BYLAW - Heritage Designation Aurora Armoury 89 Mosley St - 20140422 - 561514THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF AURORA
By-law Number 5615-14
BEING A BY-LAW to designate a
property to be of cultural heritage
value or interest (The Aurora
Armoury - 89 Mosley Street).
WHEREAS subsection 29(1) of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. 0.18, as
amended, provides that the council of a municipality may, by by-law, designate a
property within the municipality to be of cultural heritage value or interest;
AND WHEREAS on February 26, 2013, the Council of The Corporation of the Town
of Aurora (the "Town") approved the recommendations of its Heritage Advisory
Committee to designate the property municipally known as 89 Mosley Street, Aurora
(the 'Property") to be of cultural heritage value or interest;
AND WHEREAS the Town Clerk of the Town caused notice of the intention to
designate the Property to be served on the owner of the Property and the Ontario
Heritage Trust and published in a newspaper having general circulation in the
municipality;
AND WHEREAS there were no objections to the proposed designation of the
Property served on the Town;
AND WHEREAS the Council of the Town deems it necessary and expedient to
enact a by-law to designate the Property to be of cultural heritage value or interest;
NOW THEREFORE THE COUNCIL OF THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF
AURORA ENACTS AS FOLLOWS:
THAT the Property described on Schedule "A" attached hereto and forming
part of this By-law be and is hereby designated to be of cultural heritage
value or interest.
2. THAT a statement explaining the cultural heritage value or interest of the
Property and a description of the heritage attributes of the Property are set
out on Schedule "B" attached hereto and forming part of this By-law.
THAT the Town Clerk of the Town shall serve a copy of this By-law on the
owner of the Property and the Ontario Heritage Trust and publish notice of
this By-law in a newspaper having general circulation in the municipality.
4. THAT the Town Solicitor of the Town shall register against the Property in
the proper Land Registry Office, a copy of this By-law including an Affidavit
of the Town Clerk respecting the giving of notice referenced herein to be
attached to and forming part of this By-law.
5. THAT this By-law shall come into full force and effect on the date of final
passage hereof.
READ A FIRST AND SECOND TIME THIS 22"d DAY OF APRIL, 2014,
READ A THIRD TIME AND FINALLY PASSED THIS 22" DAY OF APRIL, 2014.
Apj7- ,v,-dos to form O REY DAWE MAYOR
'N'm.�leg/alSe� zte ,
TOWN CLERK
By-law Number 6615-14 Page 2 of 4
Explanatory Note
Re: Heritage Designation By-law Number 5615-14
By-law Number 5615-14 to designate the property municipally known as 89 Mosley
Street, Aurora, as a property of cultural heritage value or interest pursuant to the
provisions of section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O., 1990, c. 0.18, as
amended.
By-law Number 5615-14
Page 3 of 4
Schedule "A"
Description of Property
All and singular those certain parcels or tracts of land and premises situate, lying and
being in the Town of Aurora, in the Regional Municipality of York, municipally known as
89 Mosley Street, and being composed of Part Town Hall or Market Block Plan 68
Aurora as in AU515; Aurora, including the Aurora Armoury and all other buildings and
structures thereon.
By-law Number 6616-14
Page 4 of 4
Schedule "B"
Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest
The cultural heritage value of the property derives from its architectural, historical and
contextual values. The property is associated historically with local militia, as, well as
civic and community activities in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The property
has contextual value as being located within the first residential subdivision in Aurora,
known as Southeast Old Aurora. The building is valued architecturally as being
representative of the utilitarian and functional design of early militia drill sheds. While
the building is no longer used by local militia, it was previously one of the oldest
functioning purpose-built armouries remaining in Canada. The building is a physical
reminder to the larger history of the province's militia regiments and is strongly
connected to the local community.
Physical Design Value
The Aurora Armoury is a functional one (1) storey frame structure with a low-pitched
front-end gable. The building was originally constructed in 1874 sheathed with vertical
wood board and batten and renovated in 1942, introducing horizontal wood bevel
siding. The building was renovated again in 1983 including the addition of aluminum
siding and the covering -up of windows on the west elevation. The building was
designed according to the standard plan prepared by the Department of the Militia and
Defence in 1867, most likely by Walter Moberly, an engineer associated with the
construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The functional and utilitarian design of
this building is an excellent example of early purpose-built militia drill sheds, expressive
of rural building practices and construction methods.
Historical /Associative Value:
The Aurora Armoury is historically associated with the 12th Battalion of Infantry of York
Rangers, for whom the building was originally constructed. The building is associated
with citizen soldiers of the local community as well as Edward Blake, former Prime
Minister of Ontario, who delivered his famous "Aurora Speech" on the property on
October 3, 1874, emphasizing the nationalist movement.
Contextual Value:
Located on the south side of Mosley Street and on the west side of Larmont Street, on
the north-east corner of Town Park, the property is located within the first residential
subdivision in Aurora, known as Southeast Old Aurora. Located within this historic
residential neighbourhood, as well as the adjacent Town Park, the building has become
an integral part of the local community. Its public use throughout the nineteenth and
twentieth centuries is strongly associated to its key location in the community.
Description of Heritage Attributes
Reasons for designation include the following heritage attributes and apply to all
elevations and the roof; including all facades, entrances, window openings, chimneys,
and trim, together with construction materials, their related building techniques and
landscape features.
Exterior Elements
■ Overall rectangular plan, one -storey building form;
■ Low-pitched front-end gable -roof;
■ All window openings;
■ East elevation brick chimney;
■ Original truss framing; and
Original door openings and entrances.