2021-036 By-law to Designate the Old Town Hall and Cenotaph under the Ontario Heritage ActThe Corporation of the Township of Oro-Medonte
By-law No. 2021-036
A By-law to Designate the Old Town Hall and Cenotaph under the Ontario
Heritage Act.
Whereas Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. 0.18, as amended,
authorizes the Council of a Municipality to enact a by-law to designate real property
including all buildings and structures thereon, to be of cultural heritage value or
interest;
And Whereas the Old Town Hall and Cenotaph, municipally known as 833 Line 7
North, has been identified by the Township of Oro-Medonte Municipal Heritage
Committee as being eligible for designation under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act;
And Whereas Notice of Intention to pass a Designation By-law was given in
accordance with Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act;
And Whereas no Notice of Objection to the proposed designation has been served on
the Clerk of the Township of Oro-Medonte;
And Whereas this By-law is to be registered in the proper Land Registry Office with
respect to the property described in Schedule "A" attached hereto;
And Whereas the Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest is set out in
Schedule "B" attached hereto;
And Whereas the Description of Heritage Attributes set out in Schedule "C attached
hereto;
Now Therefore the Council of the Township of Oro-Medonte hereby enacts as
follows:
1. The Old Town Hall and Cenotaph, municipally known as 833 Line 7 North and
more particularly described in Schedule "A", be designated as structures of
significant cultural heritage value and interest as described in Schedule "B".
2. The heritage attributes described in Schedule "C" form part of this By-law.
3. The Clerk is hereby authorized to cause a copy of this By-law together with its
schedules to be registered against the property in the Land Registrar's Office and
shall serve a copy of the By-law together with its schedules upon the property
owner and the Ontario Heritage Trust.
4. The By-law shall take full force and effect on the final date of passage hereof.
By-law read a First, Second and Third time, and Passed this 24th day of March
2021.
The Corporation of the Township of Oro-Medonte
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Mayor, H.S. Hu#hh�es n
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Cle Yvonne Aubichon
Schedule "A"
to By-law No. 2021-036 for
The Corporation of the Township of Oro-Medonte
Legal Property Description
Physical address: 833 Line 7 North, Oro-Medonte, Ontario, LOL 2E0
Legal description: Concession 8 South Part Lot 15 Registered Plan 51 R35964 Parts
2 and 3 (Oro)
Roll No. 4346-010-003-33600
Schedule "B"
to By-law No. 2021-036 for
The Corporation of the Township of Oro-Medonte
Statement of Cultural Heritage Value
The property known municipally as 833 Line 7 North (Part Lot 15, Concession 8, Oro
Township; Parts 2 and 3, RP51 R35964) holds cultural heritage value or interest to
the Township of Oro-Medonte.
Regarding its historical or associative value, since 1868, this property has held a
direct association with the Municipality of the Township of Oro and has served as a
public gathering place. Since 1869, it has hosted the annual Oro Agricultural Society
Fair in celebration of the important agricultural activity in the area. Since 1921, the
cenotaph has memorialized those from the Township of Oro who lost their lives in
service to Canada. The 1868 portion of the Township hall is an example of the work
of local resident and carpenter Jeremiah Whybrew. The 20th century modifications of
a basement, masonry work, and west entrance hall may be the work of Lloyd Scott.
The 1921 cenotaph is an example of the work of J.F. Murphy of Barrie Marble Works.
The design or physical value of the property is found in the 1868 Township hall as a
representative example of public halls built in rural Ontario in the second half of the
19th century. When built, the one storey, frame structure with its rectangular plan and
medium pitched gable roof was typical of the style, type, and construction method
used for public buildings (schoolhouse, halls, and some churches). The symmetrical
placement and large dimensions of the window openings on the north and south
facades of the main structure is a construction method typical of public use structures
built before the availability of artificial (gas or electric) lighting. The addition of the
west entrance hall, likely in 1929, and other modifications is an expression of how this
1868 structure has adapted and evolved to accommodate continuing public use. The
"J. & J. Taylor Limited Toronto Canada" cast nameplate about the west vault door
has artifact value. The 1921 granite cenotaph by J.F. Taylor of Barrie Marble Works
has a high degree of craftsmanship and artistic merit.
Contextually, this property is physically, visually, and historically linked to its
surroundings. The Township hall site has been in public use since 1868. The
community has interacted with the cenotaph since 1921 for annual Remembrance Day
ceremonies. These and other public uses make the property with its Township hall and
cenotaph a local landmark.
Schedule "C"
to By-law No. 2021-036 for
The Corporation of the Township of Oro-Medonte
Heritage Attributes
The cultural heritage value or interest of the property is found in the principal heritage
attributes of the 1868/1929 township hall and the 1921 cenotaph.
The following elements of the 1868/1929 township hall building are important to the
cultural heritage value or interest of this property:
■ one storey massing and rectangular plan of the main 1868 structure (not
including the east additions)
■ medium pitched gable roof with pediment style ends of the main 1868
structure (not including the replacement cladding of the roof and modified
eaves)
• location of a brick chimney at the east end of the main 1868 structure
• triangular shaped, wood sign with lettering "Oro 1868-1929" in the west roof
pediment
■ placement and dimensions of the three, symmetrically placed window
openings on each of the north and south facades of the 1868 main structure
(not including the replacement window frames, sashes, or sills)
■ form and massing of the west entrance hall, as lesser but matching the main
1868 structure (not including the exterior doorcase, window openings, interior
stairways, flooring, or moulding/trim)
• interior doorcase inside the west entrance hall, including the pair of casement
doors each with 12-pane upper section glazing and single, wood, lower
panels; an upper transom area; vintage hardware (pressed metal door knob
and plate, upper and lower locking bolts, original hinges); wood door frame;
wood threshold sill; and moulded wood casings (trim on all sides)
• "J & J Taylor Limited Toronto Canada" cast nameplate over the door into the
west vault
• orientation of the front facade to Line 7 North
The following elements of the 1921 cenotaph are important to the cultural heritage
value or interest of this property:
■ the single column, 1921 granite monument resting on a stone base
• all applied and inscribed decoration, notably the bronze maple leaf in a laurel
wreath, and dedications