HomeMy WebLinkAboutBy-law 6984/09
THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF PICKERING
BY-LAW NO. 6984/09
Being a by-law to designate the property and buildings
at 3540 Westney Road, Part of Lot 10, -Concession 5
and Part of the Road Allowance Between Lots 10 & 11,
Concession 5, Being Part 1, Plan 40R-5638, Pickering
(Greenwood Schoolhouse) as being of historical and
architectural value or interest.
WHEREAS authority was granted by Council to designate the property and
buildings at 3540 Westney Road, (Greenwood Schoolhouse) as being of cultural
heritage value or interest; and
WHEREAS the Ontario Heritage Act authorizes the Council of the municipality to
enact by-laws to designate real property, including all the buildings and structures
thereon, to be of cultural heritage value or interest; and
WHEREAS the. Council of the City of Pickering has caused to be served upon the
owners of the land and premises known as 3540 Westney Road and upon the
Ontario Heritage Foundation, Notice of Intention to designate the property and
has caused the Notice of Intention to be published in a newspaper having a
general circulation in the. municipality as required by the Ontario. Heritage Act;
and
WHEREAS the reasons for designation are set out in Schedule 'A' to this by-la.w;
and
WHEREAS no notice of objection to the proposed designation was served upon
the Clerk of the municipality.
NOW THEREFORE THE COUNCIL OF THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF
PICKERING ENACTS AS FOLLOWS:
1.. The building at 3540 Westney Road, more particularly described in
Schedule 'A' is designated as being of cultural heritage value or interest.
2. The City Solicitor is hereby authorized to cause a copy of this by-law to.be
registered against the property described in Schedule 'B' to this by-law in
the property Land Registry Office.
3. The City Clerk is authorized to cause a. copy of this by-law to be served
upon the owners of the property at 3540 WestneY Road and upon the
Ontario Heritage Foundation and to cause notice of this by-law to be
published in a newspaper having general circulation in the City of
Pickering as required by the Ontario Heritage Act.
By-law No. 6984/09 (Continued) Page 2
BY-LAW read a First, Second and Third time and finally passed this 21st day of
September; 2009.
David Rya Yor
Debi A. ilcox, City Clerk
By-law No. 6984/09
Schedule 'A'
Reasons for Designation
Greenwood Schoolhouse
3540 Westney Road
The Greenwood schoolhouse is probably the best preserved of the old one-room
schoolhouses in Pickering. While similar in style to other buildings of its type in
the province`it.maintains its classical proportions and fine workmanship combined
with local variations and local materials. Restorations have. been carried out
sympathetically and it is a landmark for the community.
Historically the schoolhouse has been associated with a number of persons of
note, especially "the Chief', John George Diefenbaker, the 13th Prime Minister of
Canada.
Cultural Heritage Value
Several persons of further note, locally and even nationally, have been
associated with this Schoolhouse: Donald Beaton, long time clerk of Pickering
Township; Arthur Johnson, noted area stock breeder and importer; John
Williston, newspaper. editor and biographer of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, 7th Prime
Minister of Canada; and especially John George Diefenbaker, 13th Prime Minister
of Canada.
The Schoolhouse on Lot 11, Concession 5 was built in 1860 during, and due to, a
period of national economic prosperity fed by the Crimean War and the American
Civil War. Exports of Canada products, especially wheat and lumber, were in
high demand during the 1850s and 1860s, which benefited the farmers,
prompting many to build homes on their properties. The economic boom also
prompted the erection of many public buildings and coincided with the promotion
of new functional and substantial schoolhouses for the townships under the
regime of Egerton Ryerson as Superintendent of Education. This Schoolhouse
and property are associated with the colonization of the area in an
agricultural/rural context. Local farmers joined in the profit-sharing of the
economic boom time and used part of that wealth to invest in their children's
future.
Heritage Attributes:
The Schoolhouse is classical in design in accordance with the educational plans
of the era as established by Superintendent of Education, Egerton Ryerson, and
his deputy, J. George Hodgins. Restorations in 1980 preserved the classical
design elements and fine workmanship of the original. It is an excellent example
of the Victorian-era one-room schoolhouses in Ontario. It follows a standard plan
with variations and using local materials. The Schoolhouse is of a local, red
pressed brick with beige brick arches over windows and doors and a beige brick,
four course plinth. The bricks came from a brickyard just a few miles away in
Salem. The classically proportioned wood windows are very finely detailed, of
incredibly delicate muntin bars that all appear, to have survived 148 years of
weathering and use. The builder was R.T. Manuel, probably following some of
the general schoolhouse designs provided by J. George Hodgins, Deputy
Superintendent of Education. Sympathetic renovations were completed in 1980
by the firm of Lett/Smith of Peterborough.
The Schoolhouse is prominently sited on the top of a hill above the hamlet of
Greenwood. It is a well-known landmark. The Schoolhouse is sited close to.
what was once the crossroads of the 6th Concession Road and Sideline 10.
Highway.7 now by-passes the hamlet further to the north of the school, while the
old road runs through the hamlet. Sideline 10 is now named Westney Road
(after a prominent local farm family). The Schoolhouse maintains the-character
of the agricultural/rural surroundings. This building would constitute a familiar
building in the community, being highly visible.
BV-law No. 6984/09
Schedule `B'
Legal Description
Greenwood Schoolhouse
3540 Westney Road
Part of Lot 10, Concession 5 and
Part of the Road Allowance Between Lots 10 & 11;
Concession 5, Being Part 1,
Plan 40R-5638, Pickering (Greenwood Schoolhouse)