BYLAW - Heritage Designation 50 Wellington St E (Andrews Morrison House) - 20230523 - 6511-23The Corporation of the Town of Aurora
By-law Number 6511-23
Being a By-law to designate a property to be of cultural heritage value or
interest (50 Wellington Street East "The Andrews-Morrison House").
Whereas under subsection 2C)(1) of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.0. 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 28, 2022, the Council of The Corporation of the Town of Aurora
(the "Town") approved the recommendations contained in Report No. PDS22-042, to
designate the property municipally known as 50 Wellington Street East, as described on
the attached Schedule "A" (the IlProperty") 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served on the Town, or a person who has served a notice of objection has withdrawn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 IIB".
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.A copy of this by-law shall be registered against the Property in the appropriate
land registry office.
Enacted by Town of Aurora Council this 23rd day of May, 2023.
/(om Mrakas, Mayor
Michael de Rond, Town Clerk
By-law Number 6511-23 Page 2 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
50 Wellington Street East, and being composed of PT LT 19 First Range S of Centre St
W of Railroad PL107 Aurora as in R631476, being all of PIN 03638-0050 (LT), including
the primary building thereon.
By-law Number 6511-23 Page 3 of 4
Schedule “B”
Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest
50 Wellington Street East is of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest based on its design
and physical value, historical and associative value, and contextual value.
Design and Physical Value:
The property is a representative example of a 1.5 storey wood frame Gothic Revival
Cottage. The building itself includes features indicative of its period of construction and
high craftmanship and detail, including the side gabled roof and steeply pitched front
elevation roof gable, the stone foundation, the horizontal clapboard siding as an
accurate reproduction of the original, the second storey balcony with wood frame lancet
arched window, and the front elevation porch, including the support columns. The
building is a rare and well-preserved example of the style and displays exceptional
design detail and character as one of the oldest and few remaining building types in the
Wellington Street East area.
Historical and Associative Value:
The building was constructed circa 1855, over 165 years ago and prior to Canadian
Confederation in 1867 and prior to the incorporation of the Town of Aurora in 1888. The
construction year coincides closely with the founding of the Town of Aurora in 1854,
which has historical and associative value with the new beginnings and optimism of the
founded Town. The building is considered a very early dwelling within the context of
Aurora, for again few remain of this particular mid 19th century period. The building is
known locally as the Andrews-Morrison House for its association with Edward Andrews,
an early local tailor whose family owned the property until 1886, and George Morrison, a
carriage and wagon maker. Andrews initially purchased the property off of Richard
Machell, for whom the original Machell’s Corners (former name for the Town of Aurora)
is named after. The building is associated with two well-known local craftsmen in
Andrews and Morrison, and the building also highlights the important of the Wellington
Street corridor as an enclave of key historic residential development for the Town.
Contextual Value:
The property defines, maintains and supports the historic character of the Aurora core.
The building is located midway down a long block that features significant heritage
buildings and character. The buildings provides a unique and rare link to the early
growth and development of the Town and community area, specifically in relation to
growth that occurred in and around the early Machell’s Corners, with Wellington Street
being a preferred corridor to live on. The building and its unique Gothic Cottage style
and detailed craftmanship help tell the story of the evolution of the community and help
to serve as a gateway entrance from the east into the heart of the Town at Yonge and
Wellington Streets.
Description of Heritage Attributes
The following provides a description of heritage attributes for the property which
contribute to the reasons for which the property is of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest.
Important to the preservation of the property are the original key attributes of the
building that express its value, which include:
Exterior Elements
By-law Number 6511-23 Page 4 of 4
• Overall 1.5 storey scale with side gabled roof and steeply pitched front elevation
roof gable
• Stone foundation
• Horizontal clapboard siding, as an accurate reproduction of the original
• Second storey balcony with lancet arched windows
• Front elevation 3-bay façade with original door and window openings
• Front elevation porch including support columns
• All other window openings visible from the street