7/30/2019 Stouffville Demolition Request for Heritage Building - Response

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Arnold Neufeldt-FastNovember 17, 2012Re: Demolition of Bartholomew Farmstead, Stouffville

Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville Council Agenda for Tues, Nov. 20, 2012 Item: #7 “Demolition Request of a Heritage Interest Dwelling at 4721 Stouffville Rd (P10).”

See also: Presentation to Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville Council by Fred Robbins on behalf of the Heritage Advisory Committee: “Heritage designation of pre-Confederation property 4721Stouffville Road ” (and Power Point ), Feb. 21, 2012.

Sent to MayorAndCouncil@townofws.com , March / Nov, 2012

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“ What value does an old building have? ” Arnold Neufeldt-Fast (reprinted in Stouffville Free Press, April 2012)

The look and development of communities like Stouffville is often anchored by a few signaturebuildings.

Arguably, the Bartholomew Farmstead at 4721 Stouffville Road (near McCowan), built in 1855,plays such a critical role for the western gateway into Stouffville.

On February 21, local historian Fred Robbins made a recommendation to Town Council onbehalf of the Town’s Heritage Advisory Committee to designate the Bartholomew Farmstead astructure of cultural heritage value under Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act .

Mr. Robbins reminded Council that only one of three criteria must be met to qualify for the

provincial designation: the structure must be of significant historical, architectural or contextualvalue. The last criterion was substituted in the presentation with the term "cultural," and Mr.Robbins made an impassioned argument for each of these criteria.

The motion to designate the farmstead was moved by Councillor Hargrave, but did not find aseconder, and thus did not come before the meeting for debate – or designation.

What value does an old building have? The structure’s “contextual” value was not addressedand may, however, be the most obvious and easiest entry point to appreciate its historical andarchitectural value as well.

Section 29 of the Act states that a "property has contextual value because it, (i) is important in

defining, maintaining or supporting the character of an area ... ." Stouffville residents need onlydrive by the new Shell Service Station at Stouffville Road and West Lawn Road to understandwhat this means. The unique large, white “quoin” cornerstones of the gas station stand in starkcontrast to the surrounding ruddy red brick; the style mirrors exactly the brickwork of theBartholomew Farmstead and a very few other buildings in town (e.g., see the Brownsberger Farmstead, now almost hidden behind the Automall on Millard Street). These older buildings“define, maintain and support the character" of our town, and especially its new buildings.

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Similarly, the design of the Region’s new pumping station buildings on McCowan Roadincorporate quoin cornerstones —but all in ruddy red coloured brick; the pumping station is onthe neighbouring property to the Bartholomew F armstead. “Contextuality” in Sec. 29 includes astructure's "visual linkage" to its surroundings —and this is exactly what the BartholomewFarmstead achieves.

Urban theorist Jane Jacobs has argued convincingly that vital communities need many types of old buildings; in this case, the Bartholomew Farmstead inspired some of the best new building

design in town. We see this principle at play with the new Stouffville Fire Hall as well. Thatdesign would be impossible without the architect's recollections of older Ontario fire halls--likeUxbridge ’s, for example. In other words, even for those with growth and expansion on their minds, the old buildings with conte xtual significance are our town’s best guarantee that the newwill have both roots and wings.

As a rule, Council should take the recommendations of its advisory committees very seriously.The last time the Heritage Advisory Committee made a strong recommendation to Council wasin support of Ringwood's "Da Classic Scoop " building. The loss of that architecturally uniquebuilding (second criterion) was more than the loss of an old wooden structure; with its demise,the town lost its ability not only to tell it's own story, but also the country's (yes, Ringwood isdeeply connected to Ludwig Wideman / William Lyon McKenzie , and to the 1837 uprising atMontgomery's Tavern in Toronto). That locality, with an historical plaque, could have helped ustell our children of the development and importance of representative democracy in Canada --and Ringwood's role in it (this would fulfill the first criterion of the Sec. 29) – and inspire newbuildings as well.

The Bartholomew Farmstead also has a story tell. Its Georgian style was brought to Upper Canada by the United Empire Loyalists, and is characterized by “simplicity, symmetry andsolidity. ” As Ann MacRae has stated, the style is “a physical expression of the cultural mental

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climate of the first settlers of Upper Canada” (A. MacRae , The Ancestral Room ). Mr. Robbins’spresentation provided the more specific, colourful details on the related founding families.

It is disheartening that Councillor Hargrave's motion for the heritage designation of theBartholomew Farmstead could not find the support of even one other Council member.The Heritage Advisory Commitee’s task is to remind Council of the crucial civic, cultural andeconomic role our older buildings (and First Nation sites) play. This role is especially importantin a fast-growing municipality like ours, where important heritage assets are regularly pittedagainst so-called pragmatic needs. Yet these older buildings —like the Bartholomew Farmsteadin particular —are anchors, without which the character of our town can easily drift, withoutdefinition, maintenance or support.

Take a look at the Bartholomew Farmstead again, and then drive around town. Let the Mayor and Council know that you support the Heritage Committee’s recommendation to designate theBartholomew house a structure of cultural heritage value under Section 29 of the OntarioHeritage Act .

---Arnold Neufeldt-Fast