The theme of this year s Heritage Conference, held in

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1 1 Architectural Conservancy of Ontario Port Hope Branch Newsletter September 2012 President's Report The theme of this year s Heritage Conference, held in Kingston at the beginning of June, was Beyond Borders Heritage Best Practices. For me, the keynote speaker s address was certainly worth the price of admission! Dr. Hal Kalman, from Vancouver, gave an excellent and most informative lecture on the changing nature of best practices in heritage conservation. He referred to the various international heritage charters - Athens, Venice & Burra - and showed how they had influenced heritage approaches. He also spoke about, and gave his definitions for, different kinds of conservation treatments: Preservation fix it and leave it the way it was, Restoration put it back to the way it was at a certain date, Rehabilitation make it work well for the future but retain what gives it heritage value. With these thoughts in mind, we can look at Port Hope and see how we are approaching conservation. The ACO s Downtown Project is a wonderful example of restoration. Here, the Port Hope ACO, in partnership with the store owners and the Municipality, has restored the façade of Walton Street back to its appearance in the 1800 s. The brick work looks stunning and has already made a difference to the look of the main street. The Centre Pier Building 41 will hopefully be a good example of rehabilitation. As you are aware, on Tuesday, July 24th, Town Council voted to save this pier building from the wrecker s ball and give the Pier Group until December 2013 to submit a business plan for the building s retention. We applaud the Pier Group s efforts over the past few years and wish them all the best in this important next step. It is important to showcase the conservation efforts of the ACO. On July 1, our Pop Up Event, held at 64 Walton Street, one of the stores being restored, displayed our current work together with examples of previous projects. The event was a great success, with people learning more about the work of our ACO branch. Thanks to all who supported this event and enjoyed the ice cream! This is indeed an exciting time for Port Hope ACO. Apart from our Downtown Project, we have other new initiatives in the works including our website renewal and the development of an inventory of Port Hope buildings. We should be able to view our new look website shortly and you will find an introductory article on the inventory in this issue. The tremendous work of our volunteers and the strong support of our members for ACO initiatives are greatly appreciated. If you are interested in volunteering, there are various opportunities, including the House Tour (September 29) *and helping out at our Fall Fair booth (September 14, 15, 16). To volunteer for the Fall Fair Booth call the ACO at And then, there are our social events! By the time this issue arrives we will have enjoyed our annual summer BBQ. The Christmas Party will be held on Thursday November 29th, Please be sure to save this date in your calendars. I hope that you continue to enjoy the summer months. Respectfully submitted, Trish Doney * All House Tour volunteer positions now filled up. PORT HOPE HOUSE TOUR 47th ANNUAL ARCHITECTURAL CONSERvANCy OF ONTARIO Saturday September 29, :00am to 4:00pm Tickets $25.00 Available by cash or cheque from July 13, at these retailers: Port Hope: Acanthus Interiors, 25 John St. Antiques on Queen, 12 Queen St. Furby House Books, 65 Walton St. Dwellissimo, 14 Ontario St. Cobourg: Quinn s Blooms & Greenery, 277 Division St. Peterborough: Johnston s Greenhouse, 871 Crawford Dr. Whitby: Hanley s Shoe Shoppe, 103-A Mary St. West. Or by mail (see reverse), and online: Contents: President's Report th Port Hope ACO House Tour... 1, 2 The Rejuvenation of Downtown Port Hope... 3 Cinderella Goes to the Ball (or The Walton Finds Two Fairy Godmothers)... 4 An Inventory as an ACO Project... 6 The ACO Pop-Up Soda Shop... 7

2 2 ACO Matters September 2012 ACO Board of Directors 2011 Executive Committee Phil Carter... Past President Trish Doney... President Charles Wickett... Vice President Susan Carmichael... Secretary Dennis Hogarth... Treasurer Directors Patsy Beeson Phil Goldsmith Peggy Bennett Sebastian Hanna Lee Caswell Peter Kedwell Judith Copeland Charles Wickett Tom Cruickshank Ed Pamenter... Advisor Committee Chairs Joan Tooke... Auction Patsy Beeson... Bus Tour & Newsletter Tom Cruickshank... Downtown Task Force Mary Shaw-Rimmington... Garden Tour Charles Wickett... Governance Lee Caswell... House Tour Peggy Bennett... Membership Tom Cruickshank... Projects & Auction Ed Pamenter... Property & HPH Rep. Mary Trevor... Scholarship Judith Copeland... Social The ACO was incorporated in 1933 for the preservation of the best examples of architecture in the province and for the preservation of its places of natural beauty. 47th Port Hope ACO House Tour Saturday, September 29th, 10-4 Coming up soon! It's the 47th annual Port Hope ACO House Tour to be held on Saturday September 29th 2012 from Once again it's that perennial favourite event with an interesting and diverse array of homes, from an elegant Queen Anne Revival to a creative conversion of an industrial loft. The majority of the homes have never been on tour before and once again are assembled on one side of the river (the east side) to make it an easy walking tour. There was great response to this concept at last year's tour. As everyone knows, all monies raised go towards grants and projects for the restoration of heritagedesignated buildings in the area. This is already evident in the cleaning and stripping of the brick on the Tempest Block on the prominent corner of Walton and Ontario Streets, an exciting project underway through the efforts of the 'Downtown Task Force', a new initiative recently launched by the Port Hope Branch of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario. We are deeply grateful to the generous homeowners as well as to Trinity College School for opening their doors to all of us in support of this great cause. Tickets are available now for $25.00 each and can be purchased in: Port Hope: Acanthus Interiors 25 John St. Antiques on Queen 12 Queen St. Dwellissimo 14 Ontario St. Furby House Books 65 Walton St. Cobourg: Quinn's Blooms & Greenery 277 Division St. Peterborough: Johnston's Greenhouse 871 Crawford Dr. Whitby: Hanley's Shoe Shoppe 103-A Mary St. West. Or online at Lee Caswell & Blaise Gaetz Port Hope Co-Chairs Place an Ad in ACO Matters! Why not place an advertisement in the pages of ACO Matters? Our readership is naturally interested in buildings, their preservation, furnishing, their gardens, and everything else to do with them. Ads are $120 per year a bargain spread over four issues Contact Patricia Beeson at or pbeeson@eagle.ca

3 3 The Rejuvenation of Downtown Port Hope by Phil Carter The Downtown Task Force Committee of the ACO has undertaken an ambitious program: the restoration of our downtown buildings. The first project of this program is the restoration of the masonry and windows of 62, 64, 66, and 68 Walton Street, currently housing Watson s Drugs, Christopher Stuart Antiques and Holton Flowers. These buildings, better known as the Tempest Block, were built in 1865, replacing an older building that was destroyed by fire. At the turn of the 20th century the entire block was the Wickett Department Store, a dry goods business that operated on two floors. Watson s Drugs occupied the corner store from the 1920s on. All the storefronts have been rebuilt over the years, but their designs have all been based on photographic evidence of their original appearance. The building appears to be 3 floors high, but it is in fact a two-storey building. The third floor windows are fake, and as Peter Stokes noted, an interesting architectural conceit. The added height, however, helps to maintain the overall 3-storey appearance of the street. ACO initiated discussions leading to the very ambitious project of restoring the upper floor masonry and windows. The overall cost of this project is approximately $200,000, with the ACO contribution one third of the total. The municipality, through its grant program, contributed approximately 12%, with the owners undertaking the balance. The contractor was RTM Ltd, acknowledged as masonry restoration specialists. It is thanks to the municipality and particularly the owners that this project could proceed. Anyone walking by can appreciate the improved appearance of the buildings, and will be thrilled to see the exposure of the yellow buff brick long hidden behind peeling paint. The project has created a buzz on the street and has had the desired effect: helping to rejuvenate downtown Port Hope. This we hope will translate into a positive economic impact on the businesses of our historic downtown. We celebrated this program with a pop-up shop on Canada Day during the parade, and ACO volunteers served ice cream and sodas. This was accompanied by a large pictorial display of ACO s projects over the years. The Downtown Task Force of ACO intends to continue with this initiative and over the next 3 years intends to invest $250,000 of ACO funds in this endeavour. We are actively soliciting owners of other buildings in the downtown who require assistance for their restoration projects. We encourage owners to contact us with their requests for financial assistance for their restoration plans. As you know, ACO funds are accumulated through our House Tour, Garden Tour, and Antiques Auction as well as through memberships and donations. To undertake this ambitious project we will require funds, and we hope that members and the public at large will continue to help maintain The Best Preserved Main Street in Ontario. Brandon Bliss Stone Mason Bliss Masonry bliss.masonry@gmail.com Trained at Algonquin College Heritage Masonry program under a Port Hope ACO scholarship

4 4 ACO Matters September 2012 Jackie Tinson lectures in Roman History at Trent University and is interested in all things Roman, all things 18th century, and the authentic restoration of period architecture On October 18th, 1978, Bill Matiyek, a member of the Golden Hawks biker club, was drinking in the bar of the Queen s Hotel. The bar s interior was dingy, with nicotine-stained red velvet wallpaper and Formica topped tables. Later that evening, Matiyek was shot dead and members of Satan s Choice, a rival club, fled through the side doors. Questions remain as to whether this was a gangland style execution (as the Crown was to determine), or an act of self-defence against an intoxicated, belligerent, and armed Matiyek. Because of the ensuing notoriety, the name of the hotel was changed to The Walton. The Walton was down on its uppers in 1978, but in the 1950s it had been a glamorous hotel, with an upscale restaurant in the north east section and two bars in the south end, one for Ladies and Escorts, and one for Gentlemen. Judy McBride tells the story of her father filching a crystal wine glass from the dinner table to impress his date. (The waiter noticed and added the cost to the bill.) McBride also remembers the magnificent Arts and Crafts staircase in the lobby. Will Ryan remembers an elegant dining room when taken as a child by his grandparents. The first recorded inn on the site was Caldwell House (1802). Later came The Coffee Exchange, Thompson s Hotel, Wm. Rowland s Hotel, and Durham House. The last of these frame buildings was gutted by fire in 1859, and immediately afterwards William Bletcher rebuilt in brick. For one year (1860) this hotel bore the name The Prince of Wales. Here the record becomes confusing because James Cochrane was said to have erected a hotel on the same site in What happened to Bletcher s building? Did Cochrane merely give Bletcher s building a face-lift in the fashionable Italianate style (segmental windows, heavy labels, two-over-two sash)? Or did he extend the building? Cinderella Goes to the Ball (or The Walton Finds Two Fairy Godmothers) The basement bears witness to three renovations at different times, and while the building had 20 rooms in the 1860s, by 1887 it had 40. What is certain is that at least up to the time of Queen Victoria s Diamond Jubilee (1897) there were two shops on the ground floor, one with plate glass fronted windows and one with Regency inspired tracery. The entrance to the hotel was between the two shops with a clock above. A date for the construction of an arched porch with a gallery projecting over the sidewalk cannot be determined. The hotel stood opposite the Music Hall (1871) on the south-west corner. Here, too, there were stores below, with the assembly room above. On April 5th, 1879, the doors of the Music Hall were barred by the police to prevent patrons from attending Mlle. Fanchon s burlesque show. This entertainment was described by The Guide as one of the most immoral shows that ever disgraced any community. While the police were KIRKPATRICK'S SINCE 1881 Leather Shop Specialists in Restoration, Repair and Reproduction of Heritage Leather Goods and Manufacture of Quality Leather Products FACTORY AND SHOWROOM 15 Cavan Street, Port Hope, ON L1A 3B

5 5 Notice flags from windows proclaiming "Barnum Bailey Greatest Show" being pelted with rotten eggs, members of Fanchon s Follies took refuge in their hotel. Was their hotel the Queen s? The troupe was certainly able to appear in short order on stage once the manager forced the police to lift the blockade. The Queen s was the first building in Port Hope to install a telephone line (1880) to connect it with the Grand Trunk Railway station. This line was not part of a network. Networks came later. Called a paired line, it was merely a wire strung between two buildings. The line would be used to inform guests of the movement of the trains which often ran late. Over time the hotel was extended farther along John Street (the original back wall can still be seen), and an additional storey was added, probably in the 1880s. When the two shops on the ground floor were incorporated into the hotel, the floor of the shop to the east was raised 18 to level the new entrance to the hotel. The basement measures over 4,000 square feet and was used at one time for more than storage as the walls of the north east section are whitewashed. It could well have been the hotel s laundry. The ground floor and floors above are well-windowed with high ceilings (11 9 on the ground floor and 10 above). The hotel was recently sold and the current owners plan to repurpose the building as seven elegant condominiums. Each unit will be 1,000 square feet, and each will have a unique floor plan because of the shape of the building. Substantial architraves and skirting boards, plus ceiling cornices and fireplace surrounds will suggest an 1880s ambiance. The main foyer is to be restored to reflect the hotel s heyday. All apartments will be provided with outside balconies, some with Regency detail. The generous proportions John Street facade showing proposed extension at rear with Regency balcony detail of the building allow all areas to be wheelchair accessible. There will be commercial space on the ground floor, and the former stable yard will provide parking for 17 vehicles with landscaping. The two side doors on John Street are to be opened up, one to give private access to the condominiums,... continued next page

6 6 ACO Matters September 2012 (Continued from previous page) one to the shops or offices. There is talk as well of removing the paint from the brick to expose the Stanley reds and also of adding a small addition on the back. While few of the period fittings remain, some original elements have come home. The heavy architrave from one of the side entrances was recently found, as was the clock that sat for a number of years in the lobby. Happily, it is now safe to say that under current ownership, even with the clock back in place, The Walton no longer has to fear the stroke of midnight. Sources: Peter Bolton, W. Arnot Craick, Little Tales of Old Port Hope (1966) East Durham Historical Society, Bygone Days of East Durham (1981) Great North Western Telegraph Company, Long Family Collection Mick Lowe, Conspiracy of Brothers (1988) Judy McBride (personal communication) Port Hope Archives, Will Ryan (personal communication) An Inventory as an ACO Project Bruce Bowden is a Canadian historian, recently retired from administration in Trinity College in U of T, and one who regularly referenced Ontario s built environment in his university teaching there, and at Western. He and Anna Gray have lived in Port Hope, in their "Ontario cottage" for 3 years. Several of us have been discussing the launching of a new and on-going project for the Port Hope ACO. We believe that the creation of a local Inventory of the buildings that contribute, singly or with others, to the heritage of our built environment, is needed. Through a survey, the goal is to build an inventory that can act as a base point which then can be added to or improved through subsequent additions and research. It would not be an official Registry of designated properties such as a government might commission, nor, I emphasize, of potentially designated properties. Rather, the goal is in the phrase of our President, to develop a record in some detail of the personality of our community. The product would be available to all, a flexible information source, and an educational tool. While a variety of approaches might be suggested, we wish to start with some old-fashioned FUN! We are suggesting that as a group we participate in a common project that might become an annual initiative as we refine objectives and fill in holes in subsequent years. Over a three week period in October/early November we would conduct survey walk-abouts, choosing this season both because the inclusion of photos of the front of homes may be easier after the leaves are down, and because the weather still invites us to enjoy the task. The plan is to create teams of five, each person completing forms for two to three blocks (with differing meter-sticks in the township) and returning these to the team captain. From these forms, we should be able to set up a variety of website entries, dovetailing this compilation with others already existent, or compose brochures for self-guided walking tours or country drives. So, a many-handed project, not meant to be over-taxing on just a few. Please do volunteer. We need numbers and enthusiasm, and please do not think that specialized knowledge is required. My contact is brucebowden@sympatico.ca, or

7 7 The ACO Pop-Up Soda Shop ACO celebrated Phase One of the Downtown Restoration Project by throwing a Soda Pop and Ice Cream event at one of the storefronts of the project underway on Walton Street during the Canada Day parade. ACO spokespersons talked to the public while they enjoyed their ice creams and learned from photos, banners and posters what the ACO is all about, and in particular what the restoration hopes to do. Judith Copeland Patrick + Dee McGee Sales Representatives We Specialize in Unique Properties Chestnut Park Real Estate Limited, Brokerage mail@mcgees.ca

8 8 ACO Matters September 2012 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS If you have questions or comments, we would like to receive them and will pass them on to be answered by the appropriate member of the board. If the subject is of general interest, we shall publish the question and answer. Major Upcoming Events PORT HOPE FALL FAIR September 14, 15, 16 47th ANNUAL PORT HOPE ACO HOUSE TOUR Saturday September 29th from 10-4 (see pp 1, 2) CHRISTMAS PARTY Thursday November 29th, 2012 (details in next issue) Architectural Conservancy of Ontario Port Hope Branch Membership Application Name(s): Full Address: Telephone: Annual memberships in the ACO, Port Hope Branch are due each January 1 st. Membership cut-off is July each year. The Port Hope Branch of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario is financed through membership fees and voluntary contributions which are tax deductible. Additional funds are raised through the annual House Tour, Biennial Garden Tour, Antiques & Artifacts Auction and other fund raising initiatives. Educational programs, including bus/walking tours of Port Hope and other learning forums are part of our yearly program. Each member is invited to participate in branch and provincial activities. Membership also includes a subscription to Acorn, the provincial ACO publication, and ACO Matters, our Port Hope Chapter publication. Please send your cheque to address below: Individual Membership:...$35.00 Household Membership:...$40.00 Organization Membership:...$45.00 Donation:...$????? ACO Port Hope, Box 563, Port Hope, ON L1A 3Z4 Tel.: Website: etextimage S E R V I C E S As publisher, designer, editor & photographer, let me record your heirlooms, memorabilia, histories & stories! Patricia McCaw, M.Sc. patricia@etextimage.com