Notice of intent to designate - 285 Emily Street

TAKE NOTICE that the Council of The Corporation of the Town of St. Marys intends to designate 285 Emily Street as a property of cultural historical value or interest under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.0.18, as amended.

Property Description

The subject property is described as LOT 73 EAST SIDE WATER STREET PLAN 248 ST MARYS, BEING PT 3 44R-402 ; ST MARYS

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

Design and Physical Value: The plan for this house is to run east to west with the main entrance facing Emily Street and the longitudinal L shaped section runs this way.

The roof is saddle back style with a single steep pitched centre cross gable, from the front of the house into the main ridge board running longitudinally north/south; as well as a lesser pitched roof running from the ridge board east to form the L shape part of the house.

The west façade is limestone regular cut ashlar, with a central protrusion which contains the entrance and the second storey window centred in the cross gable. The north/east extension and southern walls are limestone, irregular coursed rubble. The rear wall or east extension has a field stone ground floor with a wood plinth separating it from the second level; which matches the other walls of the extension in limestone rubble.

Historical Value: 285 Emily has a long and interesting history, with connections to the early flax milling industry that took place in St. Marys along the Thames River, the Knox Presbyterian Church, a family of Olympic runners, and Thamescrest Farms.

Contextual Value: 285 Emily Street is located in the North Ward of St. Marys, on a street overlooking the Thames River. It is located on the former land of Thamescrest Farms, near the sites of several former mills that were powered by the Thames River.

Description of Heritage Attributes

• Site of residence, located on Emily Street on former Thamescrest Farm site.
• Saddleback style roof with large central gable on the west façade.
• L-shape design with central protrusion at west façade entrance.
• Two limestone chimneys, on the north and south ends of the Emily Street façade. The north chimney was fully rebuilt in 2023 using limestone to closely match the original.
• All exterior limestone masonry walls.

Notice of Objection

Any person may serve their notice of objection to the proposed designation to the Town Clerk within 30 days of the date of this notice, and no later than 4:30 pm on Tuesday, January 2, 2024. Objections should be directed to the Town of St. Marys, Box 998, St. Marys, ON N4X 1B6, Attention: Jenna McCartney, Clerk, or by email to clerksoffice@town.stmarys.on.ca. A notice of objection must set out the reason(s) for the objection and all relevant facts.