Historic Kleinburg building damaged while under renovation
City of Vaughan monitoring situation

YorkRegion.com
Jan. 27, 2016
Adam Martin-Robbins  

City officials are monitoring renovation work at one of Kleinburg’s historic buildings after it was badly damaged last week.

The Kleinburg General Store and Post Office, a privately owned heritage designated building, is being turned into a pub and restaurant.

The foundation on the southern wall of the building “appeared to have been compromised” last Wednesday, according to city officials.

The city issued an “order to remedy an unsafe building” and staff are “regularly attending the site” to ensure work is completed to mitigate further damage, according to a spokesperson for the municipality.

The Kleinburg General Store and Post Office is located on the east side of Islington Avenue, just south of Kellam Street.

Its original owner was James F. East, according to a Vaughan heritage committee report on the city’s website.

The building was constructed as a general store and post office in 1901 and a side extension and back sheds were added shortly after, the report says.

The side extension served as a stable the horses of travellers staying the night at nearby hotels.

Group of Seven artist A.J. Casson painted a Kleinburg streetscape scene centred on the Kleinburg General Store in 1929. 

The building stopped serving as a post office in 1973 and was subsequently used as a jewelry, silver and goldsmith shop, the report says.