BYLAW - Heritage Designation 96 Wells - 20081110 - 5051REleanor and Ernest Robinson
House, 96 Wells Street
-<.,ovvn of "lv. THE CORPORA T/ON OF THE TOWN OF AURORA
, . ""o . ~
By-law Number 5051-0B.R
BEING A BY-LAW to designate a
certain property as being of
Historical and/or Architectural
Value or Interest "The Eleanor and
Ernest Robinson House", 96 Wells
Street.
WHEREAS pursuant to Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S. 0. 1990, Chapter o.18,
the Council of a municipality is authorized to enact By-laws to designate a real property,
including all buildings and structures thereon, to be of cultural heritage value or interest;
AND WHEREAS the municipal council of the Corporation of the Town of Aurora has
cause to be served on the owners of the lands and premises at:
96 Wells Street
Aurora, ON
and up on the Ontario Heritage Foundation, notice of intention to designate the Eleanor
and Ernest Robinson House, and a statement of the reasons for the proposed
designation, and further, has caused said notice of intention to be published in the Era
Banner, being a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality;
AND WHEREAS no notice of objection to the proposed designation has been served on
the municipality;
AND WHEREAS the reasons for designation are set out in Schedule "B" attached
hereto and form part of this By-law;
NOW THEREFORE THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF THE CORPORATION OF THE
TOWN OF AURORA ENACTS AS FOLLOWS:
1. THAT the following real property, more particularly described in Schedule "A"
attached hereto and forming part of this By-law is hereby designated as being of
cultural heritage value or interest:
The Eleanor and Ernest Robinson House
96 Wells Street
Town of Aurora
The Regional Municipality of York
2. THAT the Town solicitor is hereby authorized to cause a copy of this By-law to be
registered against the property described in Schedule "A" attached hereto at the
Land Registry Office.
READ A FIRST AND SECOND TIME THIS 10TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2008.
READ A THIRD TIME AND FINALLY PASSED THIS 10TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2008.
PHY~Jr::~ B. CLERK
SCHEDULE "8" TO
BY-LAW 5051.08.R
Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest
By-law Number 5051-08.R
Page 3 of 5
The Eleanor and Ernest Robinson House has excellent cultural heritage value. The
House is a good example of an Edwardian House built in the Rose Mount Subdivision at
the turn of the 20th Century to house workers and management in local industries like
the Sisman Shoe Company. The house is part of an intact streetscape of well-
maintained early 20th Century homes, many of which were built by William Lewis
Stephens an active local builder.
Historical Value
96 Wells Street has historical value in its association with noted local builder, Wiliiam
Lewis Stephens, and with the owners and tenants of the home throughout its 93 years
history.
William Lewis (Lew) Stephens constructed a number of homes in the Rose Mount
subdivision, which opened for development in 1912. This home, constructed as a
speculative build in 1914, was quickly sold to Eleanor and Ernest Robinson, who had
emigrated to Canada from England in 1904. Though they originally settled in King
Township, the move to Aurora was likely to be closer to Ernest's work, as he was a
shoemaker with one of Aurora's shoe factories (either Sisman or Underhill). Eleanor
was a nurse, and they had two children, Leonard and Ruby. Sadly, Eleanor died on
December 31 of 1914, and Ernest Robinson sold the house several years later.
The house has been used as a rental investment by several of its owners, the first being
Dr. G.W. Williams (namesake of an Aurora high school) from 1917 to 1918, and the
second being Clifford S. Phillips, from 1928 to 1941. In between, from 1918 to 1928,
the property was owned and occupied by William and Lavina Moulds and their daughter,
Lulu.
Clifford Phillips sold the house to William and Kathleen Morris in 1941, and they lived in
the house until 1980, and raised their son and daughter there. William (Bill) originally
worked in the family butcher shop with his brother, on Wellington Street, but they sold
the business in 1957 to the Baptist Church. Bill Morris went on to work at the Liquor
Control Board until his retirement.
Architectural Value
The house has architectural value as a local variation of the Edwardian Foursquare
style. Although based on a simple 2 % storey square plan, 96 Wells has decorative
cement quoins and a more elaborate roofline than many of its contemporaries.
In 2007 the house was restored and expanded in keeping with the. original Edwardian
Architectural Character of the home. Enhancements undertaken in 2007 included
construction of a new rear addition, expanded veranda, new garage and upgraded
interior.
Contextual Value
96 Wells Street is located in the historic neighbourhood of Rose Mount, a subdivision
which opened for development in 1912. The Eleanor and Ernest Robinson House was
one of the first properties built, as the subdivision was developed gradually overtime for
individuals, either for personal use of as a speculative venture. It was a spec house built
by W. Lewis Stephens, a builder who constructed quite a few properties in this area.
Located at the corner of Wells and Harrison Streets, the Eleanor and Ernest Robinson
House is part of an intact historic streetscape of heritage buildings, mature trees, and
gardens.
SCHEDULE "A" TO
BY-LAW 5051-0B.R
By-law Number 5051-08.R
Page 2 of 5
In the Town of Aurora in the Regional Municipality of York, property description as
follows:
Plan 120, Part Lot 44
96 Wells Street
The Eleanor and Ernest Robinson House
Description of Heritage Attributes
By-law Number 5051-08.R
Page 4 of 5
The Description of Heritage Attributes includes the following heritage attributes and
applies to all elevations and the roof including all facades, entrances, windows,
chimneys, and trim, together with construction materials of wood, brick, stone, plaster
parging, metal and glazing, their related building techniques and landscape features:
Attribute to be Conserved:
• Edwardian Classicism Style House at 96 Wells Street
Exterior Elements of the Attribute to be Conserved:
• The Edwardian Foursquare plan, 2 %storeys high;
• The red brick exterior walls with cement block quoins;
• The steeply pitched truncated hip roof with front and side gables;
• The original window openings, lintels and sills.
• The front verandah form.
Explanatory Note
Re: Heritage Designation By-law No. 5051-0S.R
By-law Number 5051-0S.R
Page 5 of 5
By-law Number 5051-0S.R the following purpose and effect:
To designate the property at 96 Wells Street as a property of cultural heritage value or
interest pursuant to the provisions of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O,. 1990, Chapter
0.18, Part IV, Section 29.
TOWN OF AURORA
THIS IS SCHEDULE "A"
,:r:H.E REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF YORK TO BY-LAW NO. 5051-0S.R
PASSED THIS \0 DAY
OF ~n JbMfdL, 2008.
LOCATION: Part Lot 44 Plan 120 as in R581401
'
~v
Jfjf=
I
I ,_
w w t=
Cl) ____Jw
Town of Aurora, Regional Municipality of York
96 Wells Street
(The Eleanor and Ernest Robinson House ) BOB PANIZZA, CLERK
{)\ t~ ~ ~ M. MORRIS, MAOR
~~B~~J SUBJECTLANDS
WELLINGTON STREET EAST ~
b-JL I f--
'--..... r--....J '---1 -(/)
I --r:::
(/) 0
-~ I-E ...
r-Cll r l -_J ~ -r-I -r
Mosley St
I lL 1 --"]~
=~ -, ----, '--I .
L --(/) '--
.!!!. 1-.-
I-• 1-I--~ r-f-
1-Church St u Metcalfe St -iP 1-"" f--.., ~ 1--
I f-"0 w
fc I
(!,;;,;: . '--
) . Harrison Ave
IC I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ll I
SCHEDULE "A" TO BY-LAW NO. 5051-0S.R