History provides further insight, indicating that John Reid “lived on the old, Joseph Wixson property, just north of the bend on the Brock Road” (Claremont Women’s Institute, pg.113). According to the 1901 census, the Reid farmstead included a composite (i.e. wood/frame) farmhouse with ten rooms, along with four barns, stables or other outbuildings. Several years earlier, in 1896, the Pickering News reported that “John Reid has the stonework of his barn about completed and the frame work started. The old barn will be torn down” (Pickering News, 26 June 1896). In 1903, John Reid placed the farm on the market, with an advertisement in the Pickering News reading “[...] purchase of that valuable farm, known as the Old Wixon Homestead, containing about 60 acres more or less, and situated between Claremont Village and C.P.R. station” (Pickering News, 10 July 1903). In March of the following year, it was reported that Daniel Forsyth had purchased the John Reid farm, although tax assessment rolls indicate that he would have granted the lot to his son, George Malcolm (G.M.) Forsyth, shortly after. In 1905, tax assessors recorded 163 acres of land on the southern half of Lots 17 and 18 under G.M. Forsyth’s ownership. The value of buildings on this property was assessed at $1,300. 1860 Tremaine’s Map of Ontario County. The Site is shaded blue (university of Toronto; annotated by ERA). 1877 Ontario County Atlas. The Site is indicated with a blue circle (McGill uni- versity; annotated by ERA). Advertisement for the sale of John Reid’s farm (Pickering News, 10 Jul 1903). 18 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD, CLAREMONT In May of 1916, the Pickering News announced that G.M. Forsyth was “making preparations for the erection of a fine new residence” on his farm (Pickering News, 19 May 1916). In October of the same year, it was reported that “the frame for G.M. Forsyth’s new residence is now up. When completed this will be one of the prettiest homes in Pickering Township” (Pickering News, 13 October 1916). The brickwork was laid by a local mason, C.H. Found, shortly after the frame was completed (Pickering News, 20 October 1916). C.H. Found was responsible for a number of other buildings in the Claremont area, including the village fire hall and library (Gauslin, 1974, pg.175). In June of 1917, G.M Forsyth moved into his new residence (Pickering News, 15 June 1917). Several months later, Forsyth commissioned a landscape gardener to lay out the grounds in front of his new house: “James Douce, landscape gardener, of Toronto, accompanied by James Stevens, of Toronto, was here one day last week, when he laid out G.M. Forsyth’s grounds in front of his beautiful residence” (Pickering News, 3 October 1917). According to the 1921 census, G.M. Forsyth lived in a seven-room brick house in Claremont along with Lillian Forsyth and their two daughters. While the exact location of G.M. Forsyth’s house is not documented in the available historical record, it is estimated to be the extant farmhouse on the Site. This is supported by secondary sources, which note that “in 1916, G.M. Forsyth built a new home and operated the [former John Reid] farm located in north Claremont” (Gauslin, 1974, pg.262). A review of available Tax Assessment Rolls between 1912 and 1921 provides inconclusive data. In 1912, 1917 and 1921, tax assessors recorded 109 acres of land under Forsyth’s ownership on Lot 17, however the value of buildings declined from $500 to $250 during this period. This suggests that the farmhouse was built on Lot 18, despite the property being omitted from Forsyth’s assessment. There is no evidence that the house was built for Thomas Gregg, as documented in the Claremont Secondary Plan Study Heritage Inventory. The available Tax Assessment Rolls between 1905 and 1924 indicate that Gregg owned land on Lot 23 in the Eight Concession and Lot 26 in the Ninth Concession, west of Claremont. Further, there are no (legible) land transactions between G.M. Forsyth and Thomas Gregg, apart from the sale of a small quarter-acre parcel on Lot 18 in September, 1922, after Gregg had constructed his own residence. In June of 1922, it was reported that “Thos. Gregg has the excavating for his new residence Photograph of the farmhouse on the Site (Claremont Secondary Plan Heritage Inventory, 1978). 1922 topographical map showing the Site, indicated with a blue circle. Note the black square indicating the pres- ence of a building (Ontario Council of university Libraries; annotated by ERA). Newspaper brief announcing the con- struction of G.M. Forsyth’s new resi- dence (Pickering News, 19 May 1916). 19ISSuED: 9 DECEMBER 2022 completed and the cement foundation constructed” (Pickering News, 8 June 1922). Of note, the cement foundation of Gregg’s house is inconsistent with the stone foundation found on the Site. In 1946, G.M. Forsyth sold his farm to Edgar Ward for $18,000. Following the sale, it was reported that “Edgar Ward of Balsam is moving into the Forsyth home” (Pickering News, 4 April 1947). The 1954 aerial photograph shows a barn and silo to the north of the farmhouse, however the three silos at the centre of the Site had not yet been constructed. Between 1969 and 1978, a series of land transactions involving the Wards and Toko Investments were recorded in the abstract index for Lot 18. In 1990, Toko Investments submitted a development application for 27 single-detached lots on the Site, however the plans never came to fruition. 1954 aerial photograph showing the barn and silo to the north of the farmhouse, indicated with a pink circle. The location of the three unbuilt silos is indicated with a dashed orange circle (McMaster university; annotated by ERA). Newspaper brief announcing the sale of the G.M. Forsyth farm to Edgar Ward (Pickering News, 1 February 1946). 1967 Map of Pickering Township showing the Site, shaded blue, on Edgar Ward’s 109-acre farm (Pickering Library). 20 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD, CLAREMONT George Malcolm (G.M.) Forsyth Below is the biography of G.M. Forsyth, as found in the Tweedsmuir History: Mr. Forsyth was one of Pickering Township’s most active and enthusiastic municipal leaders. During his colourful political career, which extended from 1901 until his death, Mr. Forsyth held almost every major office in both the Township of Pickering and the Police Village of Claremont. He was intensely proud of his municipal record. He was one of the Township’s most noted historians. His compact office-library carried records dating back to early pioneer life in the municipality. He was active in the South Ontario Liberal Association. Mr. Forsyth started at the bottom of the municipal ladder and climaxed his career by being chosen Warden of Ontario County in 1923. In 1901, he was elected to the Claremont Public School Board, an office he held off and on for thirty years. He was a board member when the Continuation School was established in Claremont. Other members at that time were Dr. Ralph Brodie and Albert Rawson. He was a charter member of the Claremont Cemetery Board from 1908 until his death. He was a member of the first board of Trustees when Claremont was declared a Police Village in 1908 and held that position until 1917. G.M. Forsyth was elected to Pickering Council in 1921. From 1923 to 1926, he was Deputy Reeve and in 1927 he became Reeve of Pickering Township holding the office for two years. He had been appointed the Claremont representative of the Hydro Commission and during his term as Reeve, he was instrumental in bringing hydro to Claremont. “Mac” was the son of Daniel Forsyth and Rachel Barry, who settled first around Glasgow, in Uxbridge Township and then in Claremont. He married Lillian Cooper of Claremont and they had four children: Viola, Mary (deceased in 1943), Georgina and Barry, who died in infancy. Viola and Georgina sold their home in 1973 and moved to Markham. Mr. Forsyth had many interests but farming was his livelihood. He specialized in breeding Shorthorn cattle and Clydesdale horses. He was a charter member of the Ontario Plowmen’s Association and was called on to judge cattle at many rural fairs. Mr. Edgar Ward purchased the Forsyth Farm in 1946 and Mr. Forsyth built a lovely red brick bungalow at the corner of Wixson Street and the Ninth Concession, where he spent his retirement years. He died in 1959. 1910 photograph of G.M. Forsyth, from a collage titled “the business men of Claremont” (Pickering Library). 21ISSuED: 9 DECEMBER 2022 3 cultural hEritagE valuE 3.1 Ontario Regulation 9/06 Analysis The Site has been evaluated against the Ontario Regulation 9/06 (O.Reg 9/06) “Criteria for Determining Cultural Heritage Value or Interest” under the OHA. O. Reg. 9/06 was developed for the purpose of identifying and evaluating the cultural heritage value or interest of a property proposed for protection under Section 29 of the OHA. The purpose of the criteria is to provide a consistent approach for the evaluation of heritage properties. O. Reg. 9/06 states that “a property may be designated under section 29 of the Act if it meets one or more of the following criteria for determining whether it is of cultural heritage value or interest”. While meeting one or more of the criteria may be sufficient justification, in some cases, for protection of a property under the OHA, O. Reg 9/06 does not provide a clear threshold or automatic mandate for designation. Based on historical research, our evaluation finds that the Site meets the O. Reg. 9/06 criteria for design/physical, historical/associative and contextual value. As such, the property is a candidate for designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the OHA. • It has design value as a representative example of an historic Ontario farmstead, including a representative early-20th century American Foursquare farmhouse. • It has historical/associative value for its direct association with G.M. Forsyth, a prominent municipal leader and farmer who is historically significant to the community of Claremont. • It has contextual value for defining, maintaining, and support- ing a rural character along Old Brock Road in Claremont. 22 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD, CLAREMONT Value (quoted from Ontario Reg. 9/06)Y/N Assessment of 5113 Old Brock Road The property has design value or physical value because it, i. is a rare, unique, representative or early example of a style, type, expression, material or construction method,Y The property is a representative example of an historic Ontario farmstead, evidenced by its farmhouse, barn, and silos, which form part of an agricultural landscape of open fields and mature (front-yard) trees. As an individual component of the farmstead, the farmhouse is a fine representa- tive example of an early-20th century American Foursquare farmhouse. ii. displays a high degree of craftsmanship or artistic merit, or N The property does not display a high degree of craftsmanship or artistic merit. The farmhouse displays craftsmanship that is typical of the early- 20th century period. iii. demonstrates a high degree of technical or scientific achievement. N The property does not demonstrate a high degree of technical or scientific achievement. The property has historical value or associative value because it, i. has direct associations with a theme, event, belief, person, activity, organization or institution that is significant to a community, Y The property has a direct association with G.M. Forsyth, a prominent municipal leader and farmer who is historically significant to the commu- nity. Forsyth held many major offices in both the Township of Pickering and the Village of Claremont over the course of his political career. ii. yields, or has the potential to yield, information that contributes to an understanding of a commu- nity or culture, or N The property does not offer new knowledge or a greater understanding of particular aspects of the community’s history or culture. iii. demonstrates or reflects the work or ideas of an architect, artist, builder, designer or theorist who is significant to a community.N The architect or builder of the farmhouse is not documented in the historical record. There is no evidence that the mason, C.H. Found, or landscape gardener, James Douce, are significant to the com- munity. 23ISSuED: 9 DECEMBER 2022 The property has contextual value because it, i. is important in defining, maintaining or supporting the character of an area, Y The property is important in defining, maintain- ing and supporting the rural character Old Brock Road in Claremont, an historic village in the former Township of Pickering. Old Brock Road, north of Lane Street, can be characterized by its agricultural landscape on the east side of the road (i.e. the Site), which forms the backdrop to the late-19th century village fabric. The area contains a concentration of late-19th century houses near the railway, built in a variety of vernacular styles, with mature front-yard trees creating a green edge along the road. ii. is physically, functionally, visually or historically linked to its surroundings, or N The property does not have a relationship to its broader context that is important to understand the meaning of the property and/or its context. iii. is a landmark. N The property is not a landmark. 24 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD, CLAREMONT 3.2 Draft Statement of Significance Description of Property – 5113 Old Brock Road 5113 Old Brock Road is a farmstead property located on the east side of Old Brock Road in the village of Claremont, Pickering. The property contains a two-storey brick farmhouse, a frame barn with a concrete foundation, and four silos. Statement of Cultural Heritage Value 5113 Old Brock Road has design value as a representative example of an historic Ontario farmstead, evidenced by its farmhouse, barn, and silos, which are set against an agricultural landscape of open fields. Built in 1916, the farmhouse is valued as a fine representative example of an early-20th century American Foursquare farmhouse. This is expressed through its square plan, two-storey scale, hipped roof, and varied design details, including the wrap-around verandah with its two-storey frontispiece. 5113 Old Brock Road has historical/associative value for its direct association with G.M. Forsyth, an historically significant municipal leader and farmer in Claremont. Forsyth held many major offices in Pickering Township and the Village of Claremont over the course of his political career, culminating in his appointment as Warden of Ontario County in 1923. During his term as Reeve of Pickering Township, he was instrumental in bringing hydro-electric power to Claremont. This association is expressed through the grandeur of the farmhouse and its estate-style landscape treatment. 5113 Old Brock Road has contextual value for defining, maintaining, and supporting a rural character along Old Brock Road in Claremont. Sited on the northern edge of the village, the property’s agricultural landscape forms the backdrop to the late-19th century village fabric. Description of Heritage Attributes Key attributes that express the property’s value as a representative example of an historic Ontario farmstead: • Farmhouse, set back from and oriented towards Old Brock Road, with front-yard mature trees; • Paired barn and silo, located to the north of the farmhouse; • Grouping of silos near the centre of the site, accessed by a drive lane; and 25ISSuED: 9 DECEMBER 2022 • Rear fields. Key attributes that express the value of the farmhouse as a fine representative example of an early-20th century American Foursquare farmhouse, with eclectic architectural and landscape features: • Scale, form and massing of the two-storey house, with its square plan and flat-topped hipped roof; • Wrap-around verandah, including the two-storey frontispiece, pedimented roof, and Tuscan columns; • Five-sided single-storey bay window, covered by the veran- dah; • Varied segmental-arch window openings; • Dormer windows and chimneys protruding from the attic; • Brick materials, laid in a stretcher bond pattern; • Raised cut-stone foundation; Key attributes that express the property’s value for its direct association with G.M. Forsyth: • Grandeur and scale of the farmhouse, distinguished by its wrap-around verandah and two-storey pedimented frontis- piece. • Siting of the farmhouse atop a landscaped pedestal, marked by a retaining wall and split staircase. • Semi-circular front driveway lined with mature trees. Key attributes that express the property’s value in defining, maintaining, and supporting the rural character of Old Brock Road in Claremont: • Its location on the east side of Old Brock Road, just north of the village of Claremont; • Views of the farmhouse, barn, and silos across fields from Old Brock Road; and • Mature front-yard trees, fields, and scrub along the Old Brock Road frontage. 26 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD, CLAREMONT 4 aSSESSmEnt of ExiSting condition DEFINITION OF TERMS The building components were graded using the following assessment system: Excellent: Superior aging performance. Functioning as intended; no deterioration observed. Good: Normal Result. Functioning as in- tended; normal deterioration observed; no maintenance anticipated within the next five years. Fair: Functioning as intended. Normal deterioration and minor distress observed; maintenance will be required within the next three to five years to maintain func- tionality. Poor: Not functioning as intended; sig- nificant deterioration and distress ob- served; maintenance and some repair required within the next year to restore functionality. Defective: Not functioning as intended; significant deterioration and major dis- tress observed, possible damage to sup- port structure; may present a risk; must be dealt with immediately. ERA performed a visual inspection of the property in September 2022. All observations were carried out from grade. Inspections were limited to visible exterior envelope features such as the brick facade, brick piers, stone foundation, brick chimney, windows, doors, wood porch, wood dormers, wood soffits, asphalt shingles, flashings, rainwater management systems (gutters and downspouts), and the masonry retaining wall. The roof areas of the buildings were not accessible at the time of the inspection. The review does not include interior spaces, structural, mechanical, electrical or plumbing systems/elements. Farmhouse Overall, the exterior of the farmhouse appears to be in fair to poor condition. The exterior facade is clad in red brick (stretcher bond), which appears to be in fair condition, with some areas of poor condition showing step cracking, damaged bricks, mortar loss, efflorescence, and staining. The brick porch piers appear to be in fair condition with areas of poor condition showing efflorescence, mortar loss, step cracking, and brick delamination. The brick chimneys appear to be in fair condition with some efflorescence. The stone foundation appears to be in good condition. The ground and second floor wood porch appears to be in poor condition with areas of wood rot, damage, delaminated and missing floor boards and soffit boards, damaged fascia boards, paint flaking, and deformation of the second floor porch structure. The wood porch stairs appear to be poor condition with areas of defective condition showing wood rot, delaminated wood, deformation, and biological staining. The wood dormers appear to be in fair condition and have been overclad with vinyl siding. The windows and doors appear to be modern inserts which are in good condition. The black asphalt shingles appear to be in poor to fair condition, with areas of poor condition showing curling and missing shingles. The wood fascia and soffits appear to be in fair condition, with areas of poor condition showing paint flaking, wood cracks, and unsympathetic repairs. Farmhouse porch condition (ERA, 2022). 27ISSuED: 9 DECEMBER 2022 The existing metal flashing, gutters, and downspouts appear to be in fair condition, with some areas of poor condition showing biological staining and vegetation growth in the gutters (requiring cleaning). The masonry retaining wall appears to be in poor condition, with areas of defective condition where the masonry has cracked, delaminated, and shifted. Barn Overall, the barn building exterior appears to be in poor condition. The concrete foundation appears to be in fair condition, with areas of poor condition showing step cracking and material delamination. The wood siding appears to be in poor to fair condition, with some areas of defective condition where there is missing and damaged siding. The existing window and door openings have been boarded up and were not reviewed. The existing metal roof appears to be in poor condition, with areas of rusting and deformed metal. The existing metal flashing, gutters, and downspouts appear to be in defective condition with areas of missing, damaged, and deformed gutters and downspouts. Retaining wall condition (ERA, 2022). Barn foundation condition (ERA, 2022). 28 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD, CLAREMONT Looking east towards the farmhouse from Old Brock Road. Note the semi-circular driveway, mature trees, and retaining wall (ERA, 2022). View of the farmhouse (ERA, 2022). 29ISSuED: 9 DECEMBER 2022 Farmhouse, west elevation (ERA, 2022). Farmhouse, west elevation and retaining wall (ERA, 2022). 30 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD, CLAREMONT Farmhouse, north elevation (ERA, 2022). Farmhouse, south elevation (ERA, 2022). 31ISSuED: 9 DECEMBER 2022 Farmhouse, east elevation (ERA, 2022). 32 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD, CLAREMONT Barn, south elevation (ERA, 2022). 33ISSuED: 9 DECEMBER 2022 Barn, west elevation (ERA, 2022). Barn, east elevation (ERA, 2022). 34 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD, CLAREMONT Barn, north elevation (ERA, 2022). 35ISSuED: 9 DECEMBER 2022 Silo, beside barn (ERA, 2022). 36 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD, CLAREMONT Silos, at centre of Site (ERA, 2022). 37ISSuED: 9 DECEMBER 2022 View of the silos from Old Brock Road (ERA, 2022). Looking north on Old Brock Road from the Site (ERA, 2022). 38 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD, CLAREMONT Looking north on Old Brock Road from the Site (ERA, 2022). Looking south on Old Brock Road from the Site (ERA, 2022). 39ISSuED: 9 DECEMBER 2022 5 dEScription of thE propoSEd dEvElopmEnt The proposed development involves the full retention of the existing farmhouse within a new residential subdivision, including 71 lots for detached dwellings, new public roads, a new public park, open space buffers, and two stormwater management facilities. Franklin Street, which currently terminates at the south property line, will be extended north to Lane Street through the Site. A new street (currently “Street A”) is proposed to the north of the farmhouse, providing vehicular and pedestrian access to the subdivision from Old Brock Road. To accommodate new residential lots (nos. 27, 29, and 30), the existing barn and silos are proposed to be removed. The farmhouse will be retained in-situ on a dedicated lot (no. 71), surrounded by green space, with minimal regrading along the north lot line and a replacement septic bed to the south of the farmhouse. It will be set back from its new north, east, and south property lines by 24 metres, 19 metres, and 36 metres, respectively. The existing 37-metre setback from Old Brock Road will be maintained, along with the semi-circular driveway, mature trees, and retaining wall in front of the farmhouse. The northernmost driveway access of the semi-circular driveway may be relocated to Street A, due to its close proximity to the new intersection, however the southernmost access will remain in its existing location. At the northeast corner of the lot, a new detached garage is proposed. Per the terms of the Site’s sale agreement, Lot 71 will remain in the ownership of the previous owner of the full development site. North of Lot 71, three new proposed residential lots will have frontage onto Old Brock Road (lots 30, 11 and 1). Per the terms of a mediated settlement with the City of Pickering, these lots are proposed to be separated and sheltered from Old Brock Road via a 1.8-metre wood privacy fence and continuous white spruce hedgerow. Further, these new houses will be subject to specific architectural control guidelines, which are currently being developed by the proponent’s architectural team. 40 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD, CLAREMONT Preliminary servicing plan for the Site, showing the location of the farmhouse, to be retained, and barn/silos, to be removed (SCS Consulting Group). Farmhouse (to be retained)Barn (to be removed)Silos (to be removed) 41ISSuED: 9 DECEMBER 2022 Preliminary servicing plan for the Site, showing the proposed layout of the subdivision. The farmhouse lot, Lot 71, is highlighted in blue (SCS Consulting Group; annotated by ERA). 42 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD, CLAREMONT 6 impact aSSESSmEnt Below is the framework provided by the Province for assessing negative impacts to a cultural heritage resource. Negative impact on a cultural heritage resource include, but are not limited to: Destruction of any, or part of any, sig- nificant heritage attributes or features; Alteration that is not sympathetic, or is incompatible, with the historic fabric and appearance; Shadows created that alter the appear- ance of a heritage attribute or change the viability of a natural feature or plantings, such as a garden; Isolation of a heritage attribute from its surrounding environment, context or a significant relationship; Direct or indirect obstruction of signifi- cant views or vistas within, from, or of built and natural features; A change in land use such as rezoning a battlefield from open space to residential use, allowing new development or site al- teration to fill in the formerly open spaces; Land disturbances such as a change in grade that alters soils, and drainage patterns that adversely affect an archaeo- logical resource. (Ontario Heritage Toolkit). The Site is not listed on the City’s Heritage Register, or designated under Section 29, Part IV of the OHA. Based on historical research, our evaluation finds that the Site meets the O. Reg. 9/06 Criteria for design/physical, historical/associative, and contextual value. ERA has thus prepared a draft Statement of Significance to accompany the Site’s recommended designation under Part IV of the OHA. The proposed development anticipates the following impacts to the Site’s cultural heritage value, as identified in ERA’s draft Statement of Significance: • Removal of the barn and silos to accommodate new resi- dential lots: the barn and silos, both of which contribute to the Site’s value as a representative historic Ontario farmstead and are identified as heritage attributes, are both proposed to be removed in service of the proposed new subdivision neighbourhood; • Isolation of the farmhouse from its agricultural context on the Site: the proposed development anticipates the erection of a suburban community on the historic farm, which repre- sents the disconnection of the farmhouse building from its historic rural context, and the reduction of its lot size to 0.51 hectares; • New construction in the immediate vicinity of the farm- house, including new houses on estate size lots, a detached garage, a replacement septic bed, and a new road: the influx of new development presents an impact on the extant resource’s legibility as an historic farmhouse and its promi- nence as an historic resource; and • Alteration of the Site’s existing rural landscape and topog- raphy along Old Brock Road: the Site’s cultural heritage value as a representative Ontario farmstead is communicated in part by the expansive rural landscape along the east side of Old Brock Road. Alterations to this landscape are proposed, including the addition of four new residential lots fronting Old Brock Road, the development of the expansive land- scape beyond them, and the installation of a suburban-style 1.8-metre wood privacy fence and continuous hedgerow along the Old Brock Road Site boundary. 43ISSuED: 9 DECEMBER 2022 The potential impacts identified on the previous page are proposed to be partially mitigated through the strategy recommended in Section 7 of this report, which includes various landscape and design measures. As an individual heritage resource, the farmhouse will not be adversely impacted by the proposed development. All of its draft heritage attributes will be conserved, including the existing front-yard setback and views of the farmhouse from Old Brock Road. Although a minimal change in grade is proposed (up to 0.60m) – with an upward slope towards the north lot line and a gradual decline as it nears the west lot line – it is not anticipated that any landscape features will be impacted. The realignment of the semi-circular driveway’s northernmost entrance constitutes a neutral impact to the Site’s cultural heritage value. With respect to the proposed septic bed south of the farmhouse, the size and geometry will be confirmed at the building permit application stage, at which point efforts will be made to retain any trees within its vicinity, and in particular to retain trees that obscure views of the septic bed from the front lawn and from Old Brock Road. Any trees requiring removal will be replaced. 44 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD, CLAREMONT 7 conSidErEd altErnativES and mitigation StratEgiES The potential impacts of the proposed development on the Site’s cultural heritage value are proposed to be partially mitigated through the implementation of a buffer zone around the retained farmhouse, and a recommended design and landscape strategy for new development, which would interpret the Site’s rural character. It is recommended that the mitigation strategies be incorporated and finalized through the Detailed Design stage. Impact: removal of the barn and silos The barn and silos are proposed to be removed to accommodate new residential lots. To mitigate this impact, it is recommended that the barn’s wood materials be salvaged for future reuse, either as part of an on-site installation or as an off-site contribution to other local historic barn structures, to be determined as the design/development process advances. Impact: isolation of the farmhouse from its agricultural context To mitigate the impact of the farmhouse’s isolation from its sprawling agricultural context, a green buffer zone has been maintained around the farmhouse. The farmhouse will be retained in-situ on a dedicated lot, with generous setbacks from the north, east, and south properties lines (24 metres, 19 metres, and 36 metres). The existing setback from Old Brock Road will be conserved, along with the semi-circular driveway and mature front-yard trees. The northernmost driveway access of the semi-circular driveway may be relocated to Street A, due to its close proximity to the new intersection, however the southernmost access will remain in its existing location. In addition to creating a buffer zone around the retained heritage building, the setbacks will conserve the farmhouse’s historical relationship to Old Brock Road, in order to mitigate the impact of reducing the farmstead lot size. This is consistent with the policy direction set out in the City of Pickering’s Official Plan, which states “retain the original location and orientation of such [heritage] structures” (8.9 (a)). Impact: new construction in the immediate vicinity of the farmhouse To mitigate the impact of new neighbourhood construction in the immediate vicinity of the farmhouse, a set of specific architectural control guidelines are currently being developed for the new estate 45ISSuED: 9 DECEMBER 2022 lots along Old Brock Road, which are proposed to incorporate a mix of traditional and contemporary styles, and materials like siding, stone and brick. It is ERA’s recommendation that the architectural control guidelines be expressly crafted to interpret and communicate rural / agricultural built character - particularly for the four houses flanking Old Brock Road north of the farmhouse, and for any other houses that would be considered adjacent to the farmhouse. This contemporary interpretation of rural built character might include simple box forms and gabled roof pitches, and siding as the predominant material, with contemporary masonry employed as an accent. It is recommended that the houses flanking Old Brock Road and any others adjacent to the farmhouse be designed to be contemporary in style, so that they reflect their own architectural era and allow the farmhouse to remain prominent and distinct as an historic resource. The new garage on the farmhouse lot is currently proposed to embody this approach, with a contemporary design and siting northeast of the house that references and interprets the historic barns on the farmstead (including the extant one currently proposed to be removed). ERA recommends interpretive design elements that may include wood double-doors for any garage bays, vertical board siding and a simple gabled roof pitch, as well as a colour palette that complements the farmhouse. With respect to the new road north of the farmhouse, it is anticipated that the entrance will be designed as a semi-urbanized right-of-way cross-section for the portion of Street A adjacent to the existing lot, which includes a narrowed pavement width (7m from 8.5m) and a ditch only on the south side of the roadway, to conserve its rural character. Other recommended strategies include alternatives to asphalt (e.g. interlocking paving), non-manicured green landscaping at the edges (e.g. bioswales), and trees (3-4) on either side of the street as it enters the subdivision. The proposed stormwater management pond on the north side of the new road, which provides landscaped buffer space between the farmhouse and its developed surroundings, is recommended to be designed with an explicitly rural character. Existing condition along the east side of Old Brock Road (ERA, 2022). 46 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD, CLAREMONT Impact: alteration of the Site’s existing rural landscape and topography along Old Brock Road The introduction of four new residential lots with flankage onto Old Brock Road (one south and three north of the farmhouse) will present an impact to the current expansive rural landscape context on the east side of Old Brock Road. There is a history of contemporary infill of the rural landscapes along Old Brock Road, for example in the mid-20th century when several new houses were built fronting onto the west side of the street, across from the Site. unlike the precedents along the west side, in this instance the redevelopment of the street’s east side is characterized by a suburban subdivision approach, which includes the orientation of houses flanking Old Brock Road to internal streets instead, and a 1.8-metre-high wood privacy fence and continuous white spruce hedgerow along the extent of Old Brock Road to screen the development from the street. In order to address the impact of the conversion of Old Brock Road’s east side from a rural streetscape to a suburban neighbourhood, it is ERA’s recommendation that a mitigation strategy could include: • The location of the continuous white spruce hedgerow along the west side of the fence, to screen views of the suburban wood privacy fence from Old Brock Road; • Retention of the existing landscape character along Old Brock Road, including existing landscape features like random/ irregular scrub, tall fallow-field grasses, and existing trees where possible; • Low, wood, rural-style fencing framing or marking the entrances into the subdivision streets; and • Contemporary interpretation of rural character for the build- ings flanking Old Brock Road, which might include simple box forms and gabled roof pitches, and siding as the predomi- nant material, with contemporary masonry employed as an accent. 47ISSuED: 9 DECEMBER 2022 8 rEcommEndEd conSErvation StratEgy The proposed conservation approach is rehabilitation, including the introduction of 71 new residential lots to the Site, and the full retention of the 1916 farmhouse in-situ. A buffer zone is proposed around the farmhouse, with generous setbacks from the north, east, and south properties lines (24 metres, 19 metres, and 36 metres). The existing setback from Old Brock Road will be maintained, along with the front- yard mature trees, semi-circular driveway, and retaining wall. The farmhouse itself is proposed for preservation, maintaining its existing materials, form, and integrity while conserving its heritage value. The conservation approach is supported by a broader design and landscape strategy, which includes a recommended interpretive rural landscape strategy, and recommended design guidelines for the new houses along Old Brock Road. These strategies, which are informed by the historic Ontario Farmstead typology, are intended to respond to the Site’s rural character, while making new work “physically and visually compatible with, subordinate to and distinguishable from the historic place” (Standards and Guidelines, pg.23). Given that the farmhouse lot will be retained by the previous landowner, it is recommended that the property owner address the following baseline conservation scope, identified in the condition assessment in Section 4, as part of normal maintenance and repairs on an ongoing basis: • Repair of wrap-around verandah; • Repair and replacement of exterior stairs and retaining wall; • Repair and replacement of roof materials, where necessary; • Replacement of windows to match original profiles; and • Masonry and stone cleaning, repair, and replacement where necessary. Rehabilitation: the action or process of making possible a continuing or com- patible contemporary use of an historic place, or an individual component, while protecting its heritage value. Restoration: the action or process of ac- curately revealing, recovering or repre- senting the state of an historic place, or of an individual component, as it appeared at a particular period in its history, while protecting its heritage value. Preservation: the action or process of protecting, maintaining, and/or stabi- lizing the existing materials, form, and integrity of a historic place or of an indi- vidual component, while protecting its heritage value. (Standards and Guidelines for the Con- servation of Historic Places in Canada) 48 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD, CLAREMONT 9 concluSion and rEcommEndationS The Site is comprised of a farmstead property, including a farmhouse, barn, and four silos. Based on historical research, it is estimated that the farmhouse was built in 1916 by G.M. Forsyth, a prominent municipal leader and farmer in Claremont. Our evaluation finds that the property meets the O. Reg. 9/06 Criteria for design/physical, historical/associative, and contextual value. As such, the property is a candidate for designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the OHA. The proposed development involves the full retention of the farmhouse in-situ within a new residential subdivision, including 71 lots for detached dwellings. A buffer zone is proposed around the retained farmhouse, with generous setbacks from the north, east, and south properties lines. The existing setback from Old Brock Road will be maintained, along with the front-yard mature trees and semi-circular driveway. All of the identified heritage attributes relating to the farmhouse, as an individual component of the farmstead, will be conserved. The potential negative impacts of the proposed development are proposed to be partially mitigated through the implementation of a buffer zone around the retained farmhouse, and a recommended design and landscape strategy for new development, which would interpret the Site’s rural character. This would include design guidelines for the new houses along Old Brock Road, and an interpretive rural landscape strategy. Overall, the proposed development balances the planning and heritage objectives for the Site, in accordance with relevant provincial and municipal heritage policies, and the recognized professional standards in the field of heritage conservation in Canada. 49ISSuED: 9 DECEMBER 2022 appEndix a: projEct pErSonnEl Philip Evans OAA, MRAIC, ICOMOS, CAHP is a Principal at ERA and the founder of Culture of Outports and small. Over the course of 17 years working in the field of heritage conservation, he has led a wide range of conservation, adaptive reuse, design, and feasibility planning projects. Samantha Irvine JD, ICOMOS, CAHP is a Senior Associate with the heritage planning team at ERA, where she has overseen projects that impact culturally significant buildings, neighbourhoods and landscapes since 2015. She holds a BA in History and Sociology from McGill university (Great Distinction); MA degrees in Historical & Sustainable Architecture (NYu) and Sustainable urbanism (Wales); and a JD from Queen’s university. She is a member of the Ontario Bar Association and a former Fellow of Sustainable urbanism with the Prince’s Foundation in London, England. Emma Abramowicz CAHP is a Planner and Senior Project Manager at ERA Architects. She holds a BAH in History from Queen’s university, and a Master of Planning from Ryerson university. Her prior experience includes public-sector heritage work in Ontario and Alberta, including heritage planning and urban design in the Town of Banff, AB. Jamie Glasspool is a Heritage Planner at ERA Architects, specializing in historical research and analysis. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in urban Studies from McGill university, where he also completed a semester abroad at the university of Manchester. 50 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD, CLAREMONT appEndix B: liSt of SourcES Archives of Ontario. (n.d.). Assessment rolls 1901-1924 for Pickering Township. Claremont past and present. (1938). https://corporate.pickering.ca/PLHCWebLink/ElectronicFile.aspx?docid=171071&dbid=0 Claremont Women’s Institute. (n.d.). Tweedsmuir history. https://corporate.pickering.ca/PLHCWebLink/ElectronicFile.aspx?docid=171298&dbid=0 Gauslin, L. M. (1974). From paths to planes: a story of the Claremont area. https://corporate.pickering.ca/PLHCWebLink/ElectronicFile.aspx?docid=171275&dbid=0 Ian Macpherson Associates. (1978). Claremont secondary plan study heritage inventory. https://corporate.pickering.ca/PLHCWebLink/ElectronicFile.aspx?docid=171187&dbid=0 Library and Archives Canada. (n.d.). Census 1901, 1911, 1921. https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/Pages/census.aspx McGill university. (2001). Canadian county atlas digital project. https://digital.library.mcgill.ca/countyatlas/ Miller, R. A. (1973). The Ontario village of Brougham. The Alger Press Limited. https://corporate.pickering.ca/PLHCWebLink/ElectronicFile.aspx?docid=169099&dbid=0 Ontario Land Registry. (n.d.). Abstract index for concession 9 lot 18, Pickering Township. https://www.onland.ca/ui/40/books/search. https://www.onland.ca/ui/40/books/search Pickering Library. (n.d.). Local history collection digital archive. https://corporate.pickering.ca/PLHCWebLink/Welcome.aspx university of Toronto. (n.d.). Ontario historical county map project. https://utoronto.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html? 51ISSuED: 9 DECEMBER 2022 appEndix c: hEritagE policy rEviEw The following policy documents were reviewed in the preparation of this report: • Parks Canada Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada (Second Edition); • The Ontario Heritage Tool Kit; • Provincial Policy Statement (2020); • A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horse- shoe (2019); • Ontario Heritage Act (R.S.O. 1990); • Durham Regional Official Plan (consolidated 2020); and • City of Pickering Official Plan, Edition 9 (consolidated 2022). Provincial Policy Statement (2020) The PPS guides the creation and implementation of planning policy across Ontario municipalities, and provides a framework for the conservation of heritage resources, including the following relevant policies: 2.6.1 Significant built heritage resources and significant cultural heritage landscapes shall be conserved. 2.6.3 Planning authorities shall not permit development and site alteration on adjacent lands to protected heritage property except where the proposed development and site alteration has been evaluated and it has been demonstrated that the heritage attributes of the protected heritage property will be conserved. A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2020) The Growth Plan, 2019 is the Province of Ontario’s initiative to plan for growth and development in a way that supports economic prosperity, protects the environment, and helps communities achieve a high quality of life. Section 1.2.1 of Guiding Principles includes: Conserve and promote cultural heritage resources to support the social, economic, and cultural well-being of all communities, including First Nations and Métis communities. Conserved: means the identification, protection, management and use of built heritage resources, cultural heritage landscapes and archaeological resources in a manner that ensures their cultural heritage value or interest is retained. This may be achieved by the implementation of recommendations set out in a conserva- tion plan, archaeological assessment, and/or heritage impact assessment that has been approved, accepted or adopted by the relevant planning authority and/or decision-maker. Mitigative measures and/ or alternative development approaches can be included in these plans and as- sessments (PPS, 2020). 52 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD, CLAREMONT With the objective of “protecting what is valuable”, Section 4.2.7 of the Growth Plan (2020) states: 1. Cultural heritage resources will be conserved in order to foster a sense of place and benefit communities, particularly in strategic growth areas. Durham Regional Official Plan (2020) Section 2 of the Durham Regional Official Plan relates to the environment and provides the goal “to preserve and foster the attributes of communities and the historic and cultural heritage of the Region”. Cultural heritage policies include: 2.2.11 The conservation, protection and/or enhancement of Durham’s built and cultural heritage resources is encouraged. 2.3.49 Regional Council shall encourage Councils of the area municipalities to utilize the Ontario Heritage Act to conserve, protect and enhance the built and cultural heritage resources of the municipality, to establish Municipal Heritage Committees to consult regarding matters relating to built and cultural heritage resources planning and, the designation of heritage conservation districts and properties as provided for in the Ontario Heritage Act. City of Pickering Official Plan (2022) Chapter 8 of the Pickering Official Plan addresses cultural heritage, stating that “City Council shall respect its cultural heritage, and conserve and integrate important cultural heritage resources from all time periods into the community” (Policy 8.1). The following heritage policies are relevant to the Site: 8.8 City Council, in consultation with its heritage committee, shall: (c) discourage or prevent the demolition or inappropriate alteration of a heritage resource, but where demolition or inappropriate alteration is unavoidable: (i) consider the acquisition and conservation of the resource; and (ii) if acquisition is not possible, conduct a thorough review and documentation of the resource for archival purposes; 53ISSuED: 9 DECEMBER 2022 8.9 City Council shall consider the following guidelines on the use and reuse of heritage resources: (a) maintain, if possible, the original use of heritage structures and sites, and if possible, retain the original location and orientation of such structures; (b) where original uses cannot be maintained, support the adaptive reuse of heritage structures and sites to encourage resource conservation; Although not directly applicable to the Site, it should be noted that the Site borders the Hamlet of Claremont, a Rural Settlement identified in Chapter 13 of the Official Plan. Cultural heritage policies include: 13.12 City Council shall: (a) encourage opportunities for enhancing the historic village of Claremont through general or site specific zoning that allows the introduction of arts and craft studios, custom workshops and small-scale commercial enterprises on suitable sites, providing the historic character of the village and the interests of neighbouring residents are respected; 54 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD, CLAREMONT appEndix d: clarEmont SEcondary plan Study hEritagE invEntory (1978) PAGE 1 OF 11 ERA Architects Inc. #600-625 Church St Toronto ON, M4Y 2G1 Subject:HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT ADDENDUM Issued To:City of Pickering (Development Department) 1 The Esplanade, Pickering, ON L1V 6K7 tel: 905-420-4660 ext. 2035 Memo #:2 Project:5113 Old Brock Road, Claremont Project #: 21-332-02 Prepared By:Emma Abramowicz, Jamie Glasspool Date Issued: June 14, 2023 5113 OLD BROCK ROAD HIA ADDENDUM This Heritage Impact Assessment (“HIA”) Addendum has been prepared by ERA Architects Inc. (“ERA”), on behalf of Geranium Claremont Inc. (“Geranium”), to supplement the HIA for the proposed development at 5113 Old Brock Road (the “Site”). The proposed development includes 71 lots for detached dwellings (including one lot for the retained farmhouse), new public roads, a new public park, open space buffers, and two stormwater management facilities. A Zoning By-Law Amendment application and Draft Plan of Subdivision application were made by Geranium and approved at the Ontario Land Tribunal (“OLT”) in August, 2022, subject to the conditions of the Draft Plan of Subdivision approval outlined in the Minutes of Settlement, which required an HIA as a condition of approval. An HIA was prepared by ERA and submitted to the City of Pickering (the “City”) on December 9, 2022. The City’s peer reviewer, Heritage Studio, provided comments on the HIA to Geranium Claremont Inc. on March 3, 2023. In accordance with the recommendations of the peer review, this addendum supplements the HIA to include: • The identification of negative impacts to views/vistas in accordance with the Ontario Heritage Tool Kit; and • A discussion of considered alternatives as explained in Section 2.5 of this letter and/or an acknowledgment of why considered alternatives were not included or dismissed. Additionally, this addendum provides recommendations for the interpretive rural landscape strategy and architectural control guidelines, as requested by the City of Pickering. Background Research and Analysis The peer review includes the following comments on the background research and analysis section: • The property description in Section 1.3 dates the barn’s construction from early to mid-20th century. Based on the property research provided, it seems more plausible that the existing barn dates to approximately 1896. The HIA notes that the foundation is cement but given that no interior inspection of the barn was completed, it is possible that the foundation is stonework that has been parged with a cement-based mortar. ERA has since conducted an interior site visit at the barn on March 14, 2023. Based on the findings of our site visit, it is unlikely that the barn dates to approximately 1896. While some lumber may have been salvaged from an earlier barn Attachment 3 to Report PLN 29-24 PAGE 2 OF 11 ERA Architects Inc. #600-625 Church St Toronto ON, M4Y 2G1 structure, the foundation in the interior of the barn was found to be cement. This is supported by our discovery of an earlier stone foundation immediately east of the existing structure, which is more likely associated with the c. 1896 (or another earlier) barn structure. Cultural Heritage Value The peer review includes the following comments on the cultural heritage value section: • I agree with the identified cultural heritage values but would consider the inclusion of two additional contextual values. The property has contextual value because it: ii. is physically, functionally, visually or historically linked to its surroundings. iii. is a landmark. Upon further review, ERA concurs that the property meets the criteria identified in the peer review. Below is a summary of the Site’s cultural heritage value, updating the Ontario Regulation 9/06 Analysis on page 21 of the HIA to include two additional elements of value: • It has design value as a representative example of an historic Ontario farmstead, including a representative early- 20th century American Foursquare farmhouse. • It has historical/associative value for its direct association with G.M. Forsyth, a prominent municipal leader and farmer who is historically significant to the community of Claremont. • It has contextual value for defining, maintaining, and supporting a rural character along Old Brock Road in Claremont; for its physical, functional, visual, and historical links to its rural surroundings; and as a local landmark in Claremont. The additional contextual values are already expressed through the following draft heritage attributes included in the original HIA: • Its location on the east side of Old Brock Road, just north of the village of Claremont; • Views of the farmhouse, barn, and silos across fields from Old Brock Road. Cement foundation in barn interior (ERA, 14 March 2023). Earlier stone foundation to the east of the existing barn (ERA, 14 March 2023). PAGE 3 OF 11 ERA Architects Inc. #600-625 Church St Toronto ON, M4Y 2G1 Proposed Development Although the proposed development remains substantially in accordance with the HIA submitted on December 9, 2022, the approach to the driveway alteration has been confirmed. This includes the creation of a new driveway entrance from Street A, connecting to the existing driveway north of the farmhouse, with the removal of the existing north entrance from Old Brock Road. The existing south entrance from Old Brock Road will be retained. Landscape plan showing the proposed driveway alteration (Schollen & Company, 2022; annotated by ERA). New driveway.Retained driveway.Removed driveway. PAGE 4 OF 11 ERA Architects Inc. #600-625 Church St Toronto ON, M4Y 2G1 Impact Assessment The peer review includes the following comments on the impact assessment section: • The impact assessment identifies potential negative impacts to the property’s cultural heritage value as identified in the draft Statement of Significance. For the sake of clarity, this section should include “negative” as a descriptor for “impact”. • I agree with the identified negative impacts, which are succinctly described and, in some instances, would benefit from additional explanation/analysis. For example, the fourth impact notes that the Site’s cultural heritage value as a representative Ontario farmstead is communicated in part by the expansive rural landscape along the east side of Old Brock Road. I would argue that one of the most important elements of the Ontario farmstead is the expansive views and rural landscape character and that the change in land use (Ontario Heritage Tool Kit impact #7) is less of an “alteration” and more of an absolute negative impact. • Lastly, they have not identified the following potential negative impact from the Ontario Heritage Tool Kit: Direct or indirect obstruction of significant views or vistas within, from, or of built and natural features [...] An analysis of potential adverse impacts to identified views/vistas in the draft Statement of Significance should be included in the HIA report. Accordingly, it is anticipated that the proposed development will have the following negative impacts on the Site’s cultural heritage value and attributes: • Removal of the barn and silos to accommodate new residential lots: the barn and silos, both of which contribute to the Site’s value as a representative historic Ontario farmstead and are identified as heritage attributes, are both proposed to be removed in service of the proposed new subdivision neighbourhood; • Isolation of the farmhouse from its agricultural context on the Site: the proposed development anticipates the erection of a suburban community on the historic farm, which represents the disconnection of the farmhouse building from its historic rural context, and the reduction of its lot size to 0.51 hectares; • New construction in the immediate vicinity of the farmhouse, including new houses on estate size lots, a detached garage, a replacement septic bed, and a new road: the influx of new development presents a negative impact on the extant resource’s legibility as an historic farmhouse and its prominence as an historic resource; and • Change in land use allowing the redevelopment of the Site’s rural landscape along Old Brock Road: the Site’s cultural heritage value as a representative Ontario farmstead is communicated in part by the expansive rural landscape along the east side of Old Brock Road. This landscape will be transformed through the addition of four new residential lots fronting Old Brock Road, the development of the expansive landscape beyond them, and the installation of a suburban-style 1.8-metre wood privacy fence and continuous hedgerow along the Old Brock Road Site boundary. • Direct obstruction of significant views of the farmhouse, barn, and silos across fields from Old Brock Road: while the farmhouse will remain visible from Old Brock Road, the introduction of new houses and a 1.8 metre wood privacy fence directly obstructs the view of the farmhouse looking southeast across fields from Old Brock Road (see photo on following page). The removal of the barn and silos will also alter these significant views and constitutes a negative impact to these views. PAGE 5 OF 11 ERA Architects Inc. #600-625 Church St Toronto ON, M4Y 2G1 View of the farmhouse and barn, looking southeast across fields from Old Brock Road; a future residential lot with a subdivision fence (ERA, 14 March 2023). View of the barn and silos, looking west across fields from Old Brock Road; a future residential lot with a subdivision fence (ERA, 14 March 2023). PAGE 6 OF 11 ERA Architects Inc. #600-625 Church St Toronto ON, M4Y 2G1 Mitigation Strategies The peer review includes the following comments on the mitigation strategies: • The HIA report recommends either reuse of the wood material as part of an on-site installation or off-site as a contribution to other local historic barn structures. On-site installation is recommended as this would provide an opportunity to reinterpret the property’s agricultural history either at one of the entrances to the subdivision or within the public park space. Furthermore, how and where the salvaged wood will be stored for the future reinstallation as part of landscape strategy should be identified. • The property (farmhouse, barn, silos and setting) should be photographically documented prior to development, including earth works, and the photographs and ERA’s HIA report should be deposited at the Pickering Public Library archives. ERA visited to the Site on March 14, 2023 to document the barn, silos, and earthworks (i.e. earlier stone foundation) prior to the issuance of a demolition permit for these structures. A documentation and salvage strategy was issued to the City of Pickering on March 22, 2023, which provides documentation photographs and the recommended strategy for salvaging materials for future reuse on-Site, including how and where the salvaged wood will be stored. The documentation photographs (dated March 14, 2023) are complemented by the photographs taken as part of the HIA. The peer review includes the following additional recommendations: View of the silos, looking west across fields from Old Brock Road (ERA, 21 September 2022). PAGE 7 OF 11 ERA Architects Inc. #600-625 Church St Toronto ON, M4Y 2G1 I recommend that as part of the ongoing development approvals process, the heritage consultant prepare and submit a scoped Conservation Plan to City Heritage Staff that further develops and details: • The interpretive rural landscape strategy (including on-site installation and interpretation of the salvaged barn, trees and plantings, fencing, street naming, etc.). • ERA’s recommended architectural guidelines for houses constructed on lots adjacent to the historic farmhouse. As these recommendations constitute impact mitigation measures, rather than technical conservation scope, they have been included instead in this HIA Addendum. A scoped Conservation Plan is recommended to follow to address the technical conservation scope for the farmhouse property. ERA has prepared a set of recommendations to (i) facilitate the conservation of the remaining farmhouse and landscape on Lot 71; and (ii) conserve (as far as possible), reference and interpret the historic rural landscape character along Old Brock Road, at Claremont’s north end. The recommendations are organized into three directive areas: a. Building Design b. Landscape Design c. Additional Heritage Interpretation Building Design While the following Building Design recommendations could be appropriate to the full subdivision, they are only recommended for the lots (a) along Old Brock Road and (b) adjacent to Lot 71. This includes Lots 1, 11, 29, 30, 31, 32. These recommendations should also be applied to any new construction on Lot 71, e.g. a garage. The recommendations are based on the direction in the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada, notably Standard 11, which speaks to new construction on or adjacent to a heritage property. 1. Retain the farmhouse’s prominence and legibility as a distinct historic resource. • Avoid red brick as a building material. • Avoid hipped roofs, or mansard roofs. The farmhouse’s hipped roof should be allowed to remain prominent, with the use of gabled roofs elsewhere. • Consider lower-scaled buildings on lots adjacent to Lot 71. • Use simple architectural expression, with classic gabled roof forms and limited ornamentation, particularly on lots adjacent to Lot 71. 2. Convey the historic character of Old Brock Road through buildings that reference the site’s history as a farm and the area’s history as a rural village. • Convey estate-style character and luxury through substantial living space and high-quality design materials, rather than through expressions of “traditional style” or excessive ornamentation. • Use gabled roofs throughout the neighbourhood, a typical farmstead roof form with an established tradition of contemporary architectural interpretation on rural properties. Avoid hipped roofs and mansard roofs. PAGE 8 OF 11 ERA Architects Inc. #600-625 Church St Toronto ON, M4Y 2G1 • Design buildings with simple forms, including simple rectilinear windows with limited mullions and restrained sills and lintels. • Use natural materials to reference the site’s history as a farmstead, including siding, wood cladding, and clay brick. High-quality stone masonry is recommended to be used primarily as an accent material. Use of stucco should be limited. 3. Distinguish new buildings from the historic farmhouse by designing them to be contemporary, in the architecture of their own time. • Avoid “traditional styles” that reflect earlier eras of architectural design. • Avoid expressive architectural ornamentation or detailing. • Contribute to the streetscape of buildings of various eras along Old Brock Road, rather than trying to reference or replicate an earlier era or style. Landscape Design The following Landscape Design recommendations are intended to support the conservation and legibility of the house on Lot 71 as an historic farmhouse, and to conserve the historic valued rural character along Old Brock Road as far as will be possible, given the forthcoming subdivision development. 1. Retain all extant landscape character on Lot 71, and replace in kind if required. Elements include: • Semi-circular driveway lined with regular coniferous trees; driveway entrance may be altered for access off Street A as long as the semi-circular shape is retained; • Retaining wall; • Green buffers at the south and east edges of the lot, on the boundaries with what will become Lots 31 and 32; • Green lawns; • Gravel paving where driveways or car parking are required. 2. Establish a rural character at the entrance to Street A off Old Brock Road, with naturalized landscape elements including swales, trees, and informally arranged plants. 3. The proponent and the City of Pickering are encouraged to collaborate to ensure an irregular, rural-style landscape design character along the full edge of Old Brock Road, through some combination of the following strategies: • Retain as much of the existing scrub, trees and plants along Old Brock Road as possible. • Select a series of native plants to use in the new landscape along Old Brock Road. • Avoid a polished character when designing the initial subdivision landscape along Old Brock Road. Use irregular plantings of varying scales, rather than green lawns. • Use grasses, plants and trees to screen and frame views of new houses along Old Brock Road, on Lots 1, 11, 30 and 31. • Distinguish the treatment in Old Brock Road flankage of Lots 1, 11, 30 and 31 from the front-yard treatment of the PAGE 9 OF 11 ERA Architects Inc. #600-625 Church St Toronto ON, M4Y 2G1 extant farmhouse on Lot 71. The new residential lots should be less street-facing, more screened, and read as less prominent along Old Brock Road. • Diversify the fencing where it is required on properties along Old Brock Road. Fencing should employ different styles, different stains or paints, and slightly different scales to convey the appearance of a neighbourhood developed over time. The City of Pickering is recommended to permit flexibility in the design of fencing to facilitate this approach. 4. Support the conservation on Lot 71 through an interpretive rural landscape treatment on Lots 29, 30, 32 and 73 (SWM Pond) on their Street A frontage. • Employ native plants of varying scales along the Street A edge; • Use informal permeable paving (e.g. gravel if possible) for driveways and car parking; • Consider using hedgerows or landscaping to screen the chain-linked fence at the edge of the SWM Pond on Lot 73. Additional Heritage Interpretation The Building Design and Landscape Design strategies above are recommended to be supported by the following heritage interpretation interventions which will help to communicate the history of the farmstead at 5113 Old Brock Road. 1. Employ the salvaged stone and wood from the former barns on site in the design of outdoor furniture structures in the neighbourhood park. Furniture structures may include seating, open-air shelters, or others. Designs should be subject to heritage consultant review. The City of Pickering is recommended to permit flexibility in its street furniture standards to facilitate this reuse of salvaged farmstead materials. 2. Consider opportunities for the design of an interpretive public-art installation using the salvaged stone and wood from the former barns on site. 3. Integrate the salvaged agricultural artifacts from the former barn / silos on site into an interpretive installation, likely in the neighbourhood park. Designs should be subject to heritage consultant review. 4. A heritage plaque is recommended to be installed in the neighbourhood park, or elsewhere within the neighbourhood’s public realm. The plaque should speak to the site’s history as a farmstead in the rural village north of Claremont’s core, it should identify the remnant farmhouse on Lot 71, and should identify the salvaged and reused materials. PAGE 10 OF 11 ERA Architects Inc. #600-625 Church St Toronto ON, M4Y 2G1 Considered Alternatives The peer review includes the following comments on considered alternatives: • The HIA does not provide a description of considered alternatives. Given the report’s emphasis on the cultural heritage value of the historic Ontario farmstead landscape, one would expect to see recommendations regarding alternative site layouts that would better conserve the identified cultural heritage values and attributes. The following alternative site layouts were considered to better conserve the Site’s cultural heritage value, but determined to be unfeasible in the context of the proposed development and other planning objectives for the Site. Option A (SWM pond along Old Brock Road): As part of an earlier subdivision layout, the location of the stormwater management (“SWM”) pond was considered along Old Brock Road adjacent to the retained farmhouse. In addition to providing the farmhouse with the greatest possible natural buffer, this would have helped to conserve the rural character of the Site’s Old Brock Road frontage, including the sense of openness and permeability. Ultimately, this option was assessed but determined to present drainage challenges that would impact properties on the west side of Old Brock Road, given the area’s topography. Option B (Park along Old Brock Road): Under a similar subdivision layout, the location of the park along Old Brock Road was explored. Like Option A, this would have provided additional natural buffer for the farmhouse, while helping to conserve the rural character of Old Brock Road. The current proposed location at the centre of the subdivision was selected for its proximity within the new neighbourhood, connections to the existing street network in Claremont (i.e. Franklin Street and Lane Street), and adjacency to small residential streets (as opposed to a major road). Option C (Lower Subdivision Fence): A lower subdivision fence could have been considered along Old Brock Road to reduce the negative impacts on the Site’s cultural heritage value, in particular the impact on the rural character of Old Brock Road. A subdivision fence adjacent to the west property line of Lots 1, 11, and 30 (i.e. on Old Brock Road), is required as a condition of draft plan approval. While the conditions do not specify a required fence height, the proposed 1.8 metres is consistent with the required height for fencing on other lots in the subdivision. The 1.8 metre height is also intended to provide privacy for the homeowners. To offset this impact, the proponent is exploring options to break up the fence and provide additional permeability, as opposed to an uninterrupted barrier. Option A: SWM pond along Old Brock Road, hightlighted in blue (Malone Given Parsons, 2018; annotated by ERA). PAGE 11 OF 11 ERA Architects Inc. #600-625 Church St Toronto ON, M4Y 2G1 Recommended Conservation Strategy The peer review includes the following comments on the recommended conservation strategy section: • Given the number of negative impacts to the cultural heritage values and attributes (described in the draft Statement of Significance), the use of rehabilitation as a conservation approach is a misnomer. • This baseline conservation scope should not be considered “normal maintenance and repairs” as it includes relatively large-scale repair and restoration works. It is recommended that the existing owner (i.e., Claremont Development Inc.) undertake this scope of work as part of the development process. At this time, the primary conservation treatment is preservation of the 1916 farmhouse in-situ on a dedicated lot, with generous setbacks from the north, east, and south properties lines. This involves protecting and maintaining the existing materials, form, and integrity of the farmhouse, while conserving its heritage value. The conservation scope of work will be detailed in a future scoped Conservation Plan, with the work undertaken by Claremont Development Inc. as part of the development process. Please do not hesitate to contact the undersigned should you have any further questions regarding the contents of this HIA Addendum. Sincerely, Emma Abramowicz, Senior Project Manager ERA Architects Inc. -City’s Website Version- Attachment 4 to Report PLN 29-24 Notice of Intent to Designate Property Of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest Take Notice that the Council of the City of Pickering intends to designate the following property as a property of cultural heritage value or interest under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. 0.18 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) 40M2774 Pickering, Ontario Description of Property: 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) is located on the east side of Brock Road. The property is located at the northeastern edge of the former Village of Claremont, Pickering. Reason for Designation: Built in 1916, 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) is valued as a fine representative example of an early-twentieth century American Foursquare farmhouse. This is expressed through its square plan, two-storey scale, hipped roof, and varied design details, including the wrap-around verandah with its two-storey frontispiece. 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) has historical and associative value for its direct association with G.M. Forsyth, a historically significant municipal leader and farmer in Claremont. Forsyth held many major offices in Pickering Township and the Village of Claremont throughout his political career, culminating in his appointment as Warden of Ontario County in 1923. During his term as Reeve of Pickering Township, he was instrumental in bringing hydroelectric power to Claremont. This association is expressed through the grandeur of the farmhouse and its estate-style landscape treatment. 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) has contextual value for defining, maintaining, and supporting a rural character along Brock Road in Claremont. Sited on the northern edge of the village, the property’s agricultural landscape forms the backdrop to the late-nineteenth-century village fabric. Additionally, the property is considered a local landmark in Claremont. Any person may, within 30 days of the publication of this Notice, send by mail or deliver to the City Clerk, a notice of their objection to the proposed designation, together with a statement of reasons for the objection and all relevant facts. A copy of the Historical/Architectural Designation Report PLN 29-24 is available in the Clerks Division, Pickering Civic Complex, One The Esplanade, Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm or by calling 905.420.4611 or by email at clerks@pickering.ca. DATED at the City of Pickering this XX day of XXXX, 2024 Susan Cassel, City Clerk City of Pickering One The Esplanade Pickering, ON L1V 6K7 -Ontario Heritage Trust / Property Owner Version Attachment 5 to Report PLN 29-24 Notice of Intent to Designate Property Of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest Take Notice that the Council of the City of Pickering intends to designate the following property as a property of cultural heritage value or interest under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. 0.18 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) 40M2774 Pickering, Ontario Description of Property: 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) is located on the east side of Brock Road. The property is located at the northeastern edge of the former Village of Claremont, Pickering. Reason for Designation: Built in 1916, 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) is valued as a fine representative example of an early-twentieth century American Foursquare farmhouse. This is expressed through its square plan, two-storey scale, hipped roof, and varied design details, including the wrap-around verandah with its two-storey frontispiece. 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) has historical and associative value for its direct association with G.M. Forsyth, a historically significant municipal leader and farmer in Claremont. Forsyth held many major offices in Pickering Township and the Village of Claremont throughout his political career, culminating in his appointment as Warden of Ontario County in 1923. During his term as Reeve of Pickering Township, he was instrumental in bringing hydroelectric power to Claremont. This association is expressed through the grandeur of the farmhouse and its estate-style landscape treatment. 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) has contextual value for defining, maintaining, and supporting a rural character along Brock Road in Claremont. Sited on the northern edge of the village, the property’s agricultural landscape forms the backdrop to the late-nineteenth-century village fabric. Additionally, the property is considered a local landmark in Claremont. Summary of Attributes for Designation: Key attributes that express the value of the farmhouse as a fine representative example of an early-twentieth century American Foursquare farmhouse, with eclectic architectural and landscape features are: •Scale, form and massing of the two-storey house, with its square plan and flat-topped hipped roof; •Wrap-around verandah, including the two-storey frontispiece, pedimented roof, andTuscan columns; •Five-sided single-storey bay window, covered by the verandah; •Varied segmental-arch window openings; •Dormer windows and chimneys protruding from the attic; -Ontario Heritage Trust / Property Owner Version • Brick materials, laid in a stretcher bond pattern; • Semi-circular front driveway lined with mature trees; • Raised cut-stone foundation; • Its location on the east side of Brock Road, just north of the village of Claremont; • Farmhouse, set back from and oriented towards Brock Road, with front-yard mature trees; • Siting of the farmhouse atop a landscaped pedestal, marked by a retaining wall and split staircase; and • Scrub along the Brock Road frontage. Any person may, within 30 days of the publication of this Notice, send by mail or deliver to the City Clerk, a notice of their objection to the proposed designation, together with a statement of reasons for the objection and all relevant facts. A copy of the Historical/Architectural Designation Report PLN 29-24 is available in the Clerks Division, Pickering Civic Complex, One The Esplanade, Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm or by calling 905.420.4611 or by email at clerks@pickering.ca. DATED at the City of Pickering this XX day of XXXX, 2024 Susan Cassel, City Clerk City of Pickering One The Esplanade Pickering, ON L1V 6K7 Attachment 6 to Report PLN 29-24 The Corporation of the City of Pickering By-law No. XXXX/24 Being a by-law that designates the lands legally described as Lot 17, Plan 40M-2774 (the “Forsyth House”) and municipally known as 5113 Brock Road (Claremont), Pickering, as being cultural heritage value or interest. Whereas the Ontario Heritage Act authorizes the Council of a municipality to enact a by-law to designate real property, including all buildings and structures thereon, to be of cultural heritage value or interest; and Whereas on XXXX XX, 2024, Council endorsed the recommendations of its Heritage Advisory Committee to designate 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) as being of cultural heritage value or interest; and Whereas the Reasons for Designation are set out in Schedule “A” to this by-law; and Whereas the Council of The Corporation of the City of Pickering has caused to be served on the owners of 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) and upon the Ontario Heritage Trust, Notice of Intention to designate the property and has caused the Notice of Intention to be published in a newspaper having general circulation in the municipality as requested by the Ontario Heritage Act; and Now therefore the Council of The Corporation of the City of Pickering enacts as follows: 1. The Forsyth House, known municipally as 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) is designated asbeing of cultural heritage value or interest for reasons set out in Schedule “A” attachedhereto. 2.The City Solicitor is hereby authorized to cause a copy of this by-law to be registered on title to 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) (the Forsyth House). 3.The City Clerk is authorized to cause a copy of this by-law to be served upon the ownersof 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) (the Forsyth House) and the Ontario Heritage Trust andto publish notice of this by-law on the City’s website, in accordance with City ofPickering’s Public Notice Policy ADM100. By-law passed on this XX of XXXX, 2024. ________________________________ Kevin Ashe, Mayor ________________________________ Susan Cassel, City Clerk Schedule “A” By-law No. XXXX/24 Reasons for Designation Description of Property 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) is located on the east side of Brock Road. The property is located at the northeastern edge of the former Village of Claremont, Pickering. Reason for Designation Built in 1916, 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) is valued as a fine representative example of an early-twentieth century American Foursquare farmhouse. This is expressed through its square plan, two-storey scale, hipped roof, and varied design details, including the wrap-around verandah with its two-storey frontispiece. 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) has historical and associative value for its direct association with G.M. Forsyth, a historically significant municipal leader and farmer in Claremont. Forsyth held many major offices in Pickering Township and the Village of Claremont throughout his political career, culminating in his appointment as Warden of Ontario County in 1923. During his term as Reeve of Pickering Township, he was instrumental in bringing hydroelectric power to Claremont. This association is expressed through the grandeur of the farmhouse and its estate-style landscape treatment. 5113 Brock Road (Claremont) has contextual value for defining, maintaining, and supporting a rural character along Brock Road in Claremont. Sited on the northern edge of the village, the property’s agricultural landscape forms the backdrop to the late-nineteenth-century village fabric. Additionally, the property is considered a local landmark in Claremont. Description of Heritage Attributes Key attributes that highlight the value of the farmhouse as a fine representative example of an early-twentieth century American Foursquare farmhouse, featuring eclectic architectural and landscape elements, including: • Scale, form and massing of the two-storey house, with its square plan and flat-topped hipped roof; • Wrap-around verandah, including the two-storey frontispiece, pedimented roof, and Tuscan columns; • Five-sided single-storey bay window, covered by the verandah; • Varied segmental-arch window openings; • Dormer windows and chimneys protruding from the attic; • Brick materials, laid in a stretcher bond pattern; • Semi-circular front driveway lined with mature trees; • Raised cut-stone foundation; • Its location on the east side of Brock Road, just north of the village of Claremont; • Farmhouse, set back from and oriented towards Brock Road, with front-yard mature trees; • Siting of the farmhouse atop a landscaped pedestal, marked by a retaining wall and split staircase; and • Scrub along the Brock Road frontage.