L 4-1. Heritage Report: Reasons for Heritage Designation. Kodors House. 35 Rosedale Avenue West

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1 L 4-1 Brampton Heritage Board Date: January 17, 2012 Heritage Report: Reasons for Heritage Designation Kodors House 35 Rosedale Avenue West December

2 L 4-2 Profile of Subject Property Municipal Address 35 Rosedale Avenue West PIN Number Roll Number Legal Description Plan D12, Part Lot 53, 54 Ward Number 5 Property Name Kodors Home Current Owner Brent Peters and Heidi Philips Owner Concurrence Yes Current Zoning Current Use(s) Residential Construction Date Circa 1924 Notable Owners or Occupants Heritage Resources on Subject Property Relevant Council Resolutions James Knapman; George Burrows; Walter and Waultraud Kodors Building; miniature castle garden feature; contributing contextual value Additional Information 2

3 L Introduction The property at 35 Rosedale Avenue West 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 Ontario Heritage Act, Regulation 9/06 for the categories of design/physical value and contextual value. 2. Description of Property 35 Rosedale Avenue West is within a residential plan of subdivision known as D-12, registered in August 1912 and known as the Rosedale plan of subdivision. The focal point of the subject property is a single detached, one-and-a-half storey brick masonry house with a prominent front gabled dormer widow and full-length open verandah. The home is situated on a prominent south-west corner lot shared with Lowes Avenue. The house has a rectangular plan and faces Rosedale Avenue West. Also of note is a whimsical and prominent garden feature in the form of a miniature castle with towers and stone walls. The feature is located along the Lowes Avenue side of the property toward the rear portion of the lot and is surrounded by gardens. The property appears to be partially situated within the creek bed created by the long dormant Mains Creek. The creek once ran in a north-south direction along what is today Lowes Avenue and through a portion of downtown Brampton. A new detached single car garage with a paved driveway out to Rosedale Avenue is located on the west side of the property. 3. Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest The cultural heritage value of 35 Rosedale Avenue West is related primarily to the design or physical value of the house, along with contextual value. Design/Physical Value From a design perspective, the subject property is a good and generally well-preserved example of a one-and-a-half storey, side gabled bungalow exhibiting design influences of the American Arts and Crafts style (more typically known as the Craftsman style). In this instance, the Craftsman influences are seen in the overall massing of the house with its sloped low pitched roofline, as well as the large front dormer window and full front open verandah. Also of note are two leaded, stained glass windows on the east façade of the house. The house also exhibits Edwardian influence in the prominent rectangular stone lintels over most windows and rusticated stone foundation. 3

4 L 4-4 The house retains considerable original and early heritage fabric including massing, fenestration, unpainted hard-pressed Brampton red brick cladding and squared brick verandah columns, stone lintels and sills. The property is distinguished by the unusual and whimsical miniature castle garden structure located along the rear, east side of the property facing Lowes Avenue. In 1961, property owner Joseph (Jozeps) Kodors built the castle as the focal point of a colourful enchanted garden. It was built to amuse his family and the neighborhood children. It features copper capped towers, field stone walls, a variety of windows and dormers, wood shingles, finials and a bell tower. A concrete date stone displaying 1961 is visible on the front façade of the feature. This structure is presumably a oneof-a kind in Brampton. It is well-known in the neighbourhood and remains a popular attraction. Historical/Associative Value The property is situated in the heart of one of Brampton s downtown residential plans of subdivision known as the Rosedale Plan or the D-12 plan of subdivision. Title search data suggests that the subject house was built around 1924 when the Craftsman style of architecture was still popular albeit less so than the previous decade. The subject property is associated initially with James S. Knapman, the first registered owner of the lot. He purchased the property in 1920 for $700 and sold it in October 1923 to George Burrows, presumably with the subject house completed since the assessed value of the property had increased significantly to $6300. In December 1954, the property was purchased by the Kodors family. Joseph (Jozeps) Kodors ( ) and his wife Waultraud ( ) were Polish immigrants. Joseph Kodors worked for the Town of Brampton as a carpenter, and Waultraud worked at the local Dixie Cup factory. In 1961, Mr. Kodors built the miniature castle garden feature. According to the current owners, it is believed that the design is a fanciful representation of typical castles Mr. Kodors would have seen as in his native Poland, and not a scaled replica of a specific European castle. Contextual Value The cultural heritage value of the property is also linked to its contextual value. The property is physically and historically linked to its surroundings. It has helped define and maintain this well-established residential neighbourhood since the early 20th century. 4

5 L 4-5 The property contributes much to the prevailing character and identity of the Rosedale Plan, which is generally defined by a compatible blend of late 19th century and early to mid-20th century detached, single family homes on large, heavily treed lots. The house is a conspicuous and familiar building along the street, being on a corner lot. The miniature castle garden feature remains a highly visible and popular landmark piece that is evidently very well-known in the neighbourhood. The castle is also directly integrated and associated with the surrounding shade gardens and trees, helping to form what was believed to be an enchanted garden along the Lowes Avenue portion of the subject property. The property also helps interpret the residential growth and development that began to take shape during and after the First World War period. The gradual expansion of residential growth along the northern edges of the town commenced in this period as developers identified new growth areas outside the traditional built-up core that immediately surrounded Queen and Main Streets. When first built, the subject property was close to fringes of the urban boundary, already dominated by the Dale Estate greenhouse complexes, just north of Lorne Avenue and along the east side of nearby Main Street North. The landscape elements on the grounds contribute to the character of the house and neighbourhood and they include the lawns, mature trees and flower beds along Lowes Avenue. 4. Description of Heritage Attributes 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: Scale, form and massing of a typical one-and-a half storey, side gabled American Craftsman style bungalow; Prominent front gabled dormer widow Edwardian Classicism influences exhibited in stone lintels, sills, open front verandah with squared brick columns and rusticated stone foundation; Exterior, unpainted brick masonry; All existing windows, doors and structural openings, along with associated trim; Existing leaded, stained glass windows; Unique miniature castle garden structure facing Lowes Avenue Relationship between miniature castle garden structure and surrounding planting beds and trees along Lowes Avenue portion of the lot which contributes to what 5

6 L 4-6 remains of the original shaded enchanted garden designed by the Kodors family 5. Alteration History and Heritage Integrity 5.1 Alteration History The property has a new detached garage that contributes to the prevailing character of the property as a whole. The front verandah has a new, wood balustrade railing that is not compatible, but also a wood lattice apron around the base of the verandah that is in keeping with the period of construction. Most windows have been replaced but do not detract from the heritage fabric. New historically compatible wood shingles clad the dormer and side gables. 5.2 Recommended Restoration Measures None. 6. Archaeological Potential The subject property has no known archaeological value. 7. 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. 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 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 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. 6

7 L 4-7 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: : 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 : 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 : 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. 8. Acknowledgments 7

8 L Appendix Figure 1: Aerial map of 35 Rosedale Avenue West 8

9 L 4-9 Figure 2: Front façade with a prominent front gabled dormer widow, and full-length open verandah with squared brick columns Figure 3: View from to corner of Rosedale and Lowes Avenues 9

10 L 4-10 Figure 4: Leaded, stained glass windows with stone lintel and sill Figure 5: Rusticated stone foundation 10

castle with copper capped towers, field stone walls, a variety

11 L 4-11 Figure 6: View of property from Lowes Ave, including miniature castle and surrounding gardens Figure 7: Miniature castle with copper capped towers, field stone walls, a variety of windows and dormers, wood shingles, finials and a bell tower 11

12 L 4-12 Figure 8: Date stone on the miniature castle reading Figure 9: The miniature castle surrounded by plantings helped created an enchanted garden. 12

13 L 4-13 Figure 10: Miniature castle viewed from Rosedale Avenue West 13

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