Planning & Development
Heritage Office
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Brief
History of the Town
Heritage Resource Office
Cultural
Heritage Policies
Designation of Heritage
Properties
Heritage Signage Programs
Historic
Cemeteries
Caledon Heritage Trust Fund
Municipally-owned Heritage Sites
Heritage Caledon
Heritage Caledon – Terms of Reference
Local Historical Societies
Ontario
Heritage Properties Database
OPA
211 - Rockside Cultural Heritage Landscape Policies,
OPA
211 - Schedule A
Rockside
Cultural Heritage Landscape Study
Criteria
for the Identification of Cultural Heritage Landscapes (Final Report)
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The Town of
Caledon is an area with dramatic and significant landforms, major river
systems and a landscape that is rich with evidence of its human history. Its
cultural heritage resources range from tangible built heritage features, open
spaces, streetscapes and land uses to intangible cultural perceptions and
oral histories. Non-renewable in nature, these cultural heritage resources contribute
significantly to the character, civic pride, tourism potential, economic
benefits and historical appreciation of our community.
Heritage Day 2010 – tba
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The development
and implementation of heritage conservation policies, programs and activities
are coordinated by the Heritage Resource Office in cooperation with Heritage
Caledon, the Town’s municipal heritage committee.
For information regarding heritage property
designation, sound conservation practices, available local histories and
research, pioneer cemetery records, heritage inventories and other heritage
matters, contact Sally
Drummond, Heritage Resource Officer (905) 584-2272 x.4243
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Brief History of the Town of
Caledon
The Town of Caledon
was established on January 1, 1974 in conjunction with the creation of regional
government. Representing an
amalgamation of the former County of Peel townships of Albion, Caledon and the
northern half of Chinguacousy, the Town of Caledon forms the northern
municipality of the present Region of Peel. The name ‘Caledon’ was chosen through public referendum in 1973;
the other choices on the ballot were ‘Albion’ and ‘Cardwell’, the latter being
an historic electoral district from 1867-1908 that encompassed the Town of
Orangeville and four neighbouring townships.
The County of Peel
was created in 1805 following the purchase by the British Crown of the southern
part of the Mississauga Tract on the shore of Lake Ontario. The former townships of Albion, Caledon and
Chinguacousy were established as part of the ‘New Survey’ of the County of
Peel, which greatly extended the northern boundary of the county following
purchase of the remainder of the Mississauga Tract in 1818. The lot and concession grid pattern of the
‘New Survey’ was distinct from that of the ‘Old Survey’, with a different
orientation of concessions and lot dimensions. The 200 acre lots of the ‘New Survey’ were typically granted in
square 100 acre parcels, a configuration intended to facilitate farming and
access to transportation corridors.
Surveyed in
1818-1819, the townships of Albion, Caledon and Chinguacousy were opened for
settlement in 1820. Albion Township comprised eleven concessions laid out west
to east. In Caledon and Chinguacousy
townships, six concessions were laid out on either side of Hurontario Street,
also known as Centre Road (and currently known as Provincial Highway 10). As
this centre baseline duplicated the numbering of the concessions, concessions
in these two townships were further denoted by ‘West of Hurontario Street’
(WHS) or ‘East of Hurontario Street’ (EHS).
Early settlements
in the townships developed around water-powered mill sites on the Credit and
Humber rivers, and at various crossroads. The arrival of the Toronto Grey &
Bruce, Hamilton & Northwestern and Credit Valley railways in the 1870s
spurred further settlements at various junctions. Development was also
influenced by the area’s major landforms, including the Peel Plain, the Niagara
Escarpment and the Oak Ridges Moraine. While some historic hamlets have
disappeared over time, Caledon’s present-day communities continue to reflect
early settlement patterns.
Heritage
Resource Office
The Heritage Resource Office of the Planning and Development Department
works to promote and conserve the Town’s cultural heritage resources, including
built heritage, archaeological resources and cultural heritage landscapes.
The Heritage Resource Officer advises on the cultural heritage component of
land development applications and works with proponents and the public in
realizing viable heritage conservation strategies. In conjunction with Heritage Caledon, (the Municipal Heritage
Committee), the HRO initiates and supports opportunities to enhance awareness
and appreciation of the Town’s heritage through implementation of appropriate
heritage policies, designations and programs.
Please contact the HRO for information regarding heritage property
designation, sound conservation practices, available local histories and research,
pioneer cemetery records, heritage inventories and other heritage matters.
We can be reached Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at (905)
584-2272 or by email.
Our mailing address is:
Town of Caledon
6311 Old Church Road
Caledon, ON
L7C 1J6
Cultural Heritage Policies
Caledon’s cultural
heritage resources represent many thousands of years of human settlement
history, and may be of local, regional, provincial or national interest. Various
pieces of Provincial legislation require cultural heritage resource
conservation to be recognized in the land use planning process.
New and expanded
cultural heritage policies for the Town of Caledon were approved by the Ontario
Municipal Board in 2004. Organized around the three key cultural heritage
components of built heritage resources, archaeological resources and cultural
heritage landscapes, these policies have been incorporated as Section 3.2 of Caledon’s
Official Plan.
Designation of Heritage
Properties
One of the most
important tools used by the Town of Caledon to protect heritage resources is
the designation of individual properties under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act. Designation
denotes a public recognition of the cultural heritage value and significance of
buildings, sites or other cultural landscape features.
Our heritage
buildings and other cultural heritage landscape features are among the most tangible
remnants of early settlement and development in this area. From quaint old
homes and commercial buildings in our villages and hamlets to former industrial
sites, solitary farmsteads and outbuildings, and fences and hedgerows along
rural roads, these resources provide us with a link to Caledon’s rich past as
well as a sense of continuity in our rapidly changing world.
Properties are
designated for reason of cultural heritage value, and must exhibit integrity of
form, location, craftsmanship and materials. Designation affords some
protection against demolition and provides the community a certain level of
control with respect to conserving our cultural heritage, ensuring that the
property cannot be altered in any manner that would jeopardize its identified
heritage features without approval.
The Town has over 100
properties which have been protected through designation or are pending
designation. To encourage and help raise awareness of the conservation of
Caledon’s heritage, all buildings designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act are marked with an
oval metal plaque. Two of Caledon’s more unique heritage property designations
include a dry stone wall built by early Scottish settlers and an Osage Orange
roadside hedgerow.
Heritage Signage Programs
Caledon’s Heritage
Resource Office is working with Heritage Caledon in the development of a variety
of interpretive signage programs to promote local heritage awareness and
appreciation. Hand-painted Village
Heritage Plaques note the original owner or best known occupant, use and date
of construction or business of various historic village buildings; Historic
Hamlet Road Signs depict settlement dates and the origin of place names; and,
Commemorative Heritage Plaques relate the history of former heritage sites or
events in text and photographs.
Historic Cemeteries
The Town of Caledon
maintains a number of early pioneer cemeteries that are closed and no longer
associated with an active church. An inventory of these cemeteries, together
with headstone records for these and a handful of known farm burial sites, is
held by the Heritage Resource Office.
Caledon Heritage Foundation
In 2000, in honour of retiring Heritage
Resource Officer Heather Broadbent, the Town established the Caledon Heritage
Trust Fund for the purpose of promoting cultural heritage conservation through
the development of a designated heritage property grants, educational programs,
and special projects. In 2006, the
Trust Fund was incorporated as the not-for-profit Caledon Heritage
Foundation. The Foundation is the
primary fund-raising and administrative body for special heritage projects and
endowed heritage conservation programming. It administers the new Designated Property Grant Program with base
funding provided by the Town, and is working with the municipality in pursuing
funding for the re-erection of the c.1845 Kerr Log House as a Community
Heritage Centre. For more information on membership
and Foundation activities, contact President Jane Pitfield, or by
writing to the Caledon Heritage Foundation, P.O. Box 83, Station Caledon East,
Caledon ON L7C 3L8.
Municipally-owned Heritage
Sites
TheTownowns four designated heritage properties: the
c.1837 Melville White Church, the c.1853 St. Andrew’s Stone Church, the c.1872
Rosehill Schoolhouse and the c.1874 Old Caledon Township Hall. Through agreements
with the Town, two local historical groups, the Belfountain Heritage Society
and the Friends of St. Andrew’s, are undertaking restoration of the two former
churches for use as community venues.
Heritage Caledon (Municipal
Heritage Committee)
Heritage Caledon is a
Council-appointed Municipal Heritage Committee. Established in 1976 under the Ontario
Heritage Act, this volunteer committee advises and assists the municipality
on such matters as heritage property designation, alteration and demolition of
designated properties, conservation principles and practices, and the promotion
of heritage activities and awareness across the community. Heritage Caledon meets regularly on the
second or third Monday of the month; all meetings are open to the public. Its membership comprises community volunteers
with knowledge of local history and architecture, representatives from local
historical societies and two Councillors. The Town’s Heritage Resource Officer serves as the committee’s
staff liaison. Members are appointed
for three-year terms for a maximum of nine continuous
years. Please click here to review Heritage
Caledon’s Terms of Reference.
Heritage Caledon
Membership 2009:
Nicholas
Brooksbank
Edgar Cook
Michael Corrigan
Shelley Craig
Donna Davies
Diana Hillman
Helen Mason
John Mason
Merle Middlebrook
Kathryn Mifsud
Barbara Rank
David Robertson
Libby Senior
Mike Starr
Randy Ugolini
Ted Von Zuben
Councillor Doug Beffort
Councillor
Gord McClure
Sally Drummond, Heritage Resource
Officer, Town of Caledon (staff liaison)
Kim Lichti, Recording Secretary,
Town of Caledon
Heritage Caledon Terms of Reference
(August 2002)
1.0 Aims and Objectives:
1.1 To advise and assist Council on all matters relating
to designation under Part IV and Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act R.S.O 1990 c. O.18.
1.2 To search out, assess,
and recommend to Council for designation any real property, including builtfeatures, artifacts, oral history and
other, which, in the opinion of Heritage Caledon, is of historical and/or
architectural merit as established by the general criteria contained in the Ontario Heritage Act.
1.3 To advise and assist the citizens of the
Town of Caledon in the conservation of its cultural heritage resources, thereby
contributing to the goals and objectives of the Cultural Heritage Conservation
policies intheTown's Official Plan.
2.0 Membership and Responsibilities:
2.1
Heritage Caledon shall consist of a maximum of 25
members appointed by Council, and shall include a minimum of two Councillors
and the Town's Heritage Resource Officer.
Representation from the local historical societies and all geographic
areas of the Town is strongly encouraged. All members are regarded as private
citizens and shall not represent any agency or firm in their capacity as a
member of Heritage Caledon.
2.2 Members shall be appointed for one, two or three year
terms with a maximum continuous tenure of three full terms (9 years). Upon
expiry of a member's term of appointment, the member may be re-appointed for an
additional term by Council, if eligible. If the member has served the maximum
tenure permitted, Council shall appoint a replacement. Members who have served
the maximum tenure permitted are subject to a mandatory one-year absence from
Heritage Caledon prior to seeking re-appointment for any subsequent term.
2.3 Members will be selected on the basis of
their demonstrated interest, knowledge and expertise in heritage matters.
2.4 Eligible members will generally be
residents or taxpayers in the Town of Caledon.
2.5
A Chair and Vice-Chair will be elected by majority
vote among the members at the first meeting of each calendar year. The Chair
will be expected to be available to meet with the Heritage Resource Officer
when necessary.
2.6
In the absence of the Chair, the Vice-Chair shall
assume the responsibilities and privileges of the Chair.
2.7 In the absence of both the
Chair and Vice-Chair, the quorum will appoint, from among its members, a chair
for the particular meeting, who shall be subject to all the normal
responsibilities and privileges assigned thereto.
2.8 All members will be expected to devote some time
between meetings to work on matters before Heritage Caledon.
2.9
Members who are unable to attend a meeting must notify
the Secretary of Heritage Caledon and their name will appear under Regrets on
the minutes.
2.10
By majority vote, Heritage Caledon may recommend to
Council replacement of any member who misses three consecutive full meetings,
subject to circumstances surrounding the absence. Members requesting a
temporary leave of absence or intending to resign from Heritage Caledon should
provide adequate written notification to the Chair prior to such action.
2.11
Members, who have served for one term and wish to
resign, or in the case of Councillors, are not re-elected, become Honourary
Members. Honourary Members are welcome
to attend the meetings and request agendas and minutes, but do not having
voting privileges.
3.0 Meetings:
3.1
Heritage Caledon shall normally meet on the secondTuesday of each month unless it is
deemed appropriate to cancel a meeting, in which case adequate notice will be
given to all members. All meetings of Heritage Caledon are public.
3.2
Quorum for a full meeting of Heritage Caledon will be
50% of the current membership plus one.
3.3
All meetings of Heritage Caledon will be chaired by
the Chair, or, in the absence of the Chair, the Vice-Chair, or, in the absence
of both the Chair and the Vice-Chair, a member appointed in accordance with
Section 2.7.
3.4
All decisions of Heritage Caledon will be determined
by a majority vote of the members present at a meeting.
3.5
Heritage Caledon may establish subcommittees for
various topics, issues or proposals as required. Such subcommittees may include
non-committee members, with the approval of the Chair, provided the
subcommittee is chaired by a member of Heritage Caledon. Subcommittees shall
report to Heritage Caledon through the subcommittee Chair.
4.0 Conflict
of Interest:
4.1 Members
having a conflict of interest in any matters under consideration by Heritage
Caledon shall declare the conflict of interest at the beginning of the meeting
and shall not discuss or vote on the matter.
5.0 Financing:
5.1
Members of Heritage Caledon will receive no
remuneration for their involvement in Heritage Caledon's activities.
5.2
Financial support for Heritage Caledon will be
reviewed annually as part of the Town's regular budget preparation process.
Additional, special project funding requests may also be submitted by Heritage
Caledon for consideration by Council.
6.0 Reporting:
6.1 Heritage Caledon is a Local Architectural Conservation
Advisory Committee, established by Council and will report directly to Council
on an annual basis and more frequently if required.
7.0 Staff Liaison and
Support Services:
7.1 Administrative
support will be provided by the Town’s Heritage Resource Office.
Local Historical Societies
Albion-Bolton Historical Society
Contact: Raymond
Bottoms, President (905) 857-1369
The Albion-Bolton
Historical Society was established in 1974 and is an affiliate of the Ontario
Historical Society. The objectives of the Society are to arouse interest in the
story of the people and places of the district of Albion-Bolton; to collect,
classify, edit and preserve information on the history of the area; and, to
disseminate its knowledge and material to the general public by publishing
information and holding public meetings.
The Albion-Bolton Historical Society has in its care an extensive
collection of early Bolton photographs. It holds regular meetings throughout the fall, winter and spring,
usually on the third Monday of each month, and has a variety of guest speakers on many diverse and interesting topics
pertinent to the heritage of the area. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Belfountain Heritage Society
Website: www.belfountainheritage.com
The Belfountain Heritage Society was formed in 1992 to protect and preserve the
heritage of the hamlet of Belfountain and surrounding area. It became affiliated with the Ontario
Historical Society in 1994, and is incorporated. The Society is made up of residents of Belfountain and nearby
villages. The BHS has several on-going
projects, including:
● restoration of the c.1837 Melville White Church (the Society’s largest
project)
● protection of heritage properties in Belfountain and area
● restoration and upgrading of the c.1894 Belfountain Community Hall
● recognition of heritage properties in Belfountain by placement of
heritage plaques on buildings.
BHS Executive:
President – Peter
Probst (519) 833-5050
Vice-President – Brian
Moorcroft (519) 927-9519
Secretary – Lynn Wood (519) 927-5921
Interim Treasurer – Norm Wrycraft (519) 833-5050
Caledon East & District Historical Society
Contact: Betty
Johnston, President (905) 857-2410
Caledon East & District Historical Society, Box 37, Caledon ON L7C 3L8
www.littlebrickbookhouse.com
The Caledon East and District History Society, forerunner of the Caledon
East & District Historical Society, was formed in the winter of 1984-85
when a small group of history buffs decided to make their informal recreation
room get-togethers open to the community. The first public meeting was held
September 25, 1985 in the St. James Parish hall. In early 1987, the group officially became affiliated with the
Ontario Historical Society. Six
meetings a year are held on the last Wednesday of alternate months, commencing
in January. The current membership is
approximately 90 and meetings are presently held in the St. James Anglican
Church on Old Church Road in Caledon East. As described in its constitution, the Society’s mission is to:
● promote and stimulate interest in the history of the people and places
of Caledon East and District, Town of Caledon, Regional Municipality of Peel
● collect, classify, edit and preserve information relating to this
district
● disseminate material so collected by publishing, holding meetings for
the presentation of papers and discussion, and by marking historic sites
Caledon Village Heritage
Contact: Margaret Foster (519)927-5278
Caledon Village
Heritage has compiled a Walking Tour of the village and presented plaques to
the owners of ten historical buildings. There are six designated heritage
structures in the village. A records
collection of the oral and pictorial history of the former Caledon Township is
in progress. To contribute photographs,
etc., please email Margaret Foster.
Cultural Heritage Landscape Inventory Report (2009)
● Cultural Heritage
Landscape Inventory Report (2009)
● Table of Contents
● Section 1
● Section 2
● Section 3
● Section 4
● Section 5
● Section 6
● Section 7
● Section 8
● Section 9
● Section 10
● Section 11
● Section 12
● Section 13
● Section 14
● Section 15
● Section 16
