Notice of Intention to Designate 191 Burnhamthorpe Road East

Thu, 28 Mar 2019

On January 15, 2018, 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:

McDuffe Connected Barn
191 Burnhamthorpe Road East, Oakville, Ontario
Part of Lot 14, Concession 2 Trafalgar North of Dundas Street, designated as Part 1 on Plan 20R-7060; Part of Lot 14, Concession 2 Trafalgar North of Dundas Street, as in 832592 except Part 1 on Plan 20R-7060; Oakville

Description of Property

The subject property is located on the north side of Burnhamthorpe Road East, west of Trafalgar Road, east of Sixth Line and south of Highway 407. Once part of a larger 100 acre parcel of land, this 9 acre property contains a mid-20th century farmhouse, a 19th century two storey timber-frame barn, and associated farm outbuildings. The connected barn is the only identified heritage attribute on this property.

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

The property at 191 Burnhamthorpe Road East has cultural heritage value in its connected barn, which has both design/physical value and historic/associative value. The property has design/physical value as a representative example of a historic timber frame barn. Though barns were once a common feature across southern Ontario, this connected barn is now a rare local example in Oakville of an evolved barn with components from the mid 19th to early 20th century. The connected barn exhibits a number of features typical of historic timber frame construction methods, including mortise and tenon joinery and use of wooden dowels (or tree nails).

The property has historic/associative value through the connected barn’s direct associations with the early settlers of Trafalgar Township, including the McDuffe and Biggar families who, collectively, owned and farmed the subject lands for almost 180 years. The connected barn also yields information that contributes to the understanding of Trafalgar Township from the late 19th to mid 20th centuries, specifically the theme of agricultural development. The property has contextual value despite severances from the original survey division. The 9-acre property is historically linked to the surrounding landscape through associations with the Biggar and McDuffe families and the practice of agriculture in Trafalgar Township during the late 19th to mid 20th centuries.

Heritage Attributes

  • Heritage attributes that support the cultural heritage value of the property are represented in the connected barn that evolved over time from the late 19th to mid 20th centuries. Key features include:
  • The existing form, scale and massing;
  • The L-shaped plan;
  • The heavy timber superstructure of each of the components of the connected barns which feature a combination of re-used timbers that bear unused mortise openings, active mortise and tenon joinery, adze marks and sawn or milled timbers;
  • Board and batten cladding;
  • its rusticated or ‘rock face’ concrete block foundation;
  • The byre and south elevation window openings;
  • The placement of existing door openings;
  • Remnants of the rack/wagon lift;
  • Remnant of the timber cathead and track lift.

Any objection to this designation must be filed no later than April 28, 2019. Objections should be directed to the Town Clerk, 1225 Trafalgar Road, Oakville, Ontario L6H 0H3.

Further information respecting this proposed designation is available from the Town of Oakville. Any inquiries may be directed to Susan Schappert, heritage planner at 905-845-6601, ext. 3870 (TTY 905-338-4200), or by email at susan.schappert@oakville.ca.