BYLAW - HeritageDesignation 15240 YongeSt(AshtonBuilding) - 20210130 - 633421The Corporation of the Town of Aurora
By-law Number 6334-21
Being a By-law to designate a property to be of cultural heritage value or
interest (15240 Yonge Street "The Ashton Building").
Whereas under subsection 29(1) of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. 0.18, as
amended, 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 June 12, 2018, the Council of The Corporation of the Town of Aurora
(the ''Town") approved the recommendations contained in Report No. HAC18-008, to
designate the property municipally known as 15240 Yonge Street, as described on the
attached Schedule "A" (the "Property") to be of cultural heritage value or interest;
And whereas the Town Clerk 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served on the Town, or a person who has served a notice of objection has withdrawn
the objection;
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 hereby enacts
as follows:
1. The Property, as described on the attached Schedule "A", be and is hereby
designated to be of cultural heritage value or interest.
2. 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 the attached
Schedule "B".
3. The Town Clerk 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. The Town Solicitor 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.
Enacted by Town of Aurora Council this 30th day of March, 2021.
Michael de Rond, Town Clerk
By-law Number 6334-21 Page 2 of 3
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
15240 Yonge Street, and being composed of Part of Lot 16, W/S Yonge Street, Plan 9,
Aurora, being all of PIN 03652-0043 (LT), including the primary building thereon.
By-law Number 6334-21 Page 3 of 3
Schedule “B”
Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest
The Ashton Building originally constructed in 1882 in the “commercial vernacular style”
has cultural value. It is a simple rectilinear two-storey brick structure with a low sloping
roof. It is built tight to the Yonge Street property line. The storefront maintains the
original configuration of the entrance to the second floor to the south, a recessed retail
entrance to the north, and an evolved, large storefront glazing above a brick knee wall.
The storefront glazing and door transom panels extend to a cornice line. Three equally
spaced very tall windows of the second level reflect the high floor to ceiling height.
Beneath a low parapet, there is a decorative metal cornice of identical design to the
adjacent Lloyd Building. The building today is coated in faux stucco with faux window
hood moldings.
It has historical value based on its association with the development of the early retail
commercial main street of Aurora. Built as part of a larger block by a building syndicate,
the subject property contributes to an understanding of how the historic main street of
Aurora was built through cooperation amongst its early owners, and in which the design
and construction visually tied it to the adjoined buildings in similar design and style.
The building has contextual value as a contributing building to the historic main street
streetscape of Aurora. In conjunction with the adjoined Lloyd Building, it provides a
northern anchor for the historic downtown that developed south from the intersection of
Yonge and Wellington Streets. It contributes to an understanding of the development of
the historic downtown. Functionally the Ashton Building continues its historical use,
which is consistent in all the buildings on the main street, with storefront retail at the
main level and access to residential and/or business uses above. Visually the Ashton
building contributes to the unifying features of the historic streetscape that is marked
by buildings that are predominantly low sloped roofed, brick of two storeys in height,
with decorative masonry parapets, and metal cornices.
Description of Heritage Attributes
Important to the preservation of the property are the original key attributes that express
its value, which include the following exterior elements:
• the building massing and masonry window openings;
• the configuration of the Yonge Street storefront with the entrance to the second
level to the south and the recessed retail entrance to the north;
• the proportion of storefront to the remainder of the façade including the height of
the storefront cornice;
• the glazing of the storefront;
• the brick kneewall with recessed panels beneath the storefront;
• the glazed wood door to the retail complete with framing for transom glazing
over;
• the low brick parapet; and
• the decorative metal cornice complete with dentils and brackets.