Notice of Intention to Designate

The Corporation of the City of Richmond Hill

Re:       Notice of Intention to Designate
            9835 Leslie Street
            City of Richmond Hill ON L4B 3Y4
            City File No.: D12-07248

Take notice that the Council of the Corporation of the City of Richmond Hill (“Council”) intends to designate the above noted property as a property of cultural heritage value or interest under part IV and pursuant to section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990,c.0.18.

And take notice that the Council of the Corporation of the City of Richmond Hill stated their intention to designate said property under the Ontario Heritage Act on June 19, 2024.

A statement explaining the cultural heritage value or interest of the property and a description of the heritage attributes of the property is set out below.

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest:

Dating to circa 1875, the William Munro House at 9835 Leslie Street has design and physical value as a representative example of the late-Victorian Gothic Revival architectural style. The building has retained its historical 1 ½-storey scale, form, massing and western orientation towards Leslie Street. The building has also retained many historical architectural details that are representative of the late-Victorian Gothic Revival style including its T-shaped plan, medium-pitched cross-gabled roof with additional central gables on its west and north elevations, red-brick cladding with decorative buff brick details, segmental-headed windows and doors, projecting bay window on its west elevation, and west-facing principal entrance with paneled wooden door and bellcast-roofed verandah.

The William Munro House also has design and physical value for the high degree of craftsmanship and artistic merit displayed in its elaborate dichromatic patterned brickwork, attributed to significant Headford bricklayers and masons Patrick and John Kelly. Brick detailing at the William Munro House includes a projecting buff brick building base, quoins, window and door voussoirs/hood moulds, and decorative brick banding.

The subject property has historical and associative value as the former residence of the Munro family, who moved to Lot 19, Concession 3, of Markham Township from Pickering around 1865. The Munros were early farmers and community members of Headford during an era of prosperity in the hamlet during the late 19th century. William Munro erected the subject dwelling on his 99-acre farm around 1875, and used the building as his family home for nearly 20 years until he sold the property in 1892.

The William Munro House also has historical value because it reflects the work of celebrated Headford bricklayers and stonemasons Patrick and John Kelly. As skilled masons and builders working throughout York County from the 1870s to the late 1890s, Patrick and John Kelly were instrumental in the development of Headford during an era of

In addition to the William Munro House at 9835 Leslie Street, Patrick and John Kelly are attributed with the brickwork of the Patrick Kelly House at 9853 Leslie Street (1875), the Headford Church at 9550 Leslie Street (1882), 9838 Leslie Street (c.1885, demolished), the Adam Henricks House at 1600 Major Mackenzie Drive East (1889), the David Hislop House at 1621 Major Mackenzie Drive East (1877, demolished), and the Richmond Hill High School at 10268 Yonge Street (1897). There are, undoubtedly, other unidentified examples of their work in the vicinity.

The William Munro House has contextual value because its scale, form, and Gothic Revival architectural style are important in defining and maintaining the historical 19^th century character of the hamlet of Headford.

The William Munro House has existed within Lot 19, Concession 3 since around 1875, when it was erected as part of a farmstead owned by the Munro family in the hamlet of Headford. As such, the William Munro House retains long-standing and significant physical, visual and historical links to its surroundings, including to significant landscape features such as the Rouge River and Headford Valleylands to the east. The subject property also has long-standing and significant physical, visual, and historical links to the former milling and agricultural community of Headford.

Description of Heritage Attributes:

• The scale, form and massing of the 1 ½-storey building with a T-shaped plan;
• The medium-pitched cross-gable roof with west, east, and south gable ends, and steeply-pitched central gables on the west and north elevations;
• The red-brick cladding, laid in stretcher and common bond, with playful buff brick detailing, including projecting building base, quoining, decorative banding, and radiating voussoirs/hood moulds;
• The segmental-arched window and door openings, with wooden lugsills (windows) and a mixture of radiating voussoirs and hood moulds;
• The hip-roofed canted bay window on the house’s west elevation;
• The main entrance located on the west elevation of the building’s ell, featuring a paneled wooden door with transom, and sheltered by a bellcast-roofed verandah;
• The building’s Gothic Revival architectural style and material palette;
• The building’s decorative dichromatic brickwork, including projecting building base, quoining, decorative banding, and radiating voussoirs/hood moulds;
• The building’s scale, siting and general location within Lot 19 on the east side of Leslie Street.

Notice of Objection:

Any person who objects to the above noted Council’s intention to designate shall, within 30 days after the publication of this notice, serve on the Clerk of the City of Richmond Hill, a Notice of Objection setting out the reason for the objection and all relevant facts.  The last day to submit the Notice of Objection is July 26, 2024.

Service may be made digitally by email to clerks@richmondhill.ca or by delivery personally to the City Clerk or by Regular Mail at the following address:

         
Stephen M.A. Huycke, City Clerk
The City of Richmond Hill
225 East Beaver Creek Road
Richmond Hill ON  L4B 3P4

Obtaining Additional Information:

Additional information about heritage planning at the City of Richmond Hill may be obtained by contacting Heritage Planning City staff by e-mail at heritage@richmondhill.ca. Take note that a Notice of Objection may only be served to the Clerk of the City of Richmond Hill as stated above.

Dated this 26th day of June, 2024

Stephen M.A. Huycke, City Clerk
The Corporation of the City of Richmond Hill
225 East Beaver Creek Road
Richmond Hill, Ontario L4B 3P4
E-mail: clerks@richmondhill.ca