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HERITAGE REPORT: REASONS FOR HERITAGE DESIGNATION

Reid Farmhouse 118 Royal West Drive

(Formerly 9521 Mississauga Road)

November 2011

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PROFILE OF SUBJECT PROPERTY:

ROLL NUMBER 21-10-0-800-11192-0000

PIN NUMBER

MUNICIPAL ADDRESS 118 Royal West Drive (formerly 9521 Mississauga Road)

WARD NUMBER 6

LEGAL DESCRIPTION Part of Lot 8, Concession 4, WHS

PROPERTY NAME Reid Farmhouse

CURRENT OWNER Royal West Developments Inc.

CRITERIA GRADE A

CURRENT ZONING Residential

OWNER CONCURRENCE? Yes / No

CURRENT USES AND FUNCTIONS Vacant

PREVIOUS OWNERS AND OCCUPANTS Reid Family

CONSTRUCTION DATE c.1894 RESOURCES ON SUBJECT PROPERTY INCLUDED IN DESIGNATION (circle)

Building Cemetery-Burial site Structure-object

Historic site Cultural heritage landscape

RELEVANT COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS PDD073-2011

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1.0 REASONS FOR HERITAGE DESIGNATION:

The property at 118 Royal West Drive (formerly 9521 Mississauga Road) is worthy of designation under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value or interest. The property meets the criteria for designation prescribed by the Province of Ontario under the three categories of design or physical value, historical value and contextual value.

1.1 STATEMENT EXPLAINING THE CULTURAL HERITAGE VALUE OR INTEREST OF THE PROPERTY:

The cultural heritage value of the Reid Farmhouse is related to its design or physical value as a unique example of the Queen Anne Revival style of architecture. The Queen Anne style was popular from 1890 to 1914, and influenced the design of many vernacular farmhouses. The Queen Anne style draws on elements from a variety of styles and periods. It is distinguished by a variety of design elements such as asymmetrical massing, irregular silhouettes, projecting two-storey bays, multi-sloped roofs, gables, tall decorated chimneys, porches and, intricate woodwork and brickwork. The style began in England but quickly became popular in North America in the late 1800s. Although it exhibited the same form and shape, the American version of the style is more ornate than its English counterpart. The Canadian adaptation of the style drew from both sources; it followed the same asymmetrical shape and form of the American version but was more reserved in terms of decoration.

The Reid Farmhouse is a prime example of a Queen Anne Revival style farmhouse within the Canadian context. The front façade of the house exhibits two popular attributes of the style: asymmetrical massing and a wraparound porch. A verandah begins from the right half of the front façade of the Reid Farmhouse and ends on the side of the house. The roof, although irregular in shape, includes a steeply pitched gable element on the front façade, which is also common to Queen Anne style houses. The slender columns and intricate wood details around the porch represent the more decorative inclination of the style.

The property also has historical or associative value as it can be directly related to Brampton’s early settlers, particularly the Scott Family, Passmore family, and Reid family. John Scott, Chinguacousy’s first Township Clerk, acquired the land for 125 pounds in 1841. Scott built a log homestead on the lot with the help of his sons. The log house lasted well into the 20th century, until it was demolished in 1996 to make room for Highway 407. In 1883, Scott sold a 100-acre parcel of land to the Passmore family for $6,500. After several family transfers, the land was sold to Alfred C. Passmore in 1893. A year later, the Passmore family contracted local Brampton architect, W.B McCulloch to build the present farmhouse. The Queen Anne Style brick house was later acquired by Weir McCulloch Reid in 1919. He lived on the farm with his wife and six children, and farmed for several years until his death in 1970.

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The house was built with a kitchen, pantry, dining room, double living room, six bedrooms, a large attic, an equipped bathroom, a full basement and an attached woodshed. The house reflects the work of notable Brampton architect William B. McCulloch. McCulloch came to Brampton in 1878 from Norval. He worked as a local contractor and builder in the Brampton area and was responsible, along with Jesse Perry, for the construction of several projects. The pamphlet, Brampton Cemetery: A Walking Tour, notes that he built “almost all of the structures in the Mayfield locality”. Early in his career, he formed a business partnership with Perry. During the partnership, he worked on the Brampton Methodist Episcopal Church at 4 Elizabeth Street North and the Brampton Post Office. McCulloch also served as a member of the Town Council and a Public School Board. He died in 1941 and is buried in the Brampton Cemetery.

One of McCulloch’s most notable projects was the design of 12 Victoria Terrace located in downtown Brampton. The house represents another example of a well-designed Queen Anne Style home that reflects a high degree of craftsmanship. Like the Reid Farmhouse, 12 Victoria Terrace exhibits an asymmetrical porch and a pronounced gable-pitched roof, along with several intricate wood and brick details. As a result, the Reid Farmhouse contributes to a public understanding of early residential development in Brampton, and the contractors and builders who were responsible for the design and construction of some of the City’s unique architectural sites.

The Reid Farmhouse also holds important contextual value. The property is directly associated with the early settlement of Brampton and its rich agricultural legacy. While the agricultural landscape and farming fields surrounding the house have vanished, the house still holds contextual value as it has been relocated near its original location. The preserved farmhouse serves as a physical link between the past and the present. Through its preservation within the community, it continues to remind us if the agricultural landscape that once dominated the area.

The Reid Farmhouse property also contained a post that is said to have formed part of a fence that once surrounded the legislative buildings in Toronto, between Simcoe Street and John Street. The legislative buildings were demolished in 1903 after the Ontario Legislature moved to its present location in Queen’s Park, Ottawa. These legislative buildings were also significant because they were built and used as a “United Parliament” for Upper and Lower Canada prior to their union. The building was later used as a university, insane asylum, and military barracks before becoming a legislative building again towards the end of the nineteenth century.

The statement explaining the cultural heritage value or interest of the property, including a description of the heritage attributes of the property along with all other components of the Heritage Report: Statement of Reasons for Heritage Designation, constitute the "reason for heritage designation" required under the Ontario Heritage Act.

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1.2 DESCRIPTION OF THE HERITAGE ATTRIBUTES OF THE PROPERTY:

Unless otherwise indicated, the reason for designation apply generally to all exterior elevations, facades, foundation, roof and roof trim, all doors, windows, other structural openings and associated trim, all architectural detailing, construction materials of wood, stone, brick, plaster parging, metal and glazing and related building techniques, fencing, all trees, shrubs, hedgerows, other vegetation and the grounds and vistas generally.

To ensure that the cultural heritage value of this property is conserved, certain heritage attributes that contribute to its value have been identified specifically and they include:

Design/Physical Value:

Well-designed vernacular farmhouse with Queen Anne influences Asymmetrical form Exceptional wood detailing and masonry Decorative wooden shingles Segmented eyebrow window in the front gable Decorative front porch with spindles Brackets Verandah at front façade, second verandah at right side Pediment roof and narrow balustrade columns over verandah Second floor bay window Distinctive stone window lintels and sills Large distinctive brick chimneys Decorative brickwork Thick stone base

Historical/Associative Value:

Associated with John Scott, Chinguacousy’s first Township Clerk Associated with notable Brampton architect W.B McCulloch, who served as a

member of the Town Council and the Public School Board Associated with the Reid family, who owned the house and operated the farm for

several decades The former site of the Reid Farmhouse (9521 Mississauga Road) contained a

post associated with the former legislative buildings in Toronto

Contextual Value:

Associated with the rich agricultural history of the area of the area Evidence of a thriving and stable agricultural population Directly associated with the early settlement and housing boom of Brampton in

the 1800s

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2.0 GENERAL PROPERTY DESCRIPTION:

The house is a two-and-a-half storey masonry structure with an asphalt shingle cross-gable roof. The lot is an irregular shape with a 27.5 meter frontage along Royal West Drive, covering a total site area of 874.3 square meters. It is 2.5 storeys tall. The plan of the principle structure is an irregular rectangular shape.

The principle elevation (main façade) is emphasized by the following elements:

Red brickwork, decorative wooden shingles An eyebrow window in the front gable 2nd floor bay window Asymmetrical verandah, with pediment roof and narrow balustrade columns Intricate carving in face of pediment roof Decorative spindles and woodwork Thick stone base

Adjacent property features include:

Commercial to the north Existing residential dwellings to the south and the east Existing residential units and further commercial and associated parking to the

west.

Landscaping elements:

The former site of the Reid Farmhouse (9521 Mississauga Road) was surrounded by mature pine, spruce and chestnut trees

Currently, the Reid Farmhouse rests on a severed lot with no landscape features

3.0 HERITAGE EVALUATION / CRITERIA NOTE:

The property meets the criteria for designation prescribed by the Province of Ontario under Ontario Heritage Act Regulation 9/06.

The property was listed in the Municipal Register of Cultural Heritage Resources in 2005. It was rated a Category A.

4.0 POLICY FRAMEWORK

In the context of land use planning, the Province of Ontario has declared that the wise use and management of Ontario’s cultural heritage resources is a key provincial interest.

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A set of Provincial Policy Statements (PPS) provides planning policy direction on matters of provincial interest in Ontario. These statements set the policy framework for regulating the development and use of land. The current set of policies was last reviewed in 2005. At that time the cultural heritage policies were strengthened considerably.

The relevant heritage policy statement is PPS 2.6.1, which states that: “significant built heritage resources and significant cultural heritage landscapes shall be conserved”.

PPS 2.6.1 is tied to Section 3 of the Ontario Planning Act which stipulates that land use planning decisions by municipalities “shall be consistent with” the Provincial Policy Statements.

The policy is also integrated with the Ontario Heritage Act. This piece of legislation grants municipalities powers to preserve locally significant cultural heritage resources through heritage designation. Decisions as to whether a property should be designated heritage or not is based solely on its inherent cultural heritage value or interest.

City Council prefers to designate heritage properties with the support of property owners. However, Council will designate a property proactively, without the concurrence of a property owner as required. These principles are reflected in Brampton’s Official Plan. The relevant policies are as follows:

4.9.1.3: All significant heritage resources shall be designated as being of cultural heritage value or interest in accordance with the Ontario Heritage Act to help ensure effective protection and their continuing maintenance, conservation and restoration.

4.9.1.5: Priority will be given to designating all heritage cemeteries and all Class A heritage resources in the Cultural Heritage Resources Register under the Ontario Heritage Act.

4.9.1.6: The City will give immediate consideration to the designation of any heritage resource under the Ontario Heritage Act if that resource is threatened with demolition, significant alterations or other potentially adverse impacts.

These principles are also guided by recognized best practices in the field of heritage conservation in Ontario and in Brampton’s Heritage Program.

Council Resolution HB054-2005:

The following recommendation from the Brampton Heritage Board Meeting of April 19, 2005 was approved by Planning, Design and Development Committee on May 2, 2005 and by Council on May 9, 2005: “that the development of a proactive strategy to ensure heritage designation of all Category A heritage resources be endorsed.”

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5.0 ALTERATION HISTORY AND HERITAGE INTEGRITY NOTE:

5.1 Recommended Restoration Measures:

The following recommendations for future restoration and conservation are includes for information purposes only. They are provided for the benefit of present and future property owners. These recommendations are non-binding. Property owners are under no obligation to restore any lost or missing attributes or features.

The house should be restored to a livable condition once commercial development proceeds and an appropriate tenant or purchaser is found

An extensive landscape plan has been designed to emphasize the role of the Reid house as a pedestrian walkway connection on Royal West Drive

An easement agreement, including a conservation plan, should be written and signed to ensure that heritage attributes are preserved and restored

5.2 Alteration History:

The house has been relocated from its original location facing West on Mississauga Road to Royal Drive West, facing East

The house has been moved onto a newly-constructed basement foundation

6.0 RARITY NOTE:

The house is a rare and unique example of a Queen Anne Style house in Brampton.

7.0 NOTE ON ARCHAEOLOGICAL POTENTIAL:

Not applicable.

8.0 EXCLUSIONS:

The reasons for designation apply generally to all exterior elevations, facades, foundation, roof and roof trim, all entrances, windows, structural openings and associated trim, all architectural detailing, construction materials of wood, stone, brick, plaster parging, metal and glazing, their related building techniques, and all interior spaces detailing and finishes, as cited.

Due to the relocation of the site into a residential development, designation excludes all contextual and landscaping features.

9.0 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

Architects Rasch Eckler Associates Ltd.

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Huttonville Book Comittee. From “Wolf’s Den” to Huttonville and the Pioneers who Made it Possible. Guelph, Ontario: Ampersand Printing, 1996.

Loverseed, Helga V. Brampton: An Illustrated History. Windsor, Ontario: Windsor Publications, Inc., 1987.

Walker & Miles. Illustrated Historical Atlas of the County of Peel. [2000 Edition]. Campbellford, Ontario: Wilson’s Publishing Company Ltd., 1877.

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10.0 LOCATION MAPS:

118 Royal West Drive (Present location of Reid Farmhouse)

Original and new location of the Reid Farmhouse.

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Location of Reid Farmhouse in relation to Wal-mart development

Landscape plan to emphasize the Reid Farmhouse as a pedestrian walkway for Royal West Drive

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A portion of the Chinguacousy Township map that indicates the Scott property (from Illustrated Historical Atlas of the County of Peel, Walker & Miles, 1877)

10.0 IMAGES:

Figure 1: Front facade of the house, prior to relocation (April 2005)

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Figure2: Spindles, narrow balustrade columns, decorative pediment roof over front verandah, and detailed brickwork (2005)

Figure 3: Second verandah located at right side of house

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Figure 4: Unique eyebrow window in the front gable

Figure 5: Thick stone base with basement window

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Figure 6: 2nd storey bay window (left), brackets (right)

Figure 7: Former context and landscape of the house (2005)

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Figure 8: House during vacancy (October 2009)

Figure 9: House awaiting action, prior to relocation (November 2010)

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Figure 10: Temporary relocation of Reid Farmhouse on a commercial plaza parking lot (May 2011)

Figure 11: Side and rear of the house revealing irregular form of house (May 2011)

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Figure 12: Rear view of the house

Figure 13: Fine masonry and wood craftsmanship

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Figure 14: Preparation of final lot on Royal West Drive

Figure 15: Stone window lintels and sills, brick chimney, asphalt shingles and brackets

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Figure 16: Relocation of the house onto final lot (June 20, 2011)

Figure 17: House on the final lot facing Royal West Drive (October 2011)

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Figure 18: View of the house facing north (October 2011)

Figure 19: A post said to be a surviving artifact from a 19th century legislative building in Toronto

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12.0 Appendix:

Figure 18: The "William McCulloch House", a designated property built by the architect of the Reid house

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