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Oxford says the notice of intent to designate Elgin Hall can be appealed within 30 days and if the council chooses, repealed after 90 days.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
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
'I just want to be safe': Ukrainian man in Canada faces limbo amid consular freeze
A recent decision to restrict consular services for fighting-aged Ukrainian men has made a Ukrainian man in Canada feel less certain of his next steps — and worried he could be pulled back to the war.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Dozens of U.S. deaths reveal risks of injecting sedatives into people restrained by police
The practice of giving sedatives to people detained by police has spread quietly across the U.S. over the last 15 years, built on questionable science and backed by police-aligned experts, an investigation led by The Associated Press has found.