172-year-old home spared from demolition in Oxford County
A 172 -year-old home in Oxford County is protected from demolition, at least temporarily.
Southwest Oxford council has approved a notice of intent to designate a two-storey yellow brick structure on Mount Elgin Road, in Mount Elgin, Ont. as heritage.
The move comes after a lengthy debate Tuesday morning and several weeks of opposition from community members.
The home, known as Elgin Hall, was built in 1850.
Elgin Hall, in Mount Elgin, Ont. on Tuesday, August 9, 2022. (Sean Irvine/CTV London)
Recently sold to a developer, a subdivision plan calls for the home to be demolished to create an access road. But a community fight has convinced council to spare the home, at least for now.
“Council has the authority to protect this property from demolition immediately today,” community organizer Debbie Kasman told council members.
Cody Groat, an assistant professor in the department of history and the Indigenous studies program at Western University, and a former Mount Elgin resident, told council the structure is worth saving for several reasons. One being its first resident, Ebenezer Vining Bodwell.
“It was the home for the Member of Parliament for the riding of South Oxford after Confederation, so after 1867. The individual later went on to become the superintendent of the Welland Canal and the Vancouver Board of Trade.”
Ebenezer Vining Bodwell, the first owner of Elgin Hall. (Submitted)
And now, a later resident, also a former politician and broadcaster, Garth Turner, is looking to buy it from the developer. If successful, the council heard, Turner intends to restore it for use as a community hub.
Inside council chambers, a planner for the developer conceded negotiations with Turner are ongoing. If they succeed, Chris Pidgeon says Elgin Hall would become part of a modified subdivision plan.
“We would simply remove the five or six lots that it was carved into, and realign the road because the road was going through that lot.”
The changes are welcomed by those wishing to save Elgin Hall.
A family celebration at Elgin Hall in the 1930s. (Submitted)
Kasman says council’s decision gives time for a sale to take place, or at least a chance for a full heritage designation to be considered. “We absolutely won the first level of victory. You have no idea how excited we are!” she said.
Southwest Oxford says the notice of intent to designate Elgin Hall can be appealed within 30 days and if the council chooses, repealed after 90 days.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.