Notice of Intention to Designate 337 Douglas Avenue as a property of cultural heritage, value and interest

On April 25, 2019, Oakville Town Council resolved to pass a Notice of Intention to Designate the following property under Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. O.18, as amended, as a property of cultural heritage value and interest:

Edmund N. Killer House

The property consists of a two and one half storey stucco-clad dwelling with detached contemporary garage on the east side of Douglas Avenue between Galt Avenue and MacDonald Road. The neighbourhood is defined by Gloucester Avenue to the east, Lakeshore Road East to the south, Allan Street to the west and Spruce Street to the north and is known locally as the Brantwood Survey.

The residence at 337 Douglas Avenue has cultural heritage value as a vernacular residence with Arts and Craft and Georgian elements.  The residence was constructed using hollow clay bricks, which is an unusual and somewhat rare building material for the Oakville area.

The property at 337 Douglas Avenue has cultural heritage value in its association with the development of the historic Brantwood Survey of southeast Oakville.  Brantwood, originally planned as a cottage development for Toronto commuters, attracted many new residents to Oakville with its generous lots and easy access to the Toronto-Hamilton highway.

As one the earliest examples of development in the Brantwood Survey, 337 Douglas Avenue is a good representative example of the type of family homes built in Oakville in the early part of the 20th century for the prosperous upper middle class.  The house was built around 1912 by Edmund N. Killer from Kitchener, Ontario.  Later, Marion Banting, the first wife of Sir Frederick Grant Banting, the Nobel laureate is best known for leading the team of scientists who discovered the hormone insulin, lived in the house from 1939 to 1944.  After her death, the property passed to their son, William Banting. 

337 Douglas Avenue is a good example of the early homes in the Brantwood Survey and its massing and general character maintains and supports the character of the area. The building is visually and historically linked to the Brantwood Survey, and is significant as an example of one of the earlier homes from that period of development

Key heritage attributes which contribute to 337 Douglas Avenue’s cultural heritage value or interest include:

Any objection to this designation must be filed no later than November 30, 2020. Objections should be directed to the Town Clerk, 1225 Trafalgar Road, Oakville, Ontario L6H 0H3.

Further information respecting this proposed designation is available from the Town of Oakville. Any inquiries may be directed to Susan Schappert, heritage planner at 905-845-6601, ext. 3875 (TTY 905-338-4200), or by email at susan.schappert@oakville.ca.

The last date to file a notice of objection is November 30, 2020.