9: 204 & 240 Front Street, George Street Parkette & Dingle Park. 1. Description of Property. Name (if applicable) Legal Description

Transcription

1 1. Description of Property Municipal Address Name (if applicable) Legal Description Location of Property Ownership Access Current Use Existing Designation General Description Priority Level 9: 204 & 240 Front Street, George Street Parkette & Dingle Park 204 & 240 Front Street George Street Parkette & Dingle Park 204 Front St. PT LT 4, BLK 78, PL 1, AS IN OC18398 TOWN OF OAKVILLE 204 Front St. WATER LOT IN FRONT OF LOT LOT 1, BL 80, PL 1 ; LT 1,2,3,4, BLK 80, PL 1, LT 5,6,7,8, BLK 81, PL 1, S/T DEBTS, IF ANY, IN TOWN OF OAKVILLE George Street Parkette (204 Front St.) and Dingle Park (240 Front St.) both located on the north shore of Lake Ontario and the south side of Front Street, between George Street and Reynolds Street. Public Town of Oakville Site visit completed August 11, 2015 (CU, AB) Public Park Part V OHA. Designated in 1981 as part of the Old Oakville Heritage Conservation District (Bylaw ) George Street Parkette and Dingle Park are small, public parks along the Lake Ontario shoreline. They are located within town lots defined in the early 19 th century and provide viewscapes of the lake and of the two-storey cottages and houses facing the lake. N/A No Further Action Required Figure 1: George Street Parkette. (CU, 2015) 9-1

2 George St. Front St. Ontario Lake Dunn St. King St. William St. George St. Front St. Ontario Lake Dunn St. King St. Trafalgar Rd. William St. Reynolds St. Trafalgar Rd. Reynolds St. Corporation of the Town of Oakville 1225 Trafalgar Rd Oakville, ON L6H 0H3 Dingle Park Cultural Heritage Landscape Inventory Map LEGEND Assessment Boundary Building CHL Study Area Heritage District Heritage Trail Parkland Park Trail Road Site Structures Vegetation Watercourse Drawing not to scale

3 George St. Field Stone Row Front St. Picket Fence Young Memorial Oak Lake Ontario George St. Front St. Corporation of the Town of Oakville 1225 Trafalgar Rd Oakville, ON L6H 0H3 George St. Parkette Cultural Heritage Landscape Inventory Map Picket Fence LEGEND Assessment Boundary Building Field Stone Row Young Memorial Oak CHL Study Area Heritage District Heritage Trail Parkland Park Trail Road Site Structures Vegetation Watercourse Lake Ontario Drawing not to scale

4 2. Key Recommendations Priority = N/A No further action is recommended for the following reasons: No known vulnerabilities; and Inclusion in Old Oakville HCD sufficiently protects any potential cultural heritage resources. 3. Documentation and Inventory of Built Form List of Built Features: Armour stone retaining wall; Wide stone steps in the armour stone wall leading down to the beach, west of Dunn Street; Fencing of various types (single course stone walls, wooden pickets, post and chain); Two stone (likely red sandstone) blocks near the trail entrance at Trafalgar Road; and Park furniture, including benches and picnic tables, many of which are commemorative. 4. Documentation and Inventory of Natural Form List of Natural Features: Lake Ontario; Shale beach; Mature trees providing shade along Front Street; Primarily mature, maple and walnut trees, willows, spruce and poplar. Several of these are commemorative tree plantings with plaques; Grassed lawns; and Japanese Knotweed along the armour stone wall. 5. Design (Typology) X all that apply X X X Categories of Cultural Heritage Landscape Designed Landscape Organically Evolved Landscape Relict Landscape (Evolved Landscape) Continuing Landscape (Evolved Landscape) Description clearly defined landscape designed and created intentionally by man. results from an initial social, economic, administrative, and/or religious imperative and has developed in its present form in response to its natural environment in which an evolutionary process came to an end at some time in the past. retains an active social role in contemporary society closely associated with the traditional way of life, and which the evolutionary process is still in progress. 9-4

5 X all that apply Categories of Cultural Heritage Landscape Associative Cultural Landscape Description justifiable by virtue of the powerful religious, artistic, or cultural associations of the natural element rather than material cultural evidence, which may be insignificant or even absent. 6. Historical and Thematic Associations The narrow, undeveloped water lots comprising the George Street Parkette and Dingle Park have long provided access to the lakeshore for the historic cottages and residences in this section of Old Oakville. The 1835 and 1877 plans of Oakville show the configuration of streets (including Front Street) and indicate that subdivided lots on the south side of Front Street had been laid out (Figure 4 & 5). Both plans indicate that the road allowances for Dunn, Trafalgar and Reynold Streets extended to the lake, although George Street terminated at Front Street. At present, Dingle Park east of Dunn Street, in particular the trail follows the historic continuation of Front Street. Figure 4: Detail of 1835 Plan of Oakville showing location of George Street Parkette and Dingle Park. (Oakville Public Library) 9-5

6 Figure 5: Detail of 1877 Map of Oakville showing George Street Parkette and Dingle Park. (Oakville Public Library) 7. Contextual Associations George Street Parkette and Dingle Park are important components of the Old Oakville HCD. Their respective natural and built landscaping features contribute to the heritage character of this section of the HCD (Blocks 3 and 4 in the HCD Plan) (Figure 6 & 7). The Old Oakville Downtown Residential Area Heritage Conservation District Plan (1981, second printing December, 1982) includes the following references: Section B: District Analysis o Existing Land Uses (s. 1.5) The Lake Ontario shoreline is more accessible to the general public than the creek lands but still limited due to the private lots that back onto the lake. Lakeside Park, and Dingle Park (a narrow shoreline strip running from the easterly end of Front Street at Dunn Street east to Allan Street) are the two parks that provide access to the shoreline. o Pedestrian Paths (s. 2.6) While the heritage value of the area is an important attraction to many people, additional pedestrian oriented activities are encouraged by the physical amenities found as part of the natural environment. One such amenity is the lake, where public access is provided by Lakeside Park and Dingle Park o George Street Parkette is not named in the HCD Plan, although it is indicated as open space on Figure 5, Existing Land Use (p.4). o Both sites have been mapped and described as part of Block 3 and Block 4 (Block Analysis s. 5.0). The landscape has undergone minimal change since the 1982 HCD Plan. Section C: Policy Recommendations 9-6

7 o Landscaping, Amenities, Streetscapes (s. 4) That landscaping, amenities and the general streetscape follow appropriate design principles, reflect the area s historic background and provide a pleasing environment for residents and visitors. The guidelines that follow list contributing natural and built features of the sites and their environs (including views) and provide protection with respect to their maintenance and enhancement. The effectiveness of the 1982 guidelines is apparent in the improvements to the park and parkette (including the installation of commemorative park furniture and tree plantings) which have maintained and enhanced the heritage character of the landscape. Figure 6: Block 3, Old Oakville HCD Plan (from Old Oakville HCD Plan, 1981) 9-7

8 Figure 7: Block 4, Old Oakville HCD Plan (from Old Oakville HCD Plan, 1981) 8. Evaluation (O. Reg 9/06) O.Reg.9/06 Criteria 1. The property has design value or physical value because it, i. is a rare, unique, representative or early example of a style, type, expression, material, or construction method, ii. displays a high degree of craftsmanship or artistic merit, or iii. demonstrates a high degree of technical or scientific achievement. 2. The property has historical value or associative value because it, i. has direct associations with a theme, event, belief, person, activity, organization or institution that is significant to a community, ii. yields, or has the potential to yield, information that contributes to an understanding of a community or culture, or Criteria Potentially Met (Y/N) N N N N Y Not shown. Not shown. Not shown. Not shown. Potential Justification Portions of the George Street Parkette and Dingle Park which have not been subject to recent and extensive ground disturbances have potential to yield 9-8

9 information that contributes to an understanding of local First Nations and early Euro-Canadian settlers. iii. demonstrates or reflects the work or ideas of an architect, artist, builder, designer or theorist who is significant to a community. 3. The property has contextual value because it, i. is important in defining, maintaining or supporting the character of an area, ii. is physically, functionally, visually or historically linked to its surroundings, or iii. is a landmark. N N Y Y Not shown. The George Street Parkette and Dingle Park are important in maintaining the character of the surrounding heritage conservation district, including: the tree canopy, access to the lake and views to downtown, the Toronto skyline and South shore of the lake. The George Street Parkette and Dingle Park are visually and historically linked to their surroundings and contribute to the heritage character of the Old Oakville HCD. They also reflect early The George Street Parkette and Dingle Park are not landmarks 9-9

10 9. Photographic Documentation Figure 8: Front Street, facing east from George Street Parkette toward Dingle Park. (CU, 2015) Figure 9: Dingle Park shoreline, facing east towards Toronto skyline. (CU, 2015) 9-10

11 Figure 10: Dingle Park, near Trafalgar Road, facing southward. (CU, 2015) 10. Analysis & Recommendations Potential Heritage Value: The public parkland comprising the George Street Parkette and Dingle Park is important in maintaining and supporting the cultural heritage value of the Old Oakville HCD. Built and natural elements reinforce the character of this portion of the HCD, which is characterised by its low-lying, waterfront location, narrow street, ample tree cover and intimate nature. Both parks provide access to the lake and views towards downtown, the Toronto skyline and south shore of the lake, which are important features of the character of this portion of the HCD (Blocks 3 and 4 in the HCD Plan). Existing Protection: Dingle Park and George Street Parkette are located within the Old Oakville HCD (designated in 1981, by-law ). Actions: The cultural heritage value and key natural and built features of both George Street Parkette and Dingle Park are well documented and protected by the Old Oakville HCD Plan. A N/A priority level is recommended for the following reasons: No known vulnerabilities; and Inclusion in Old Oakville HCD sufficiently protects any potential cultural heritage resources. 9-11

12 11. Sources Town of Oakville, Old Oakville Downtown Residential Area Heritage Conservation District Plan, Final Report, 1981, second printing December, Oakville Public Library, Oakville Images Palmer, Edward B., Plan of Oakville, Township of Trafalgar Upper Canada. Accessed September, Kerr, Robert W., Map of Oakville. Accessed September, Walker & Miles, Map of Oakville. Access September,