HomeMy WebLinkAboutBy-law 2123/85THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF PICKERING
BY-LAW NUMBER 2123/85
Being a by-law to designate property owned
by the Altona Mennonite Church and C~raetery
in the hamlet of Altona as being of archi-
tectural and historical value or interest
WHEREAS pursuant to paragraph (a) of section 29.6 of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O.
1980, c. 337 the council of a municipality is authorized to enact by-laws to designate
real property, including all buildings and structures thereon, to be of architectural
and historic value or interest; and
WHEREAS the Council of the Corporation of the Town of Pickering has caused to be serv-
ed on the owners of the lands and premises being the Altona Mennonite Church and
Cemetery in the hamlet of Altona and upon the Ontario Heritage Foundation, notice of
intention to so designate the aforesaid real property and has caused such notice of
intention to be published in the same newspaper having general circulation in the
municipality once for each of three consecutive weeks; and
WHEREAS no notice of objection to the proposed designation has be~n served on the
clerk of the municipality;
NOW THEREFORE the Council of the Corporation of the Town of Pickering HEREBY ENACTS as
follows:
There is designated as being of architectural and historical value or interest
the real property owned by the Altona Mennonite Church and C~etery in the hamlet
of Altona, more particularly described in Schedule "A" attahced hereto.
The municipal solicitor is hereby authorized to cause a copy of this by-law to be
registered against the property described in Schedule "A" hereto in the proper
land registry office.
The Clerk is hereby authorized to cause a copy of this by-law to be served on the
owner of the aforesaid property and on the Ontario Heritage Foundation and to
cause notice of the passing of this by-law to be published in the same newspaper
having general circulation in the municipality once for each of three consecutive
weeks.
BY-LAW READ a first, second and third time and finally PASSED this 16th day of
Dec6~nber, 1985.
yor
SCHEDULE "A" TO BY-LAW NUP~ER 2123/85
ALL AND SIngULAR that certain parcel or tract of lands and premises situate, lying and
being in the Town of Picketing, in the Regional Municipality of Durha~ and Province of
Ontario and being North Part Lot 30, Concession 9
IN THE MATTER OF
THE ONTARIO HERITAGE ACT
R.S.O. 1980, C}{APTER 337
IN THE MATTER OF
THE LANDS AND PREMISES
KNOWN MUNICIPALLY AS
PART LOT 30, CONCESSION 9
IN THE TOWN OF PICKERING
IN THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO
IN THE ~IATTER OF
TOWN OF PICKERING
BY-LAW NUMBER 2123/85
RF~N FOR DESIGNATION
The history of the Altona Mennonite Church is inseparable from the history
of the Altona community in the Town of Pickering. The name of the hamlet
came from that of Altona (Hamburg-Altona) in Germany. The Dutch Mennonite
congregation in that city enjoyed great freedom of worship under Danish rule
compared with other persecuted areas and produced many prolific writers.
The Mennonites met with persecution in Switzerland and went to America on
the invitation of William Penn in the early eighteenth century. They had
taken an oath of allegiance to Britain for sanctuary in America and even
after the American Revolution, they did not renounce their British
citizenship. Although the Mennonites did not suffer persecution in America,
they chose to remain British subjects by emigrating to various parts of
Ontario, including the Pickering/Stouffville area.
The Mennonite congregation worshipped in the hcmes of members until 1834
when a log school house, also used as a meeting house, was constructed in
Lot 30, Concession 9. In 1850, arrangements were made for the transfer of
one acre, also in Lot 30, Concession 9 from Christian Stouffer for the sam
of five pounds. The deed was not registered until 1852 and renewed in 1857
when the Counties of York, Ontario and Peel were separated.
The present brick building was constructed in 1852 with the first meeting
being held in 1853. The bricks for the church were hauled from the
Cherrywood brickyard by members of the congregation. Themasonry work was
performed by %~illiam Feaster who caught a cold while doing this work and
died on completion of the church.
Over the years, the Altona Mennonite Church served the co~nunity well with
the heads of such respected families like the Nighswanders, the Reesors and
the Widemans acting as Trustees.
Due to urbanization and other influences, the congregation was completely
reorganized into three different affiliations in 1964 so that Altona figured
less and less in the life of former worshippers. The expropriation of the
lands in the area for the proposed airport and the dislocation it produced
removed the possibility that the building might again be used for church
purposes.
On September 15, 1974, the last service was held after which the building
was abandoned as a regular meeting place. The church r~ins today as a re-
minder of the hard work and influence of the Mennonite congregation in the
development of the co~nunity.