Take notice that the Council of the Corporation of the City of Guelph intends to designate 12 Clarke Street West 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 is Part Lot 9, Plan 205, as in ROS618951.
Statement of cultural heritage value or interest
12 Clarke Street West is worthy of designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act because it meets four of the nine prescribed criteria for Page 5 of 6 determining design and physical value, historical and associative value, and contextual value, as per Ontario Regulation 9/06 as amended by 569/22.
Design/Physical Value
The property meets Criteria 1 as it is a representative example of Italianate architectural style in a modest residential building in Guelph. The building has a rare architectural feature in the raised maple leaf shape on the porch posts.
The subject property meets Criterion 2 because the building has high physical integrity in that it has retained most of its original architectural design features and displays a high degree of craftsmanship.
Historical/Associative Value
The subject property meets Criterion 6 because it demonstrates or reflects the work of David Young, a successful Guelph carpenter and building contractor.
Contextual Value
The subject property meets Criterion 7 because it is important in defining, maintaining and supporting the character of the historic Clarke Street West streetscape.
Description of heritage attributes
The following elements of the property at 12 Clarke Street West should be considered as heritage attributes in a designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act:
Building form, including:
- Original form of single-story, L-plan house with medium pitched roof, a large projecting right gable and a small gable over the front porch
- Front porch wooden trim and wooden panel posts (two engaged and two freestanding) on pedestals with a raised maple leaf shape on each side of the post capital
- location and opening shapes of all original doors and windows on front and left elevation
- single, segmentally arched wooden window sash with casings under a segmentally arched, haunched wooden hood moulding within the front porch half-glass, wooden panel front door with bolection moulding and semi-circular arched lights in stained glass
- two coupled, semi-circular arched wooden window sashes with casings under a single, segmentally arched, haunched wooden hood moulding in the front gable wall
- single, segmentally arched wooden window sash with casings under a segmentally arched, haunched wooden hood moulding on northeast side gable wall
It is intended that non-original features may be returned to the documented earlier designs or to their documented original without requiring City Council permission for an alteration to the design.
A more detailed description of the property’s cultural heritage value may be found in staff’s report to City Council dated January 20, 2026 and at guelph.ca.
Notice of objection
Any person may send a notice of objection to this proposed designation, before 4 p.m. on Friday February 27, 2026. 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
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: January 29, 2026