Notice of intention to designate: 12 Eramosa Road

Take notice that the Council of the Corporation of the City of Guelph intends to designate 12 Eramosa Road as a property of cultural heritage value or interest under section 29, Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, Chapter 0.18.

Description of the property

The legal description of the subject real property is PLAN 99 PT LOT 7 PT LOT 8. The real property includes the following addresses: 12, 14 and 16 Eramosa Road as well as 157 and 161 Arthur Street North.

Statement of cultural heritage value or interest

The subject property is worthy of designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act because it meets six of the nine prescribed criteria for determining cultural heritage value or interest, according to Ontario Regulation 9/06 as amended by 569/22. The heritage attributes of 12 Eramosa Road display: design/physical, historical/associative, and contextual value.

Design/physical value

The subject property meets Criterion 1 because its two original buildings exhibit design or physical value are representative of Romanesque Revival architectural style from the end of the 19th century in a commercial/residential building design.

The subject property meets Criterion 2 because both buildings have high physical integrity in that they have retained most of their original architectural design features in red brick and limestone displaying a high degree of craftsmanship.

Historical/associative value

The subject property meets Criterion 4 because it has direct associations with a theme of historical mixed use involving local corner stores with housing above – a combination that was conventional in many of Guelph’s residential neighbourhoods since the establishment of the Town and in some cases continuing into the first half of the 20th century.

Contextual value

The subject property meets Criteria 7 because it is important in defining, maintaining and supporting the architectural character of the area. These segments of the Eramosa Road and Arthur Street North streetscapes are important elements of the Arthur Street North candidate cultural heritage landscape identified by the City of Guelph’s Cultural Heritage Action Plan.

The subject property meets Criteria 8 because its two buildings maintain their original configuration and are functionally, visually and historically linked. The 1920s addition to the north expanded the commercial/residential uses and its architectural design (although simplified) is quite compatible with the original building. The close proximity of the corner store doors and windows to the street gives it visual prominence at the intersection of these historic streetscapes.

The subject property meets Criteria 9 because the building’s distinctive form and elaborate red brick and limestone construction has become a landmark within the historic Eramosa hill streetscape.

Description of heritage attributes

The following elements of the property at 12 Eramosa Road should be considered as heritage attributes in a designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act:

  • 2-storey, corner building form with elaborate roofline created by red brick parapet, corbelled brick corners and limestone coping
  • original red brick exterior walls, pilasters and limestone belt courses facing Eramosa Road and Arthur Street North
  • carved datestone in parapet above front corner door and upper level window
  • original window and door openings with coursed brick semi-circular, segmental and flat arch heads and rock-faced limestone sills
  • half-glass front corner entrance door below a large transom window
  • two large storefront windows below a large, wooden entabulature resting on brick pilasters with rock-faced limestone capitals
  • single door facing Arthur Street North with two-pane transom below a coursed brick skewback arch head with the appearance of a protruding keystone constructed in brick
  • 2-storey north addition with red brick exterior and stone coping above band courses of corbelled brick over two large storefront windows
  • 2-storey, low pitch gable roof, stable building with a corbelled brick parapet and stone coping over the façade
  • triangular courtyard space between the corner building and the stable building

It is intended that non-original features may be returned to the documented earlier designs or to their documented original without requiring Council to amend the heritage designation by-law.

A more detailed description of the property’s cultural heritage value may be found in staff’s report to City Council dated July 9, 2024 at www.guelph.ca.

Notice of objection

Any person may send a notice of objection to this proposed designation, before 4 p.m. on Friday, August 9, 2024. This notice must be sent by registered mail or delivered to the Clerk of the City of Guelph and must set out the reason for the objection and all relevant facts. If a notice of objection is received, the Council of the City of Guelph shall consider the objection and make a decision whether or not to withdraw the notice of intention to designate the property within 90 days after the end of the 30-day objection period. If Council decides not to withdraw its intention to designate, a heritage designation bylaw must be passed within 120 days after the date of publication of the notice of intention to designate. Council must publish a notice of passing of the designation by-law which is followed by a 30-day appeal period when appeals of the by-law may be given to the Ontario Land Tribunal for a hearing and decision.

Dylan McMahon
Acting City Clerk
City of Guelph
1 Carden Street, Guelph ON N1H 3A1

For more information

Stephen Robinson, Senior Heritage Planner
Planning Services 519-822-1260 x 2496
[email protected]

Notice date: July 11, 2024