Notice of Intention to Designate - Lillie House - 515 Esplanade

On February 17, 2026, 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:

Lillie House
515 Esplanade
Plan 114, Part Lot 39; Oakville
PIN: 24781-0104

Description of Property

The property at 515 Esplanade is located on the north side of Esplanade between Howard Avenue and Park Avenue. The property contains a c.1908 detached two-and-a-half-storey vernacular Arts and Crafts house.

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

Design and Physical Value

The Lillie House has design value as representative example of a vernacular Craftsman style house constructed during the Arts and Crafts era. The original portion of the house retains heritage features such as its: two-and-a-half storey, L-shaped massing with intersecting gable roof and front gabled dormer; exposed wooden eaves; fenestration on the south and east elevations with multipaned casement windows; historic wooden front door; shed-roofed front porch and; and two brick chimneys. The house retains its Arts and Crafts era charm and is one of the few remaining cottage-style homes of its type in the historic Orchard Beach area.

Historical and Associative Value

The Lillie House property has cultural heritage value for its direct associations with the theme of the development of the local residential area known as ‘Orchard Beach’ and then ‘Orchard Park’, an early 20th century subdivision of Oakville. Its presence contributes to the story of Oakville’s early 20th century residential development that was defined by large lots with well-designed homes built by well-to-do families. The property has historical value for its associations with its builder Charles D. Carson, a local builder and contractor who ran the Carson Brothers Planing Mill on Trafalgar Road. The Carson family was a notable local family, and William and his brother Charles built prominent structures around Oakville, and numerous Arts and Crafts era homes for notable Oakville families. The property is also associated with John T. Lillie, the first owner of the house who was the first principal of Oakville High School. 

Contextual Value

The Lillie House has cultural heritage value because it is physically and historically linked to its surroundings. It is a prominent house in the historic Orchard Beach subdivision and continues to function as a residential house. It contributes to the understanding of the local community and its early houses along Esplanade and Lake Ontario, particularly those houses that were developed as part of the Orchard Beach subdivision. The subdivision was a significant development for Oakville and many buyers of the lots and houses during this time were upper middle-class businesspeople from larger cities, whose presence in turn impacted the growth and development of Oakville. The house is one of the first structures built as part of the subdivision and its presence contributes to the character of the area.

Description of Heritage Attributes

Key attributes of the property at 515 Esplanade that exemplify its cultural heritage value as a vernacular Craftsman style house built during the Arts and Crafts era, as they relate to all elevations of the two-and-a-half storey original portion of the house, include its: 

• Two-and-a-half storey, L-shaped massing with intersecting gable roof and front gabled dormer;
• Exposed wooden eaves and wooden trim;
• Fenestration of the windows on the south and east elevations; 
• The presence of multipaned casement windows in the Arts and Crafts style;
• The original portion of the shed-roofed front porch at the centre of the front elevation;
• Historic wooden front door; and
• Two brick chimneys.

Any objection to this designation must be filed no later than March 20, 2026. 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 Kristen McLaughlin, Heritage Planner, at 905-845-6601, ext.3908 (TTY 905-338-4200), or by email at kristen.mclaughlin@oakville.ca.

Issued at the Town of Oakville on February 18, 2026.