Notice of intention to designate 231 Bronte Road

On November 25, 2024, 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:

Glendon House Stone Wall
231 Bronte Road
PCL 87-2, SEC M6; PT LT 87, PL M6, Part 2, 20R11791; Oakville

Description of property

The subject property at 231 Bronte Road is located on the east side of Bronte Road, north of Hixon Street, and south of Rebecca Street. The property contains a historic stone wall that spans the three properties at 225, 231, and 235 Bronte Road.

Statement of cultural heritage value or interest

Design and physical value

The Glendon House Stone Wall at 231 Bronte Road has design and physical value as a representative example of an Arts and Crafts era field stone wall. The goal of the residential Arts and Crafts movement was to portray the home as a place of serenity, with a focus on the home as part of the natural environment. Natural materials such as brick, stone, stucco and wood were used in new dwellings and associated landscape elements. The subject stone wall is reflective of this design era with its natural field stone material, likely found on the property. The stone wall was less a functional structure and more a decorative one, grounding the house on the site and adding a natural, rustic aesthetic that was typical of the Arts and Crafts era. While there is a number of lakestone walls in the area, the Glendon Stone Wall remains one of the only, if not the only, field stone wall in Oakville. 

Historical and associative value

The Glendon House Stone Wall at 231 Bronte Road has cultural heritage value because of its direct associations with the theme of late 19th and early 20th century residential and cottage development in Bronte. The wall is a physical reminder of the influx of middle and upper-middle class residents to the area, many of whom came to escape overcrowded big-city living conditions, either permanently or as temporary summer residents. Once part of a larger five-acre property, the properties also have cultural heritage value because of their direct associations with small-scale farming activities, specifically fruit farming. Property owners took advantage of the area’s rich soil to establish small to mid-sized orchards which supplied soft fruit to the big city markets of Hamilton and Toronto.

Contextual value

The Glendon House Stone Wall at 231 Bronte Road has contextual value because it is physically, functionally, visually and historically linked to its surroundings along Bronte Road. Historically, the Bronte Road streetscape was defined by small to mid-sized homes on large lots, with moderate front yard setbacks. In the early years, many were the homes of fruit farmers with small to mid-sized orchards. While infill has changed the historic rhythm of the street, a few of these historic homes remain, including 231 Bronte Road, which along with the stone wall at 225, 231, and 235 Bronte Road, serve as important reminders of Bronte’s late 19th and early 20th century residential development.

Description of heritage attributes

Key attributes of the subject property at 231 Bronte Road, which exemplify its value for its early 20th century fieldstone wall, include the following:

• The low fieldstone wall and pillars that remain in their original pre-1995 location; and
• The design of the wall with curving slopes and square pillars, both topped by singular stones.

Any objection to this designation must be filed no later than January 2, 2025.  Objections must be directed to the Town Clerk at townclerk@oakville.ca or 1225 Trafalgar Road, Oakville, Ontario L6H 0H3. The objection must include the reasons for the objection and all relevant facts.

Further information respecting this proposed designation is available from the Town of Oakville. Any inquiries may be directed to Carolyn Van Sligtenhorst, Supervisor of Heritage Conservation at 905-845-6601, ext.3875 (TTY 905-338-4200), or by email at carolyn.van@oakville.ca. 

Issued at the Town of Oakville on November 27, 2024.