Heritage Property Designation

At the City Council meeting on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, Council considered staff’s recommendation to designate 22 of the 27 properties on the Bill 23 – Heritage Designation Shortlist. In summary, at their meeting, Council approved:

1) Refer 390 John St. and 2003 Lakeshore Road back to staff to review the heritage attributes that might be preserved as part of redevelopment in conversation with the property owner and Heritage Burlington, and report back to Committee of the Whole before January 1, 2027;

2) Direct the Director of Community Planning to conduct a peer review regarding the contextual heritage value of the following properties in light of the recommendation of the Heritage Burlington Advisory Committee and report back to Council by the end of Q2 2025:

• 368 Brant St.
• 458 Elizabeth St.
• 513 Locust St.
• 367 Torrance St.

3) State an intention to designate the following properties in Appendix B:

• 1433 Baldwin St. (Burlington Central High School)
• 5726 Cedar Springs Rd. (Dakota School House)
• 550 Hurd Ave. (Hepton Weeks House)
• 1134 Plains Rd. E. (David Homestead)
• 451 Nelson Ave. (Thomas Rogers House)
• 380 Brant St. (Hotel Raymond)
• 2437 Dundas St. (Nelson United Church)
• 451 Elizabeth St. (Iron Duke building)
• 461 Elizabeth St. (Knox Presbyterian Church)
• 482 Elizabeth St. (Laing-Speers House, former Burlington Public Library)
• 490 Elizabeth St. (Laing Fisher House)
• 2066 Kilbride St. (Kilbride United Church)
• 1421 Lakeshore Rd. (Graham House)
• 472 Locust St. (Paroisse St. Philippe)
• 562 Maple Ave. (Robert Lindley House)
• 242 Plains Rd. E. (Roelfson House)
• 444 Plains Rd. E. (John Horne House)
• 2280 No. 2 Side Rd. (Pitcher Homestead)
• 2022 Victoria Ave. (Bell Orchards Farmhouse)
• 6414 Walkers Ln. (Donald McGregor Farmhouse)

The meeting minutes, including the full wording of the motions moved by Council, can be found here.

More details are available in the staff report entitled Heritage Response to Bill 23 – Evaluation of Shortlist of Designation Candidates (DGM-10-25). The report is published on the meeting agenda at burlington.ca/meetings. For more background information, read the Cultural Heritage Evaluation Reports.

At the Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday, April 7, 2025, Council will consider staff’s recommendation to designate 22 of the 29 properties on the Bill 23 – Heritage Designation Shortlist.

More details are available in the staff report entitled Heritage Response to Bill 23 – Evaluation of Shortlist of Designation Candidates (DGM-10-25). The report is published on the meeting agenda at events.burlington.ca/meetings, along with information on how to participate remotely or in person.

If you wish to speak to Council, please register online to delegate at burlington.ca/delegate. In addition, you can submit written comments to Council by emailing clerks@burlington.ca. Please include “Report DGM-10-25” in the subject line. The deadline for submitting written materials is 12 p.m. (noon) on Friday, Apr. 4, 2025.

For more background information, read the Cultural Heritage Evaluation Reports.

The City has received 27 finalized Cultural Heritage Evaluation Reports (CHERs) for the Heritage Property Designation project. The properties in the study have finalized reports in the links below. City staff will present to Committee of the Whole and Council this spring, potentially in April. The staff report will in the meeting agenda at events.burlington.ca/meetings the week before the meeting. More information on how to share written comments, delegate or attend the meeting will be shared before the meeting.

1. 482 Elizabeth St., Laing-Speers House, former Burlington Public Library
2. 451 Nelson Ave., Thomas Rogers House
3. 518 Hager Ave., Calvary Baptist Church Manse
4. 562 Maple Ave., Robert Lindley House
5. 458 Elizabeth St., John Taylor House
6. 490 Elizabeth St., Laing Fisher House
7. 2003 Lakeshore Rd., former Royal Bank
8. 390 John St., Shaver Building
9. 2437 Dundas St., Nelson United Church
10. 368 Brant St., Bell-Wiggins Boot and Shoe Store
11. 550 Hurd Ave., Hepton Weeks House
12. 2280 No. 2 Side Rd., Pitcher Homestead
13. 6414 Walkers Line, Donald McGregor Farmhouse
14. 367 Torrance St.
15. 1433 Baldwin St., Burlington Central High School
16. 380 Brant St., Hotel Raymond
17. 1134 Plains Rd. E., Davis Homestead
18. 513 Locust Ave., A Different Drummer Books
19. 242 Plains Rd. E., Roelfson House
20. 444 Plains Rd. E., John Horne House
21. 2022 Victoria Ave., Bell Orchards Farmhouse
22. 1421 Lakeshore Rd., Graham House
23. 5726 Cedar Springs Rd., Dakota School House
24. 451 Elizabeth St., Iron Duke building
25. 461 Elizabeth St., Knox Presbyterian Church
26. 472 Locust St., Paroisse St. Philippe
27. 2066 Kilbride St., Kilbride United Church

This summer and fall, Community Planning staff and the team of heritage consultants have been busy with public engagement on the review of 27 properties for potential heritage designations, including attending the following meetings/events:

• June 2024 – Study kick-off open house with property owners
• August 2024 – Heritage Week’s annual Heritage Fair
• September 2024 – The City’s annual Food for Feedback event at Central Park
• October 2024 – Heritage Burlington Advisory Committee meeting regarding the first batch of Cultural Heritage Evaluation Reports
  1. Meeting Minutes

The next steps include presenting the findings and recommendations to Committee of the Whole and Council for approval in Winter 2024/2025.

Heritage Week is a time to celebrate the many aspects of Burlington’s various heritages. In 2024, Burlington is celebrating two exciting milestones – 110 years since the Village of Burlington became a town and 50 years as a city.

To help mark these anniversaries, over 35 representatives from various organizations, departments and individuals have joined to offer residents and visitors, a very special extended week of heritage events and activities.

Find out more details here

The City of Burlington is reviewing the potential heritage designation of 27 properties in Burlington. They are:

1. 482 Elizabeth St., Laing-Speers House, former Burlington Public Library
2. 451 Nelson Ave., Thomas Rogers House
3. 518 Hager Ave., Calvary Baptist Church Manse
4. 562 Maple Ave., Robert Lindley House
5. 458 Elizabeth St., John Taylor House
6. 490 Elizabeth St., Laing Fisher House
7. 2003 Lakeshore Rd., former Royal Bank
8. 390 John St., Shaver Building
9. 2437 Dundas St., Nelson United Church
10. 368 Brant St., Bell-Wiggins Boot and Shoe Store
11. 550 Hurd Ave., Hepton Weeks House
12. 2280 No. 2 Side Rd., Pitcher Homestead
13. 6414 Walkers Line, Donald McGregor Farmhouse
14. 367 Torrance St.
15. 1433 Baldwin St., Burlington Central High School
16. 380 Brant St., Hotel Raymond
17. 1134 Plains Rd. E., Davis Homestead
18. 513 Locust Ave., A Different Drummer Books
19. 242 Plains Rd. E., Roelfson House
20. 444 Plains Rd. E., John Horne House
21. 2022 Victoria Ave., Bell Orchards Farmhouse
22. 1421 Lakeshore Rd., Graham House
23. 5726 Cedar Springs Rd., Dakota School House
24. 451 Elizabeth St., Iron Duke building
25. 461 Elizabeth St., Knox Presbyterian Church
26. 472 Locust St., Paroisse St. Philippe
27. 2066 Kilbride St., Kilbride United Church