Oakville’s significant landscapes - protecting assets

NRU
April 19, 2017
By Leah Wong

As Oakville grows, some of its historically significant geographical areas are coming under threat of development. To protect its cultural heritage landscapes the town is assessing the significance of those properties facing the greatest development pressures.

Next week assessments of high-priority cultural heritage landscapes by Letourneau Heritage Consulting will be considered by the Heritage Oakville Advisory Committee. The committee will make recommendations on whether council should proceed with the protection of these
properties. Following the meeting the assessments will be finalized and included with staff recommendations in a report to committee for consideration at its May 15 meeting.

The priority landscapes identified as the most vulnerable to change and at risk of being lost to new
development include Glen Abbey Golf Course, Bowbeer Farmstead, McMichael Farm, Hilton Farm, Biggar Farm and Remnant Farmstead.

“These [properties] have been subject to development applications or development pressures on them,” community development commissioner Jane Clohecy told NRU. “There were studies going on and development pressures that meant ... we needed an understanding of [their] cultural heritage landscape significance early.”

While Oakville is considered to be a leader in the conservation of built heritage, less attention has been given to the protection of its heritage landscapes. So in 2014, council approved the Cultural Heritage Landscapes Strategy, which creates a framework for the identification and protection of landscapes that have left a “recognizable imprint of human settlement and activities on land over time.”

The town is implementing the strategy in three phases. The first, completed last year, generated a database of more than 40 properties with potential heritage significance. Second, the significance of these properties is being assessed - with analysis of high-priority properties being completed first. Third, for properties deemed significant, staff will determine which legislative and planning tools could be introduced to protect them.

Letourneau used a combination of provincial, federal and international criteria to assess the properties significance. For example, to assess the Glen Abbey golf course’s significance the consultant applied criteria from the European Institute of Golf Course Architects.

The consultant found that of the six properties assessed four should be considered significant cultural heritage landscapes. The other two have significant built heritage components. The landscapes of Glen Abbey Golf Course (1333 Dorval Drive), Bowbeer Farmstead (1086 Burnhamthorpe Road East), McMichael Farm (3367 Dundas West) and Hilton Farm (2031 North Service Road) are all deemed to be significant. In addition to Glen Abbey’s recognized golf course design, the site also is significant because of its use by Indigenous people. The consultant found that the farm properties have historical value due to their association with significant participants in the development of Oakville.

The consultant’s report noted that while the McMichael Farm (3367 Dundas Street West) is not a significant cultural heritage landscape, there is an early 20th century Edwardian residence on the site that has heritage value. Likewise, the significance of the Remnant Farmstead (3451 Tremaine Road) is related to its early 20th century farm buildings, rather than its landscape.

Clohecy said assessments of the Bronte Harbour and Bronte Bluffs are underway and will be
completed in May or June. After that the town will start assessing the more than 30 properties that are deemed to be of medium or low priority.