HomeMy WebLinkAboutDSD-2023-395 - Lower Doon Secondary Plan - Cultural Heritage Landscape
Development Services Department www.kitchener.ca
REPORT TO: Heritage Kitchener
DATE OF MEETING: October 3, 2023
SUBMITTED BY: Garett Stevenson, Manager Development Review, 519-741-2200 ext.
7070
PREPARED BY: Jessica Vieira, Heritage Planner, 519-741-2200 ext. 7291
WARD(S) INVOLVED: Ward 4
DATE OF REPORT: August 30, 2023
REPORT NO.: DSD-2023-395
SUBJECT: Lower Doon Secondary Plan Cultural Heritage Landscape
RECOMMENDATION:
For information.
BACKGROUND:
The Planning Division is in receipt of a Draft Cultural Heritage Landscape (CHL) Study for
Lower Doon, dated September 2023 and prepared by Archaeological Services Inc. (ASI).
ASI was retained by the City of Kitchener to support the development and implementation
of the Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape, the boundary of the CHL, expanding on
the Statement of Significance and heritage attributes of the CHL, and developing
objectives, policies, and guidelines for its conservation.
The report consolidates and builds on the work completed in previous studies for the
Lower Doon area, including the Lower Doon and Homer Watson Park Candidate Cultural
Heritage Landscape Evaluation prepared by Stantec Consulting Ltd. in 2019 and the
Lower Doon Land Use Study: Heritage Component completed by Bray Heritage in 2021.
REPORT:
Cultural Heritage Landscape Boundary
The Lower Doon CHL is located within the former village of Doon, in the southwestern
corner of the City of Kitchener. The Grand River forms the northern-most boundary of the
CHL, while the western edge is defined by Willowlake Park, and the southwestern tail
extends into Homer Watson Park. The eastern boundary includes residential properties
that front onto the east side of Pinnacle Drive between Old Mill Road and Amherst Drive.
*** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. ***
Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance.
The boundary of the CHL was determined by assessing the Lower Doon area using the
Regional Implementation Guidelines for Cultural Heritage Landscape Conservation. This is
a three-an
areas cultural heritage value or interest, historical integrity, and community value. The
cultural heritage value or interest is determined using the criteria found in Ontario
Regulation 9/06 of the Ontario Heritage Act, amended to be applicable to landscapes.
Historical integrity is determined by examining the historical context of an area using a
range of sub-criteria, including but not limited to historical land use, ownership, views, and
natural and built features. Community value measures the way in which residents have
interpreted, celebrated, and cared for a landscape also using a range of sub-criteria such
as landmarks, commemoration, public space, and community identity or image.
The identification of the Lower Doon CHL and the delineation of its boundary was
established over the course of several technical studies. With regards to amending the
CHL boundary to include the property at 86 Pinnacle Drive, there is a general lack of
cohesion and continuity in the properties along Pinnacle Drive south of the existing CHL
boundary. Further, it has previously been determined that 86 Pinnacle Drive does not
retain cultural heritage value and it does not need to be captured within the CHL boundary.
Statement of Significance and Heritage Attributes
The Lower Doon CHL possesses design/physical, historical/associative, and contextual
value. The values identified in the revised Statement of Significance are summarized in
the table below.
Category Description
Design / Physical
Representative example of a nineteenth-century
settlement complex in Upper Canada.
Landscape and built features are representative of the
periods in evolution experienced by the area.
Some examples of mid-to-late nineteenth century
development remains.
Segments of the original village street network remain
(Pinnacle Drive, Amherst Drive, and Old Mill Road).
Southernmost trail within Willow Lake Park follows the
general alignment of the Galt Branch of the Grand Trunk
Railway.
The Old Mill Ruin is an early example of a mill complex
constructed in stone in Upper Canada, in contrast to the
more common wooden constructs that were used at the
time.
Willowlake Park delineates the general size, shape, and
location of the former mill pond, now drained.
Historical / Associative
Association with the nineteenth-century settlement and
development of the Village of Doon.
Association with Adam Ferrie Junior and the Ferrie family.
Some remnants of the industrial operations of the area
remain (Doon Mill Ruins, the dam, and traces of the mill
pond).
The evolution of Doon into the twentieth century is also
expressed within the CHL, providing an understanding of
local development patterns.
Contextual
Defines and maintains the scenic nineteenth-century
character of the area in connection to the former Village of
Doon.
Possesses a distinctive sense of place.
Physically, visually, and historically linked to
surroundings, including natural features such as
Schneider Creek and the Grand River or surviving built
features.
The identified heritage attributes of the CHL are divided into the following categories:
landscape, built form and streetscapes, and views. A complete list of all identified heritage
attributes can be found in Section 4.3 of the ASI draft report, attached as Attachment A to
this report. Appendix A of the Lower Doon CHL Study contains photographic
documentation of the heritage attributes.
Proposed Policies and Guidelines
Objectives, policies, and guidelines were developed as part of this Study, to secure the
long-term protection of the cultural heritage value of the CHL and the identified heritage
attributes. They are intended to provide guidance to property owners and the City to
manage change within and adjacent to the CHL, so that new development is appropriate
to and remains sensitive and respectful of the cultural heritage resource. The policies
developed include general policies and policies specific to parkland, the Grand River
shoreline, the Mill Ruins, roads and circulation routes, and interpretation. There are
guidelines which also speak to built form within and adjacent to the CHL and the protection
of views. The proposed objectives, policies, and guidelines can be found in Section 6.1 of
the Lower Doon CHL Study.
Implementation Recommendations
The following recommendations are given by the Lower Doon CHL Study:
The Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape should be designated as a significant
cultural heritage landscape in the City of Kitchener Official Plan and identified on
Map 9 of the Plan. Guideline III in the Regional Implementation Guideline for
Cultural Heritage Landscape Conservation (Region of Waterloo 2018) recommends
that the Official Plan identify designated C.H.L.s using an official name, a statement
of significance and a general location map, and reference the detailed
additional C.H.L. conservation policies and/or a detailed map may be included.
Publicly owned lands located within the Lower Doon C.H.L. should be appropriately
mana
identified heritage attributes and in accordance with the objectives, policies, and
guidelines presented herein. These lands include Willowlake Park and the ruins of
Doon Mills, Schneider Creek, the Grand River Natural Area north of Old Mill Road,
and the original street alignment of Old Mill Road, Pinnacle Drive, and Amherst
Drive.
It is anticipated that, through an Official Plan Amendment through the Lower Doon Land
Use Study implementation in late 2023, the Lower Doon CHL will be identified on Map 9 of
the City of Kitchener Official Plan. The policies proposed within the Lower Doon CHL study
will be incorporated into a new section of the Official Plan dedicated to the implementation
and conservation of Cultural Heritage Landscapes within the City. It is expected that this
new section of the Official Plan be amended over time to contain both general policies and
other CHL-
have been complete.
Per the recommendation of the Lower Doon CHL study, the City of Kitchener is intending
to pursue designation of Willowlake Park and 1810 Old Mill Road / the Grand River
Natural Area (Old Mill). The repair and conservation of the Doon Mill Ruins are being
addressed under a separate process that was initiated at the end of 2022. LHC Heritage
Planning and Archeology Incorporated in conjunction with Tacoma Engineers have been
retained by the City of Kitchener to complete the work. Further updates on this work will be
provided under separate cover at a later time.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This report supports the delivery of core services.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Capital Budget The recommendation has no impact on the Capital Budget.
Operating Budget The recommendation has no impact on the Operating Budget.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
INFORM
of the council / committee meeting. The EngageWR webpage for the project has been
regularly updated and newsletters circulated to residents of the area during various
stages.
CONSULT and COLLABORATE The City of Kitchener has hosted different engagement
th
events to consult and collaborate with the community. On May 10, 2023, two walk-shops
were held at two different times, to ensure as many participants as possible. The goal of
the walkshop was to observe, discuss, ask questions, and generate ideas about the
approach being taken for the Lower Doon Secondary Plan project, and included exploring
the heritage attributes and draft Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Plan. On July
th
18, 2023, an in-person drop-in booth was established at Conestoga College, inviting
students to provide feedback on the plans for the community. Members of the public were
also invited to share their feedback on draft materials digitally through EngageWR.
PREVIOUS REPORTS/AUTHORITIES:
Lower Doon and Homer Watson Park Candidate Cultural Heritage Landscape
Evaluation, Stantec Consulting Ltd. (2019)
Lower Doon Land Use Study: Heritage Component, Bray Heritage (2021)
APPROVED BY: Justin Readman, General Manager of Development Services
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study, ASI, September
2023
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study
Final Report
Prepared for the City of Kitchener
September 2023
ASI Project No. 22CH-097
Acknowledgements
The study team would like to thank the City’s Project Manager, John Zunic, Planner (Policy), as well as
Deeksha Choudhry, former Heritage Planner; Jessica Vieira, Heritage Planner; and Natalie Goss,
Manager, Policy & Research for their guidance and support on this project.
Project Personnel
Principal-in-Charge:
Geomatics Specialists:
Rebecca Sciarra, M.A., C.A.H.P.
Robin Latour, B.A., M.Phil.
Lead Cultural Heritage Specialist:
Carolyn Nettleton, B.A. (Hon)
Laura Wickett, B.A. (Hon.), Dip. Heritage
Conservation
Jonas Fernandez, MSc
Technical Writer and Researcher:
Lindsay Parsons, M.M.S.t., M.P.L.
Cover Image: Bird’s eye photograph of the Village of Doon in 1950, looking
northeast toward the Ferrie mill pond, mill and Grand River,with Pinnacle
Drive in the foreground (Kitchener Public Library, 1950).
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage LandscapeStudyi
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction ........................................................................................... 7
1.1Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Boundary..............................................................7
1.2 Summary of Previous Studies .................................................................................................. 8
1.3 What is a Cultural Heritage Landscape? .................................................................................. 9
1.4 A Note to Property Owners ................................................................................................... 10
2.0 Community and Stakeholder Consultation ......................................... 10
3.0 Supplementary Research ..................................................................... 11
3.1 Indigenous Land Use and Settlement .................................................................................... 11
3.2 The Grand River and Schneider Creek................................................................................... 16
3.3 Historical Mapping and Material Review .............................................................................. 16
4.0 Refined Statement of Significance and Heritage Attributes ............... 27
4.1 Description of the Heritage Place .......................................................................................... 27
4.2 Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest .................................................................28
4.3 Heritage Attributes ................................................................................................................ 30
5.0 Policy Framework ................................................................................ 31
5.1The Provincial Policy Statement............................................................................................31
5.2The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2020)................................................32
5.3 Region of Waterloo Official Plan (2015) ................................................................................ 33
5.4 City of Kitchener Official Plan (2014) ..................................................................................... 34
5.5 Guidelines .............................................................................................................................. 36
6.0 Objectives, Policies and Guidelines ..................................................... 36
6.1 Recommended Cultural Heritage Objectives and Official Plan Policies and Guidelines for the
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape....................................................................................... 37
7.0 Implementation Recommendations ................................................... 44
8.0 References ........................................................................................... 45
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage LandscapeStudyii
Appendix A: Photographic Documentation of Heritage Attributes ........... 49
Appendix B: Glossary .................................................................................. 63
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage LandscapeStudyiii
List of Figures
Figure 1: Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Boundary. .....................................................................8
Figure 2: Plan showing the Lands granted to the Six Nation Indians, situated on each side of the Grand
River, or Ouse, commencing on Lake Erie, containing about 674,910 Acres. Thos. Ridout Surveyor
General, survey Gen. Office York 2nd February 1821 (Library and Archives Canada, Mikan 4129506)....15
Figure 3: 1805 map of lots in Waterloo Township. The approximate location of the study area is circled
in red (Waterloo Historical Society 1934). ...................................................................................................17
Figure 4: The study area overlaid on the 1861 Map of the County of Waterloo (Tremaine 1861). ...........18
Figure 5: The study area overlaid on the 1881 Illustrated Historical Atlas of the County of Waterloo
(Parsell & Co. 1881). .....................................................................................................................................19
Figure 6: A painting by Phoebe A. Watson of Doon Mill from the late nineteenth century. In the
foreground is the Doon Hotel and village store with the mill in the background (Waterloo Historical
Society 1941). ...............................................................................................................................................19
Figure 7: The study area overlaid on a 1916 topographic map (Department of Militia and Defence 1916).
......................................................................................................................................................................20
Figure 8: Doon Mill likely after the 1910 fire. The smokestack is still visible on the structure (Kitchener-
Waterloo Record, n.d.). ................................................................................................................................21
Figure 9: The ruins of Doon Mill along Schneider Creek likely in the 1920s (Kitchener Public Library, n.d.)
......................................................................................................................................................................21
Figure 10: The study area overlaid on a 1936 topographic map (Department of National Defence 1936).
......................................................................................................................................................................22
Figure 11: The Cluthe resort at Willow Lake in the 1950s (Kitchener-Waterloo Record, n.d.). ..................22
Figure 12: A bird’s eye photograph of the Village of Doon in 1950, looking northeast with Pinnacle Drive
in the foreground. (Kitchener Public Library, 1950). ...................................................................................23
Figure 13: The study area overlaid on the 1954 aerial photograph of Kitchener (Hunting Survey
Corporation Limited 1954). ..........................................................................................................................24
Figure 14: The houses at 10 and 20 Pinnacle Drive in 1967 (Kitchener Public Library, 1967)...................24
Figure 15: The study area overlaid on a 1976 topographic map (Surveys and Mapping Branch,
Department of Energy, Mines and Resources 1976). ..................................................................................25
Figure 16: Doon Mill after the storm of 1968 (Kitchener-Waterloo Record 1969). ...................................26
Figure 17: The remaining wall of Doon Mill being levelled in 1981 (Kitchener-Waterloo Record 1981). ..27
Figure 18: Schneider Creek, looking north from the bridge on Old Mill Road (Heritage Attribute #2). ....49
Figure 19: Schneider Creek, looking northeast from within Willowlake Park (Heritage Attribute #2)......50
Figure 20: Schneider Creek at its outlet into the Grand River, looking west (Heritage Attribute #2)........50
Figure 21: Limestone ruins of the former Doon Mills complex within the Grand River Natural Area north
of Old Mill Road (Heritage Attribute #3)......................................................................................................51
Figure 22: Limestone ruins of the former Doon Mills complex within the Grand River Natural Area north
of Old Mill Road (Heritage Attribute #3). .....................................................................................................51
Figure 23: Willowlake Park with trail along Schneider Creek, looking northeast (Heritage Attribute #4). 52
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage LandscapeStudyiv
Figure 24: Southernmost trail within Willowlake Park that follows the alignment of the former Grand
Trunk Railway, looking west (Heritage Attribute #5)...................................................................................52
Figure 25: Grand River Natural Area north of Old Mill Road, with trail leading to Grand River, looking
northeast (Heritage Attribute #6). ...............................................................................................................53
Figure 26: Grand River Natural Area north of Old Mill Road, with trail leading to Grand River, looking
northeast (Heritage Attribute #6). ...............................................................................................................53
Figure 27: Grand River shoreline (in foreground) within Grand River Natural Area north of Old Mill Road
(Heritage Attribute #6). Built Form and Streetscape Attributes .................................................................54
Figure 28: Topography along Pinnacle Drive which slopes towards the Grand River, looking north from
20 Pinnacle Drive (Heritage Attribute #8). ...................................................................................................54
Figure 29: Original alignment, width and rural cross-section of Old Mill Road, looking west from the
intersection of Old Mill Road and Pinnacle Drive (Heritage Attribute #9). ................................................55
Figure 30: Original alignment, width and rural cross-section of Pinnacle Drive, looking south from the
intersection of Pinnacle Drive and Old Mill Road (Heritage Attribute #9). ................................................55
Figure 31: Original alignment, width and rural cross-section of Amherst Drive, looking west along
Amherst Drive towards its intersection with Pinnacle Drive (Heritage Attribute #9). ...............................56
Figure 32: 10 Pinnacle Drive (Heritage Attribute #10). ................................................................................56
Figure 33: 20 Pinnacle Drive (Heritage Attribute #10). ................................................................................57
Figure 34: 6 Amherst Drive (Heritage Attribute #11). .................................................................................57
Figure 35: 37 Pinnacle Drive (Heritage Attribute #12). ................................................................................58
Figure 36: View of Schneider Creek looking north from the bridge on Old Mill Road (View #1). ..............58
Figure 37: View of Schneider Creek looking south from the bridge on Old Mill Road (View #1). ..............59
Figure 38: View of mill ruins looking northwest from the bridge on Old Mill Road (View #2). .................59
Figure 39: View of the Grand River from the Grand River shoreline on the west side of Schneider Creek,
looking northwest (View #3). .......................................................................................................................60
Figure 40: View of the Grand River from the Grand River shoreline on the west side of Schneider Creek,
looking southeast (View #3). ........................................................................................................................60
Figure 41: View of the Grand River looking north from the intersection of Pinnacle Drive and Old Mill
Road toward the Waterloo Pioneer Memorial Tower (View #4). ...............................................................61
Figure 42: View looking south up Pinnacle Drive towards 10 and 20 Pinnacle Drive and 6 Amherst Drive
(View #5). .....................................................................................................................................................61
Figure 43: View looking south up Pinnacle Drive towards 37 Pinnacle Drive (View #5). ...........................62
Figure 44: View of 37 Pinnacle Drive looking west along Amherst Drive (View #6). ..................................62
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage LandscapeStudyv
List of Maps
Map 1: Location of select heritage attributes within the Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape .........41
Map 2: Location of views identified as heritage attributes .........................................................................42
Map 3: Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Stage 1 Archaeological Assessment Results.................43
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage LandscapeStudyvi
1.0 Introduction
Archaeological Services Inc. (A.S.I) was retained by the City of Kitchener to develop a Lower Doon
Cultural Heritage Landscape (referred to hereafter as the “C.H.L.”)located within Lower Doon, to
support the implementation of the Lower Doon Land Use Study. The Lower Doon Land Use Study
includes policies and guidelines addressing new and/or updated land use designations, zoning provisions
and urban design guidelines.
This report builds on the work presented in previous heritage studies of Lower Doon, including the
Lower Doon and Homer Watson Park Candidate Cultural Heritage Landscape Evaluation (Stantec
Consulting Ltd. 2019) and the Lower Doon Land Use Study: Heritage Component (Bray Heritage 2021).
The scope of work for this report is to:
Review previous studies of the area and background documents;
Conduct a field review of the C.H.L.;
Conduct supplementary historical research to supplement the history of the area presented in
previous studies;
Refine and expand the Statement of Significance and Heritage Attributes presented in Bray
Heritage; and
Developobjectives, policies and guidelines for theconservation of the C.H.L.
1.1 Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Boundary
The C.H.L. (Figure 1) is located within the former village of Lower Doon, which now forms the
southwestern corner of the City of Kitchener. The C.H.L. is bounded by the Grand River to the north, and
the property line of Willowlake Park forms the western boundary, with the southwestern tail of the
C.H.L. extending into Homer Watson Park. The eastern edge of the boundary includes residential
properties on the east side of Pinnacle Drive between Old Mill Road and Amherst Drive. Old Mill Road
runs east-west through the area, and Schneider Creek runs south from the Grand River through
Willowlake Park. The ruins of the Doon Mill and dam are located adjacent to Schneider Creek in the
Grand River Natural Area north of Old Mill Road. A large portion of the area is forested parkland with
public trails.
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 7
Figure 1: Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Boundary.
1.2 Summary of Previous Studies
A series of studies, including technical research and analysis and engagement activities,have been
undertaken in the City of Kitchener, and Lower Doon in particular. These have resulted in the
classification of the Lower Doon C.H.L. and delineation of its boundary.
In 2014, the City of Kitchener completed a Cultural Heritage Landscape Study (City of Kitchener 2014)
which provided an inventory of Cultural Heritage Landscapes (C.H.L.s) in the City. The study identified
the Lower Doon area as needing further investigation to determine if the area should be considered a
C.H.L. In 2019, the Lower Doon and Homer Watson Park Candidate Cultural Heritage Landscape
Evaluation (Stantec Consulting Ltd. 2019) was completed for the City. This study included the evaluation
of the whole Lower Doon area as a potential C.H.L. as well as evaluating other areas within Lower Doon
as potential separate C.H.L.s, including the Pinnacle Drive Streetscape and Willowlake Park. The study
determined that Lower Doon as a whole and the Pinnacle Drive Streetscape did not meet C.H.L. criteria,
whereas Willowlake Park did meet C.H.L. criteria.
Subsequently, the Lower Doon Land Use Study (The Planning Partnership and Bray Heritage 2021) was
undertaken to guide land use planning in the area, and included a separate heritage study. The Lower
Doon Land Use Study: Heritage Component (Bray Heritage 2021) re-evaluated the Pinnacle Drive
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 8
streetscape and found that Pinnacle Drive from the intersection of Amherst Drive to Old Mill Road met
the criteria for a C.H.L. The report recommended that Upper Pinnacle Drive be combined with the
Willowlake Park C.H.L. as a Heritage Character Area.
The statement of cultural heritage value or interest, list of heritage attributes and boundary
recommended in Bray Heritage form the basis of the C.H.L.that is the subject of the present report.
1.3 What is a Cultural Heritage Landscape?
The Region of Waterloo’s Implementation Guideline for Cultural Heritage Landscape Conservation
describes a cultural heritage landscape as:
“A location where the influence of humans on the natural landscape has resulted in a place with
distinctive character and cultural importance. These historically significant landscapes are valued
for the important contribution they make to our understanding of the history of a place, an
event, an individual and/or a community” (Region of Waterloo 2018).
The Provincial Policy Statement (2020) provides the basis for defining and protecting cultural heritage
landscapes(C.H.L.). The Policy defines a C.H.L.as a defined geographical area that may have been
modified by human activity and is identified as having cultural heritage value or interest by a
community, including an Indigenous community.
A C.H.L.may include features such as buildings, structures, spaces, views, archaeological sites, or natural
elements that are valued together for their interrelationship, meaning or association. Examples may
include, but are not limited to Heritage Conservation Districts, villages, parks, gardens, battlefields, main
streets and neighbourhoods, cemeteries, trailways, aboriginal trails and industrial complexes of cultural
heritage value.
UNESCO (UNESCO World Heritage Centre n.d.)describes three main categories of C.H.L.s:
An intentionally designed landscape, such asa garden or a park,often (but not always)
associated with religious buildings or large estates.
An organically evolved landscape, resulting from an initial social, economic, administrative,
and/or religious imperative and has developed its present form by association with and in
response to its natural environment. These landscapes reflect their evolution in their form and
component features. Organically evolved landscapes fall into two sub-categories:
o A relict (or fossil) landscape is one in which an evolutionary process came to an end at some
time in the past, either abruptly or over a period. Its significant distinguishing features are,
however, still visible in material form.
o A continuing landscape is one which retains an active social role in contemporary society
closely associated with the traditional way of life, and in which the evolutionary process is still
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 9
in progress. At the same time it exhibits significant material evidence of its evolution over
time.
An associative landscape that is significant for itspowerful religious, artistic, or cultural
associations of the natural environment rather than material cultural evidence, which may be
insignificant or even absent.
1.4 A Note to Property Owners
This report consolidatesinformation from previous heritage studies of the Lower Doon area with
supplemental research and analysis of the study area to provide a description of the Lower Doon
Cultural Heritage Landscape (C.H.L.) and articulate its significance as a heritage place within the City of
Kitchener. The study also provides objectives, policies and guidelines to provide guidance to property
owners and City staff for appropriate change and new development within and adjacent to the C.H.L.,
while protecting its cultural heritage value and heritage attributes.
2.0 Community and Stakeholder Consultation
As part of the Lower Doon Land Use Study, Bray Heritage and the Planning Partnership held three
community consultation events throughout 2020:
February 4, 2020
September 22, 2020
November 18, 2020
In each of the community consultation sessions, previously recognized heritage properties as well as
potential built and natural heritage were identified as valued aspects of the Lower Doon neighbourhood.
Heritage buildings were noted as contributing to the special character of the area along with the mature
trees, walking trails, and Schneider Creek. In the final community consultation session, 23
recommendations in 8 categories were presented to the community that were based on previously
gathered feedback. Heritage was a main category with six specific recommendations for its
conservation, highlighting the value of heritage expressed by the community.
As part of the Lower Doon Secondary Plan Land Use Implementation Project, two community
engagement events were held on May 10, 2023. Attendees participated in a walking workshop (known
as a “walkshop”) through Lower Doon to discuss draft land uses and zoning as well as the Lower Doon
Cultural Heritage Landscape and its heritage attributes. Drop-in sessions were held following the
walkshops where attendees could review project materials and provide feedback to the project team.
Feedback received regarding the Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape has been integrated as
appropriate into this final report.
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 10
3.0 Supplementary Research
Supplementary historical and archival research on the C.H.L. was undertaken to augment the research
contained in previous reports as listed in Section 1.1. The purpose of this supplementary research is to
further elaborate on how the area demonstrates cultural heritage value or interestand to informthe
refineddraft Statement of Significance and list of heritage attributes presented inthe BrayHeritage
report. This section should be read in conjunction with the historical information contained in previous
reports, as it is not intended to provide an exhaustive history of the C.H.L. Research activities included a
review of previous reports, analysis of historical mapping and photographs, and a review of archival
materials such as newspaper clippings and walking tours held in the Local History and Genealogy
collection at the Central branch of the Kitchener Public Library. Key components of this section include
an overview of Indigenous land use and settlement, and a review of historical mapping and archival
materials to highlight key developments within the area over the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
3.1 Indigenous Land Use and Settlement
Paleo Period (11,000 B.C.E.-9,000 B.C.E.)
Southern Ontario has been occupied by human populations since the retreat of the Laurentide glacier
approximately 13,000 years ago (Ferris 2013). The Paleo period refers to an archaeological period in
southern Ontario related to the arrival of the first hunting bands after deglaciation approximately 13,000
to 12,500 years ago. The environment at this time consisted of an open boreal parkland, similar to the
modern sub-arctic, with large Pleistocene mammals such as mastodon, mammoth, as well as herds of
elk and caribou. Paleo period groups would follow these herds and travel extremely long distances over
the course of the year, seldom staying in any one place for a significant length of time. Combined with
low regional population levels at this time, evidence concerning Paleo period groups is very limited.
Virtually all that remains of this period are the tools and by-products of their flaked stone industry, the
hallmark being large distinctive fluted spear points. Paleo period sites are frequently found adjacent to
the shorelines of large post-glacial lakes (Ellis and Deller 1990).
Archaic Period (9,000 B.C.E.-1,000 B.C.E.)
By approximately 10,000 years ago, the environment had progressively warmed (Edwards and Fritz
1988) and populations now occupied less extensive territories (Ellis and Deller 1990). The Archaic period
is commonly divided into three sub-periods: Early Archaic (circa 9,000-7,000 B.C.E.), Middle Archaic
(circa 7,000-3,000 B.C.E.), and Late Archaic (circa 3,000-1,000 B.C.E.). The annual subsistence cycle of
mobile groups during this period would have likely involved interior fall and winter micro-band hunting
camps, which were situated to exploit nuts and animals attracted to mast-producing forests, with much
larger spring and summer macro-band settlements situated near river mouths and lakeshores to exploit
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 11
rich aquatic resources. The period is characterized by an expansion in the variety of tools produced,
including ground-stone tools such as axes and adzes, and notched or stemmed projectile points, with an
increased reliance on local chert sources for chipped stone tools. All these changes are also reflected in
the increase in the numbers and sizes of sites (Ellis, Kenyon, and Spence 1990).
Woodland Period (1,000 B.C.E.-1650 C.E.)
The Woodland period is divided into three sub-periods: Early (1,000 B.C.E.-400 B.C.E.), Middle (400
B.C.E.-900 C.E.), and Late Woodland (900-1650 C.E.). The Early Woodland period is characterized by the
introduction of ceramic technology into Ontario and an expanding network of societies that shared
burial rituals such as the application of red ochre (ground iron hematite) to human remains and the
inclusion of exotic grave goods. Burial mounds are also common to this period. During the Middle
Woodland period, populations continued to practice residential mobility and to harvest seasonally
available resources, including spawning fish. Exchange and interaction networks broaden at this time
(Spence, Pihl, and Murphy 1990, 136, 138) and by approximately 2,000 years ago, evidence exists for
macro-band camps, focusing on the seasonal harvesting of resources (Spence, Pihl, and Murphy 1990,
155, 164). It is also during this period that maize was first introduced into southern Ontario, though it
would have only supplemented people’s diet (Birch and Williamson 2013, 13–15). Bands likely retreated
to interior camps during the winter. The Late Woodland period witnessed the beginnings of the intense
utilization of horticultural crops (particularly corn) which led to decreased mobility and increased
populations. Sites from this period are characterized by intense occupation and a greater degree of
internal spatial organization and are commonly located on terraces overlooking the floodplains of large
rivers, such as the Grand River (Archaeological Services Inc. 1997).
From approximately 900 until 1650 C.E., lifeways became more like those described in early historical
documents. During what is described by archaeologists as the Early Iroquoian phase (1000-1300 C.E.),
the communal site is replaced by the village focused on horticulture. Seasonal disintegration of the
community for the exploitation of a wider territory and more varied resource base was still practiced
(Williamson 1990, 317). By the second quarter of the millennium, during the Middle Iroquoian phase
(1300-1450 C.E.), this episodic community disintegration appears to no longer be practiced with
populations now communally occupying sites throughout the year (Dodd et al. 1990, 343). During the
Late Iroquoian phase (1450-1650 C.E.) this process continued with the coalescence of these small
villages into larger communities (Birch and Williamson 2013). Through this process, the socio-political
organization of the First Nations, as described historically by the French explorers who first visited
southern Ontario, was developed.
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 12
The Early Contact Period (1620s-1784)
The Attawandaron or Neutral Nation
In 1626, the Recollet missionary Joseph de la Roche Daillon recorded his visit to the villages of the
Attawandaron, an Iroquoian-speaking people who were called the “Neutral Nation” (Gens Neutres) by
the French in reference to the fact that this group took no part in the long-term conflicts between the
people of the Wendat Confederacy of Simcoe County and the Haudenosaunee in New York. Like the
Wendat (Huron), Tionontaté (Petun), and the Haudenosaunee (the Five Nations Iroquois of the state of
New York), the Attawandaron people were settled village horticulturalists. The Attawandaron territory
included the Grand River area, but discrete settlement clusters also extended southeast into the Niagara
peninsula, and north to the Hamilton area (Lennox and Fitzgerald 1990).
The supposed neutrality of these communities did not protect them from the intertribal conflicts of the
seventeenth century that were exacerbated by the intrusion of Europeans, resulting in the dispersal of
the three Ontario Iroquoian confederacies (the Wendat, Tionontaté, and Attawandaron). By 1650, the
Attawandaron were involved in a full-scale conflict with the Seneca, who were assisted by the Mohawk.
The villages of the Attawandaron were destroyed by 1651 and their territory came to be occupied by the
Mississaugas, an Algonquian people whose subsistence economy was based on hunting, fishing, and
gathering wild plants. The English government recognized the Mississaugas as the “owners” of the
Grand River territory and negotiated the purchase of a tract of land from them along the Grand River in
May 1784. This purchase facilitated a survey of lands that were officially transferred to the
Haudenosaunee by Proclamation on October 25, 1784 (Cumming and Mickenberg 1977, 110; Lennox
and Fitzgerald 1990).
The Haudenosaunee
The Haudenosaunee were historically situated in what is now the state of New York between the
Hudson River valley to the east and the Great Lakes to the west though their control and influence
extended over large areas of northeastern North America. The Haudenosaunee, also known as the
Iroquois Confederacy, the Iroquoian League, the People of the Longhouse, and the Five Nations Iroquois,
formed in the late fifteenth century and comprised five independent tribes, the Mohawk, Oneida,
Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca, bound by a central constitution and common set of laws. The
Confederacy was a democratic system and was known for its political stability. In 1722, the Tuscarora
joined the Iroquois Confederacy to form the Six Nations. The Haudenosaunee allied themselves with the
British during the American War of Independence and, in consequence, many of their villages were
destroyed by rebel forces. At the conclusion of the war, the British government offered to protect the
Haudenosaunee and give them land within their boundaries (Johnston 1964).
Haldimand Tract (1784-1841)
On August 8, 1783, Frederick North, or Lord North, instructed Governor Frederick Haldimand to set
apart land for the Haudenosaunee and ensure that they carried on their hunting and fur trading with the
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 13
British. On May 22, 1784, a tract of land along the Grand River was purchased by the British government
from the Mississaugas who lived in the vicinity (Johnston 1964; Lytwyn 2005). The land set apart is called
the Haldimand Tract(Figure 2).
Joseph Brant led 1,600 Haudenosaunee loyalists to the Haldimand Tract in 1784 and in the fall of 1784,
Sir Frederick Haldimand formally awarded the tract to the Mohawks “and others of the Six Nations
\[Iroquois\]” to “settle upon the Banks of the River for that Purpose six miles \[10 km\] deep from each Side
of \[it\] beginning at Lake Erie, &c. extending in the Proportion to \[its\] Head.” The precise boundaries of
the grant were unclear as there was no survey; for example, the northern boundary of the original deed
from the Mississaugas to the Crown stated that the line extended “from the creek that falls from a small
lake into…the bay known by the name of Waghquata \[Burlington Bay\] … until it strikes the river La
Tranche \[Thames\].” The 1790 survey by Augustus Jones intentionally failed to include the headwaters of
the Grand, an action made all the more difficult to address given the unclear description of the extent in
the original deeds (Johnston 1964; Lytwyn 2005).
Brant regarded the territory as his own to manage on behalf of the Confederacy and interpreted the
proclamation as tantamount to full national recognition of the Mohawks and fellow tribesmen. This
interpretation was strongly denied by the British (Johnston 1964; Lytwyn 2005). Appointed as Lieutenant
Governor of the new colony of Upper Canada in 1791, John Graves Simcoe refused to permit the
Haudenosaunee to sell or lease any part of their reserve because they were arranged independently of
the Crown. Brant, on the other hand, argued for the Haudenosaunee’s need for an immediate assured
income from land sales as they could no longer hope to survive by hunting exclusively. Simcoe thought
that if such practices were permitted, it could lead to other Europeans attempting to seize control of the
better part of the Haudenosaunee’s reserve by any means. It was therefore unresolved as to whether
the Haudenosaunee could dispose of their lands directly to whomever they chose (Johnston 1964;
Lytwyn 2005).
In the first few years, Brant, who had been described by some as a Europeanized entrepreneur, took the
initiative and invited white friends and acquaintances to the tract and provided them with rough land
titles. Over the next 25 years (1784-1810), a considerable number of Europeans and Americans obtained
similar leases authorizing them (in Brant’s opinion) to occupy and improve lots overlooking the river
(Johnston 1964; Lytwyn 2005).
The subsequent Peter Russel administration (1797-1798), however, recognized the leases and the sales
that Brant arranged with white settlers along the Grand River valley. Trustees were appointed to act on
the behalf of the Haudenosaunee with the authority to receive payment of purchases. On the other
hand, some Haudenosaunee thought that the land sale practices violated the ancient principle that land
was not a “commodity which could be conveyed.” Two Mohawk sachems even tried to take up arms to
depose Brant because they did not agree with his ways. Their efforts were for naught and they returned
to the Bay of Quinte where other Haudenosaunee, led by Sachem John Deseronto, had settled after the
American Revolution (Johnston 1964; Lytwyn 2005).
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 14
A formal investigation of the matter was launched in 1812 although leases were not set aside. Due to
problems of white encroachment including squatters without titles, settlers who bought land from
individuals or through other transactions with the Haudenosaunee, many of the leases were confirmed
by the Crown in 1834-5. Unauthorized sales and agreements remained rampant (Johnston 1964; Lytwyn
2005).
In 1841, Samuel P. Jarvis (Indian Superintendent) informed the Haudenosaunee that the only way to
keep white intruders off their land would be for them to surrender it to the Crown, to be administered
for their sole benefit. With this plan, the Haudenosaunee would retain lands that they actually occupied
and a reserve of approximately 8,094 ha. Crown records indicate that the surrender of land was made by
the Haudenosaunee in January 1841. Today, this history and those surrenders are still contested and
there are numerous specific land claims that have been filed by the Haudenosaunee with the federal
government regarding lands within the Haldimand Tract (Johnston 1964; Lytwyn 2005).
Figure 2: Plan showing the Lands granted to the Six Nation
Indians, situated on each side of the Grand River, or Ouse,
commencing on Lake Erie, containing about674,910 Acres.
Thos. Ridout Surveyor General, survey Gen. Office York 2nd
February 1821 (Library and Archives Canada, Mikan 4129506).
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 15
3.2The Grand River and Schneider Creek
The Grand River watershed is the largest watershed in southern Ontario at 6,800 square kilometres
including the cities of Brantford, Cambridge, Guelph, Kitchener, and Waterloo. The Grand River Watershed
includes all the land drained by the Grand River and its tributaries. It begins in Dufferin County in the
Dufferin Highlands and travels south 310 kilometres before emptying into Lake Erie at Port Maitland. The
Conestogo, Nith, Speed and Eramosa rivers are the major four which feed into the Grand. Roughly 70% of
the watershed is made of intensive agricultural areas (Grand River Conservation Authority 2020).
The Grand River was an important transportation route and a critical resource extraction area for
generations of Indigenous people. Historically, the Grand River has been utilized as a navigable
waterway, as a power source (such power sites served as settlement nuclei), and above Brantford as a
course for driving logs (Chapman and Putnam 1984:98). It is also the focus of the Haldimand Tract; an
area of six miles (10 kilometres) on either side of the river that was awarded to the Haudenosaunee in
1784 (Filice 2016; Lytwyn 2005 ). The Grand River was designated as a Canadian Heritage River in 1994
for its cultural history and recreation (Canadian Heritage Rivers System 2016).
Schneider Creek is a tributary of the Grand River that extends southwest. Schneider Creek played a
critical role in the development of the Village of Doon when settlers began arriving to the area. The
Village of Doon grew up around the mouth of Schneider Creek. In the early 1800s, Schneider Creek was
dammed to power Adam Ferrie Junior’s grain mill that was built on the shore of the Creek (Homer
Watson House and Gallery, n.d.). The dam created a large mill pond to the south that would become
known as Willowlake (The Record 2010). Starting in the 1920s, Willowlake became a beach resort
operated by the Cluthe family. A storm in 1968 caused a surge along Schneider Creek, destroying the
dam and draining the Lake into the Grand River (The Record 2010). Willowlake is now a public park held
by the City of Kitchener, and Schneider Creek continues to meander through it.
3.3 Historical Mapping and Material Review
Historical mapping and photographs were examined to trace the history of features within the study
area as well as to understand how the study area has evolved over time. For nineteenth-century
mapping, the 1861 Map of the County of Waterloo (Figure 4) and the 1881Illustrated Historical Atlas of
the County of Waterloo (Figure 5) were examined. This report also presents twentieth-century maps and
aerial photographs from 1916, 1936, 1954, and 1976 (see Figure 7, Figure 10, Figure 13, and Figure 16).
Additionally, archival material is presented to support the historical narrative of the study area (see
Figure 3, Figure 9, Figure 12, and Figure 14). Historically, the study area is located in unnumbered lots of
Biehn’s Tract in the former Village of Doon, Waterloo Regional Municipality.
It should be noted, however, that not all features of interest were mapped systematically in the Ontario
series of historical atlases. For instance, they were often financed by subscription limiting the level of
detail provided on the maps. Moreover, not every feature of interest would have been within the scope
of the atlases. The use of historical map sources to reconstruct or predict the location of former features
within the modern landscape generally begins by using common reference points between the various
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 16
sources. The historical maps are geo-referenced to provide the most accurate determination of the
location of any property on a modern map. The results of this exercise can often be imprecise or even
contradictory, as there are numerous potential sources of error inherent in such a process, including
differences of scale and resolution, and distortions introduced by reproduction of the sources.
Nineteenthand twentieth-century mapping,photographand archivalanalysisis presented in
chronological order below:
The 1805 map of Waterloo Township (Figure 3) depicts the complex survey and lot system utilized in
Waterloo Region with the Grand River meandering north-south through the landscape. The study area is
set within a rural agricultural context. At this time, the land where the Doon Mill would eventually sit
near the mouth of Schneider Creek was owned by John Bean Junior. John built a house and sawmill on
the land which were both abandoned when Adam Ferrie purchased the land in 1834 (The Evening
Reporter 1954).
Figure 3: 1805 map of lots in Waterloo Township. The approximate location of
the study area is circled in red (Waterloo Historical Society 1934).
The 1861 map (Figure 4) depicts the Village of Doon forming in the north and east of the study area,
centering around the mill pond. By this time, the village has a distinct road pattern within a primarily
rural agricultural context. Additionally, buildings are depicted along Upper Pinnacle Drive and Amherst
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 17
Drive in the vicinity of 10 and 20 Pinnacle Drive, 37 Pinnacle Drive, and 6 Amherst Drive. The Regency-
style cottages at 10 and 20 Pinnacle Drive were both likely built around 1858, and the original Red Lion
Inn building at 6 Amherst Drive was also constructed by 1858. The building at 37 Pinnacle drive was
constructed in 1892 and became the second location of the Red Lion Inn (Homer Watson House and
Gallery, n.d.; Bray Heritage 2021).
A number of structures (depicted by black dots) are shown to the north of Old Mill Road, including Adam
Ferrie’s mill building, and to the east of the mill pond along Pinnacle Drive and Amherst Drive. Adam
Ferrie’s Doon Mills was believed to be the largest mill in Canada at the time of its construction in 1839
and was built at an impressive scale being described as “an impressive and expensive operation. Ferrie,
who from his youth had an interest in mechanics, designed the grist mill on a grand scale. Its masonry
construction and huge stone dam contrasted with the modest wooden mills typical of rural Upper
Canadian" (Burley 2003). By 1860, the Ferrie family no longer operated or owned the mill. The mill
would have a number of owners throughout the second half of the nineteenth century.
The Grand River meanders across the landscape to the north of the study area with the tributary,
Schneider Creek, extending south into the study area to the mill pond and beyond. The Grand Trunk
Railway traverses the study area and is depicted running through the village near Pinnacle Drive and
Amherst Drive.
Figure 4: The study area overlaid on the 1861 Map of the County of Waterloo
(Tremaine 1861).
By 1881, historical mapping depicts the Village of Doon as being more developed, particularly to the
southeast of the study area (Figure 5).
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 18
Figure 5: The study area overlaid on the 1881 Illustrated Historical Atlas of the
County of Waterloo (Parsell & Co. 1881).
In 1890, Jacob Cluthe bought the mill, Willow Lake, and surrounding land. The mill was a non-
operational flour mill when Cluthe purchased it. Cluthe used the mill as a distillery, shoddy plant
(recycled wool), and made glue (The Evening Reporter 1952).
Figure 6: A painting by Phoebe A. Watson of Doon Mill from the late
nineteenth century. In the foreground is the Doon Hotel and village store
with the mill in the background (Waterloo Historical Society 1941).
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 19
The 1916 topographic map (Figure 7) depicts the same village street alignment from nineteenth-century
mapping,with Homer Watson Boulevard south of the study area now depicted as a paved main
highway. The Grand Trunk Railway continues to traverse the study area, although it appears the
previous rail station at the southeast corner of Pinnacle Drive and Amherst Drive is now a Post Office.
The Red Lion Inn (37 Pinnacle Drive) is noted as a hotel on the map in its extant location. The stone mill
building (red square) is depicted in the north of the study area along Schneider Creek with the mill pond
to the south. The mill was owned at this time by Jacob Cluthe. Fires broke out in 1904 and 1910 which
led Cluthe to abandon operations of the mill and he did not repair the building (Homer Watson House
and Gallery, n.d.). A 1920 photograph (Figure 9) of the mill building depicts the heavily deteriorated
structure along Schneider Creek. The smokestack and granary seen in Figure 8 deteriorated over time
from neglect.
Figure 7: The study area overlaid on a 1916 topographic map (Department of
Militia and Defence 1916).
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 20
Figure 8: Doon Mill likely after the 1910 fire. The smokestack is still visible on the
structure (Kitchener-Waterloo Record, n.d.).
Figure 9: The ruins of Doon Mill along Schneider Creek likely in the 1920s (Kitchener Public Library, n.d.)
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 21
The 1936 topographic map(Figure 10)depicts the study area as generallyunchangedfrom the 1916
map.At this point, WillowLakewasoperating as a resort run by the Cluthe family that included a beach,
concession stands, and cottages along the water. People could pay to enter the resort where they could
swim, dive off the diving board, and rent cottages in the summer months (Figure 11). On hot Saturdays
or Sundays, close to 1000 cars would arrive (Fear 2010). The Cluthes also operated a farm on the
surrounding land.
Figure 10: The study area overlaid on a 1936 topographic map (Department of
National Defence 1936).
Figure 11: The Cluthe resort at Willow Lake in the 1950s (Kitchener-Waterloo Record, n.d.).
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 22
The 1950 bird’s eye photograph (Figure 12) of Doon depicts the residential nature of Pinnacle Drive with
the railway in the southeast of the photograph, the mill pond with mill building, and the Grand River
traversing the landscape. The Red Lion Inn, 6 Amherst Drive, and part of 20 Pinnacle Drive are partially
visible behind tree coverage in the image. The area surrounding Doon remains rural agricultural.
Doon Mill
Willow Lake/
former mill pond
Pinnacle Drive
Figure 12: A bird’s eye photograph of the Village of Doon in 1950, looking
northeast with Pinnacle Drive in the foreground.(Kitchener Public Library, 1950).
The 1954 aerial photograph (Figure 13) depicts the study area as remaining in a primarily agricultural
context, with much of the urban development taking place along Pinnacle Drive, Amherst Drive, and Old
Mill Road. The mill pond remains intact, and the Grand Trunk Railroad continues to traverse the study
area.
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 23
Figure 13: The study area overlaid on the 1954 aerial photograph of Kitchener
(Hunting Survey Corporation Limited 1954).
A 1967 photograph (Figure 14) of number 10 and 20 Pinnacle Drive depicts the residences as well
maintained and with a number of features such as the gable roof and bargeboard along the porch roof.
Figure 14: The houses at 10 and 20 Pinnacle Drive in 1967
(Kitchener Public Library, 1967).
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 24
In 1968, the City of Kitchener annexed the village of Doon (Kitchener-Waterloo Record 1971).
The 1976 topographic map(Figure 15) depicts the urban development of the study area and surrounding
area, with new development to the west and south of the study area and within its boundaries. The
historical street alignment of the Village of Doon remains intact including Pinnacle Drive, Amherst Drive,
and Old Mill Road. The Grand Trunk Railway no longer runs through the region.
The mill pond is no longer depicted in the 1976 topographic map, as a 1968 storm had drained the pond
into the Grand River, and it is now shown as a wooded area. The 1968 storm greatly damaged the
already deteriorated mill ruins, with the west wall being fully knocked over by the flooding (Figure 16).
The storm also wiped out the resort built by the Cluthe family. The Cluthe family sold Willow Lake to the
City of Kitchener shortly after the storm in 1969. Shortly after, it appears the City of Kitchener
transferred ownership of the land to the Grand River Conservation Authority (Kitchener-Waterloo
Record 1981).
Schneider Creek continues to extend south from the Grand River and through the old mill pond. The mill
ruins are labelled on the map. After the flood of 1968, Old Mill Road was closed for a number of years
and the future of Willow Lake was uncertain. In 1971, there was a push from Doon residents to refill
Willow Lake and return it to a place of recreation. The lake was never refilled. Old Mill Road remained
closed to traffic until at least the late 1970s (Kitchener-Waterloo Record 1977).
By the mid-1970s, the City of Kitchener predicted a sharp population increase in the former village of
Doon and undertook a number of planning studies concerning traffic flow in the area and subdivision
developments (Kitchener-Waterloo Record 1976).
Figure 15: The study area overlaid on a 1976 topographic map (Surveys and
Mapping Branch, Department of Energy, Mines and Resources 1976).
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 25
Figure 16: Doon Mill after the storm of 1968
(Kitchener-Waterloo Record 1969).
A photograph from 1981 depicts the levelling of the remaining wall of Doon Mill by the Grand River
Conservation Authority. This work was undertaken due to safety concerns regarding the structure’s
stability and the City of Kitchener not providing enough funds to undertake an extensive stabilization
project (Figure 17) (Kitchener-Waterloo Record 1981).
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 26
Figure 17: The remaining wall of Doon Mill being
levelled in 1981 (Kitchener-Waterloo Record 1981).
4.0 Refined Statement of Significance and Heritage Attributes
This section presents a Statement of Significance and Heritage Attributes for the Lower Doon C.H.L. that
refines and expands on the Statement of Significance and Heritage Attributes presented in the Bray
Heritagereport as part of the Lower Doon Land Use Study, based on supplementary researchpresented
in Section 3.0 and a field review of the C.H.L. undertaken by ASI and City Staff.
4.1 Description of the Heritage Place
The Lower Doon C.H.L. is located within the former village of Lower Doon, which now forms the
southwestern corner of the City of Kitchener. The C.H.L. is bounded by the Grand River to the north, and
the property line of Willowlake Park forms the western boundary, with the southwestern tail of the
C.H.L. extending into Homer Watson Park. The eastern edge of the boundary includes residential
properties on the east side of Pinnacle Drive between Old Mill Road and Amherst Drive. Old Mill Road
runs east-west through the area, and Schneider Creek runs south from the Grand River through
Willowlake Park. The ruins of the Doon Mill are located in the Grand River Natural Area north of Old Mill
Road. A large portion of the area is forested parkland, with public trails.The Grand River was an
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 27
important transportation route and a critical resource extraction area for generations of Indigenous
people.
4.2 Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest
Design/Physical Value
The Lower Doon C.H.L. has design and physical value as a representative example of a nineteenth-
century settlement complex in Upper Canada. The C.H.L. formsthe core of the historical village of Doon
and includes elements critical to the development of a typical nineteenth-century settlement, including
an industrial operation (the mill) sited on a watercourse (Schneider Creek), a former rail line sited in
proximity to the mill, a small collection of residential and commercial buildings, and segments of the
original village street network. Theselandscape and built featuresrepresent key characteristics and
important periods in the evolution of the village of Doon, from its origins as an industrial village in the
early nineteenth century to a residential suburb and regional park in the mid-20th century. While many
nineteenth-century buildings that formed part of Doon have been removed, properties within the C.H.L.
adjacent to Willowlake Park on Pinnacle Drive (from Old Mill Road to the intersection of Amherst Drive)
provide surviving examples of nineteenth-century hotel and residential buildings that express Lower
Doon’s development as a village over the mid-to-late nineteenth century. These include a former hotel
(the Red Lion Inn at 37 Pinnacle Drive), a former hotel/shop/club (6 Amherst Drive), as well as examples
of mid-nineteenth century housing. Pinnacle Drive, Amherst Drive and Old Mill Road represent parts of
the original village street network and alignments. The southernmost trail within Willowlake Park
follows the general alignment of the Galt Branch of the Grand Trunk Railway, which was built in the
1850s, and extends a short distance into Homer Watson Park. The Doon railway station (no longer
extant) was located at the southeast corner of Pinnacle and Amherst Drives.
The ruin of the mill within the C.H.L. also has design and physical value as an early example of a mill
complex constructed of stone in Upper Canada, in contrast to more typical wooden mills constructed in
the early-to-mid nineteenth century. The mill is noted in the local newspaper as once being the largest
grist mill in Canada.Thisindustrial complexformed the core ofBonnieDoon, later known as Lower
Doon. In 1834, Adam Ferrie Junior purchased 300 acres of land to build a large milling operation that he
named Doon Mills, after an area in his native Scotland. In 1839, Ferrie built alarge hewn stonedam to
create a mill pondon Schneider Creekand then builtalimestone grist mill, three storeys tall with three-
foot thick walls. The stone dam was washed out due to quicksand in 1840, and Ferrie built a
replacement dam using deeply buried log pileand concrete.
While the mill pond has been drained and converted to parkland, the footprint of WillowlakePark
delineates the general size, shape,and location of the former mill pond.Following the closure of Doon
Millsdue to fires in 1904 and 1910, the historical mill pond was converted torecreational use by the
Cluthe family, who developed a public resort around the mill pond called Willow Lake. Starting in the
1920s, Lawrence and Bertha Cluthe allowed visitors to swim and skate on the pond, and they opened
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 28
concession stands and built a diving board and cottages(no longer extant). With the collapse of the mill
dam in the 1960s, the mill pond emptied, and the landscape began to be naturalized.By the late 1960s,
Lower Doon was becoming a bedroom suburb for the region, and the municipality converted the former
lake into a public park, next to the ruins of the mill.
Historical/Associative Value
The C.H.L. is associated with the nineteenth-century settlement and development of the village of Doon,
starting in the 1830s, and with Doon’s founder Adam Ferrie Junior and the Ferrie family, driving forces
behind Doon’s development into a thriving industrial village that reached its height in the late
nineteenth century. While many of Doon’s nineteenth-century structures have been removed, the ruins
of Doon Mill, the dam,and traces of the mill pond are significant surviving remnants of the original site
around which Doon developed. The mill operations spurred the economic and physical development of
the village of Doon. By 1852, Doon had developed as a “company town”, with a population of 452 and
over 10 enterprises owned by the Ferrie family as well as 11 houses built for its workers and 20 lots sold
to residents. At its height in the late nineteenth century, along with its sister village of Upper Doon
(located just upstream), Lower Doon supported a variety of industries as well as shops, schools, hotels,
churches, and a range of housing.
The evolution of Doon into the twentieth century is also expressed within the C.H.L. The name of
Willowlake Park is taken from the resort called Willow Lake that was developed around the mill pond by
the Cluthe family in the 1920s.
The C.H.L. also includes largely unchanged portions of the Grand River shoreline that would have
influenced the paintings of nineteenth-centuryCanadianartist Homer Watson(1855-1936), whose
portrayals of pioneer life in the Lower Grand River Valley are important early examples of Canadian
landscape painting. Watson was born near Doon and depicted the general area in many of his paintings.
Watson describes the Doon mill pond as “the most charming place in the vicinity” in his essay “A
Landscape Painter’s Day” (1890). Watson’s former house was originally built and occupied by Adam
Ferrie Junior and is located just west of the H.C.A boundary at 1754 Old Mill Road. The house and
grounds are now a public art gallery dedicated to preserving Watson’s artistic legacy.
Contextual Value
The C.H.L. has contextual value for its importance in defining and maintaining the scenic nineteenth-
century character of the area in connection to the former Village of Doon. The C.H.L., particularly in the
vicinity of the mill ruins, has a distinctive sense of place that transports the visitor back in time. The
naturalized parkland and tree-lined trails in Willowlake Park provide scenic recreational space along
Schneider Creek. The limestone ruins of Doon Mill mark the entry to the trail running north from Old
Mill Road on the west side of Schneider Creek and evoke a nineteenth-century character. The sloping
topography reflects the area’s proximity to the Grand River. The trail follows Schneider Creek to its
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 29
outlet into the Grand River, with views of the natural shoreline of the Grand River and Schneider Creek
that are largely unchanged from the nineteenth century. Aspects of this park landscape are also valued
for the impact on day-to-day living of people who visit and utilize the public park. The bridge along Old
Mill Road also provides scenic views of Schneider Creek. The portion of Pinnacle Drive within the C.H.L.
also has scenic qualities, owing to the sloping topography, remaining nineteenth-century buildings and
mature trees and vegetation. The streets within the C.H.L. do not have curbs or sidewalks (with the
exception of the bridge on Old Mill Road), which contributes to a nineteenth-century village streetscape
quality.
The C.H.L.is also physically, visually, and historically linked to its surroundings, including Schneider
Creek, the Grand River, and surviving built resources surroundingthe C.H.L. associated with the Ferrie
family and the former Village of Doon. This includes Homer Watson House to the northwest at 1754 Old
Mill Road, which was constructed in about 1834 by Adam Ferrie. While many of the nineteenth-century
buildings on surrounding streets have been replaced, the layout of Doon’s nineteenth-century street
network is still partially extant and these streets connect to the road segments included within the C.H.L.
The mill ruins within the C.H.L. also serve as a landmark along the trails in the area’s parkland, orienting
trail users.
4.3 Heritage Attributes
Appendix A contains photographic documentation of the heritage attributes listed below.
Landscape
1. Topography of the area which slopes towards the Grand River
2. Schneider Creek and its outlet into the Grand River
3. Limestone ruins of the former Doon Mills complex (Grand River Natural Area north of Old Mill
Road)
4.Willowlake Park as delineating the general shape and location of the former mill pond
5.Southernmost trail within Willowlake Park and Homer Watson Park on the south side of
Schneider Creek that follows the alignment of the former Grand Trunk Railway
6. The Grand River Natural Area north of Old Mill Road, including surviving portions of the Grand
River shoreline at the outlet of Schneider Creek
7. Mature trees
Built Form and Streetscapes
8. Topography along Pinnacle Drive which slopes towards the Grand River
9. Original street alignment, width, and rural cross-section expressing the nineteenth-century road
network of the village of Doon (Old Mill Road, Pinnacle Drive, and Amherst Drive).
10. Surviving examples of early housing (10 and 20 Pinnacle Drive):
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 30
o The property located at 10 Pinnacle Drivecontains a one-and-a-half storey residence
constructed c. 1857-1858 with a low-pitched side gable roofand symmetrical three-bay
façade with a central shed roof dormer. A covered verandah spans the front façade on the
first storey. The exterior is clad in painted brick.
o The property located at 20 Pinnacle Drive contains a one-storey residence constructed c.
1858 with a side gable roof and symmetrical three-bay front façade. Built in the Regency
style, the roof overhang creates a covered verandah along front façade with decorative trim
and the front door surround has a transom and side lights. The exterior is clad in red brick.
11. Surviving example of an early hotel/shop/club (6 Amherst Drive)
o The property located at 6 Amherst Drive contains a two-storey residence constructed c. 1858
with a low-pitched hip roof, symmetrical three-bay façade and central gable dormers on the
south and west facades. The exterior is clad in stucco.
12. Surviving example of an early hotel (37 Pinnacle Drive, the former Red Lion Inn)
o The property located at 37 Pinnacle Drive contains a two-storey former hotel building
constructed in 1892 with a hip roof and symmetrical five-bay façade with two central hip
dormers. The front door features a transom and a verandah supported by turned wooden
posts with a balcony on the second storey spans the front façade. The exterior is clad in
painted brick.
Views
1. Views of Schneider Creek looking north and south from the bridge on Old Mill Road
2. Views of the mill ruins looking northwest from the bridge on Old Mill Road
3. Views of the Grand River from the Grand River shoreline on the west side of Schneider Creek
4. Views of the Grand River looking north from the intersection of Pinnacle Drive and Old Mill Road
toward the Waterloo Pioneer Memorial Tower
5. Views looking south up Pinnacle Drive towards 10, 20 and 37 Pinnacle Drive and 6 Amherst Drive
6. Views of 37 Pinnacle Drive looking west along Amherst Drive
5.0Policy Framework
The following provides a summary of applicable policy at the provincial, regional and municipal levels
with regards to heritage conservation and cultural heritage landscapes, as well as an overview of
national, provincial and regional guidance documents.
5.1 The Provincial Policy Statement
The Planning Act (1990) and related Provincial Policy Statement (P.P.S. 2020) make a number of
provisions relating to heritage conservation (Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing 1990; 2020). One
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 31
of the general purposes of the Planning Act is to integrate matters of provincial interest in provincial and
municipal planning decisions. To inform all those involved in planning activities of the scope of these
matters of provincial interest, Section 2 of the Planning Act provides an extensive listing. These matters
of provincial interest shall be regarded when certain authorities, including the council of a municipality,
carry out their responsibilities under the Act. One of these provincial interests is directly concerned with:
2.(i) the conservation of features of significant architectural, cultural, historical,
archaeological or scientific interest
The P.P.S. indicates in Section 4.0 - Implementation/Interpretation, that:
4.6 The official plan is the most important vehicle for implementation of this
Provincial Policy Statement. Comprehensive, integrated and long-term planning is
best achieved through official plans.
Official plans shall identify provincial interests and set out appropriate land use
designations and policies. To determine the significance of some natural heritage
features and other resources, evaluation may be required.
In order to protect provincial interests, planning authorities shall keep their official
plans up-to-date with this Provincial Policy Statement. The policies of this
Provincial Policy Statement continue to apply after adoption and approval of an
official plan.
Section 2.0, Wise Use and Management of Resources addresses the long-term prosperity of the province
and the importance of protecting natural and cultural heritage and archaeological resources for their
economic, environmental, and social benefits. More specifically, Section 2.6 pertains specifically to
Cultural Heritage and Archaeology policy and states that:
Significant built heritage resources and significant cultural heritage landscapes shall be conserved
(Policy 2.6.1);
Planning authorities shall not permit development and site alteration on adjacent lands to
protected heritage property except where the proposed development and site alteration has
been evaluated and it has been demonstrated that the heritage attributes of the protected
heritage property will be conserved (Policy 2.6.3);
Planning authorities should consider and promote archaeological management plans and cultural
plans in conserving cultural heritage and archaeological resources (Policy 2.6.4); and,
Planning authorities shall engage with Indigenous communities and consider their interests when
identifying, protecting, and managing cultural heritage and archaeological resources (Policy
2.6.5).
5.2 The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2020)
The Greater Golden Horseshoe (G.G.H.) is one of the most dynamic and fastest growing regions in North
America (Government of Ontario 2020a). The Growth Plan for G.G.H. provides a vision and direction for
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 32
the planning and development that supports economic prosperity, protects the environment, and helps
communities achieve a high quality of life. The Plan identifies the Region of Waterloo as part of the
Greater Golden Horseshoe Growth Plan Area. Concurrently, the G.G.H. Plan refers to and provides policy
direction for cultural heritage and archaeological resources, and recognizes that unmanaged growth can
degrade, among other features, the regions cultural heritage resources. The G.G.H. Plan further states
that cultural heritage resources and open spaces within cities, towns, and countryside provide people
with a sense of place. The G.G.H. Plan establishes general policies for conserving cultural heritage
resources in the context of growth and intensification:
Cultural heritage resources will be conserved in order to foster a sense of place and benefit
communities, particularly in strategic growth areas (Policy 4.2.7.1);
Municipalities will work with stakeholders, as well as First Nations and Métis communities, in
developing and implementing Official Plan policies and strategies for the identification, wise use
and management of cultural heritage resources (Policy 4.2.7.2).
5.3 Region of Waterloo Official Plan (2015)
The Region of Waterloo Official Plan (O.P.) is the regional municipality’s guiding document for directing
growth and change for a period of 20 years, and includes the cities of Cambridge, Waterloo, and
Kitchener (Region of Waterloo 2015). The vision of the plan embraces sustainability and liveability as
central concepts in ensuring the Region of Waterloo is an inclusive, thriving, and sustainable community
committed to maintaining harmony between rural and urban areas and fostering opportunities for
current and future generations.
In achieving the goal of liveability, the plan recognizes that much of Waterloo Region’s distinctive
character is associated with its various cultural heritage elements, including the Grand River and its
diverse range of cities, towns, villages, hamlets, and countryside. Ensuring liveability means planning to
retain and/or create the types of distinct local communities that will provide people with choices about
where they live, work, and play.
5.3.1 Shaping Waterloo Region’s Urban Communities
Chapter 3 of the Regional O.P., Liveability in Waterloo Region, contains policies and objectives with the
overall goal of creating vibrant urban and rural places. Among the objectives in achieving this includes
supporting the conservation of cultural heritage resources (Objective 3.8 and Section 3.G).
Section 3.G relates to Cultural Heritage and states that the inheritance of natural and cultural assets
gives people a sense of place, community, and personal identity. The plan states its commitment to the
conservation of its cultural heritage as these assets enhance the quality of life of the community,
support social development and promote economic prosperity. Policies presented in Section 3.G address
identification, conservation, and promotion of individual properties, cultural heritage landscapes,
archaeological resources, and scenic roads.
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 33
The following policy pertains to cultural heritage landscapes:
Area Municipalities will designate Cultural Heritage Landscapes in their official plans and establish
associated policies to conserve these areas. The purpose of this designation is to conserve groupings of
cultural heritage resources that together have greater heritage significance than their constituent
elements or parts. (Policy 3.G.6)
5.4 City of Kitchener Official Plan (2014)
The City of Kitchener’s Official Plan(City of Kitchener 2014b) provides policy direction for cultural
heritage resources within the City, including the Lower Doon Secondary Plan study area. Sections,
objectives and policies within the Official Plan that are relevant to this reportare included in Section 12:
Cultural Heritage Resources. Summaries of the relevant policies within these chapters are included
below.
It should also be noted that the majority of the lands within the Cultural Heritage Landscape are
identified in the Official Plan as being part of the Natural Heritage System. Kitchener’s Natural Heritage
System is comprised of natural heritage features that maintain local and regional biological,
hydrological, ecological and geological diversity and functions, support viable populations of indigenous
species, and sustain local ecosystems.There is a strong relationship between natural and cultural
heritage within the Cultural Heritage Landscape. While the objectives, policies and guidelines presented
in Section 6.0 below focus on cultural heritage, natural heritage policies contained in the Official Plan
also apply to the Cultural Heritage Landscape, and the cultural heritage policies do not preclude them.
Section 12 of the Official Plan relates to the Cultural Heritage Resources within the City of Kitchener. The
City recognizes the benefits of cultural heritage resources as focal to community identity and economic
prosperity. Section 12 describes four objectives related to heritage, particularly the City’s support for the
conservation and promotion of the City’s cultural heritage resources.
Policy 12.C.1.4. acknowledges that not all of the City’s cultural heritage resources may have been
identified and accordingly, a property does not have to be listed or designated to be considered as
having cultural heritage value or interest.
Cultural Heritage Landscapes
Policy 12.C.1.8 requires that the City, in cooperation with the Region and the Municipal Heritage
Committee, identify and inventory cultural heritage landscapes in the city and list them on the Municipal
Heritage Register.
Policy 12.C.1.9 requires that significant cultural heritage landscapes be identified on Map 9 in the City’s
Official Plan and states that an amendment to the Official Plan will not be required to identify cultural
heritage landscapes on the Municipal Heritage Register.
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 34
Policy 12.C.1.10 requiresthe conservation of significant cultural heritage landscapes within the city.
Policy 12.C.1.1.12 recognizes the Grand River as a Canadian Heritage River and supports efforts to
conserve the river’s natural, cultural, recreational, scenic and ecological features.
Conservation Measures
Policy 12.C.1.19 provides for the City to use measures beyond the Ontario Heritage Act to conserve built
heritage and cultural heritage landscapes and implement Cultural Heritage Resource Conservation
Measures Policies in the Official Plan. “These may include, but are not limited to covenants and
easements pursuant to the Ontario Heritage Act; by-laws and agreements pursuant to the Planning Act
(Zoning By-law, demolition control, site plan control, community improvement provisions, provisions in
a subdivision agreement);and by-laws and agreements pursuant to the Municipal Act (Property
Standards Bylaw, tree by-law, sign by-law).”
Policy 12.C.1.21 requires that all development, redevelopment and site alteration permitted by the land
use designations and other policies of the Official Plan will conserve Kitchener’s significant cultural
heritage resources.
Public Infrastructure
Policy 12.C.1.37 requires that all private and public works projects affecting a cultural heritage resource
will be consistent with the Parks Canada Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places
in Canada and may require the submission of Heritage Impact assessment, Heritage Conservation Plan
and/or Heritage Permit Application.
Heritage Corridors
Section 13: Integrated Transportation System contains a number of policies regarding Heritage
Corridors. Map 9 of the Official Plan identifies Old Mill Road from Mill Park Drive to Doon Valley Driveas
having an overlay designation as a heritage corridor (this does not mean designation under the Ontario
Heritage Act). This includes the portion of Old Mill Road located with the C.H.L.
Policy 13.C.4.11 states that alterations to the heritage attributes of Heritage Corridors, such as widening
the carriage way or changing the surface treatment, will be discouragedand may be subject to the
preparation of a scoped Heritage Impact Assessment. Policy 13.C.4.15 encourages "the use of
Community, Secondary and other Plans and special land use guidelines and development controls on
and in the vicinity of Heritage Corridors to maintain the overall visual character of such streets and
multiuse pathway and their functional operation.”
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 35
5.5Guidelines
5.5.1Regional Implementation Guideline for Cultural Heritage Landscape Conservation
The Regional Implementation Guideline for Cultural Heritage Landscape Conservation (Region of
Waterloo 2018)was endorsed by the Region of Waterloo Council in 2013, and updated in 2018, and is
intended to provide guidance to applicants, Municipal Heritage Advisory Committees, and Regional and
Area municipal staff on the implementation of C.H.L. policies of the Regional Official Plan. This document
contains background information on C.H.L.s; the rationale for C.H.L. conservation; the provincial,
regional, and municipal policy context; a policy review of Regional documents; and the key steps
involved in the conservation process, including identification of candidate C.H.L.s, research, evaluation,
engagement, reporting, and formal recognition through C.H.L. designation. Further, this document
provides additional conservation measures which may be recommended based on the results of a C.H.L.
study such as technical guidance in the application of policies and Cultural Heritage Impact Assessments.
5.5.2 Provincial and National Reference Documents and Standards for Heritage Conservation
The following documents have been utilized to develop policies presented in this report and which are
demonstrative of industry-accepted standards for best conservation practice in Ontario and Canada:
Heritage Resources in the Land Use Planning Process (Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism
2006)
Eight Guiding Principles in the Conservation of Historical Properties (Ontario Ministry of Culture
2007)
Standards and Guidelines for Conservation of Historic Places (Parks Canada 2010)
6.0 Objectives, Policies and Guidelines
The objectives, policies, and guidelines presented below have been developed to ensure the long-term
protection of the cultural heritage value of the Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape and its heritage
attributes. These objectives and policies are intended to form cultural heritage objectives and official
plan policies specific to Lower Doon and should be read and interpreted alongside the Statement of
Significance and Heritage Attributes presented in Section 4.0 of this report.
These objectives, policies and guidelines are intended to provide guidance to property owners and City
staff for appropriate change within and adjacent to the Cultural Heritage Landscape, while protecting its
cultural heritage value and heritage attributes.
Italicized terms are defined in the Glossary in Appendix B.
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 36
6.1Recommended Cultural Heritage Objectives andOfficial PlanPoliciesand Guidelines
for the Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape
Preamble
The objectives, policies and guidelines below address the cultural heritage resources and heritage
attributes within and adjacent to theLower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape,as identified in the Lower
DoonCultural Heritage LandscapeStudy and shown on Map 1and Map 2. However, it is possible that
additional cultural heritage resources or heritage attributes may be identified within or adjacent to the
Cultural Heritage Landscape based on further study and/or receipt of appropriate supplemental
research, analysis and/or documentation.
The properties at 6 Amherst Drive and 10Pinnacle Drive, identified as built heritage resources within the
Cultural Heritage Landscape, should be studied in more detail in order to understand and articulate their
cultural heritage value and individual heritage attributes.
Existing land uses within the Cultural Heritage Landscape consist of parkland and residential land use,
which are consistent with the historical land-use development patterns.
The design of the new Old Mill Sanitary Pumping Station on the south side of Old Mill Road is an
example of a new building successfully integrated into the Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape. The
building responds to the qualities of the area through its low-rise height and massing that evokes a
house, and details such as the gable roof, end chimneys and masonry cladding, while still remaining
legible as a new building. Its integration into the landscape and topography of Willowlake Park
complements and enhances the cultural heritage value of the Cultural Heritage Landscape.
1. Objectives
1.To appropriately conserve cultural heritage resources.
2.To ensure that new development is sensitive to and respects cultural heritage resources.
2.General Policies
1.The cultural heritage resources and heritage attributes identified in the Lower Doon Cultural
Heritage Landscape Study and shown on Map 1 and Map 2 will be conserved.
2.The City will require the submission of a Heritage Impact Assessment and/or a Heritage
Conservation Plan for development, redevelopment, demolition, and site alteration for
designated properties within or adjacent to the Cultural Heritage Landscape, where it has been
determined that this may result in a significant negative impact on a cultural heritage resource or
heritage attribute of the Cultural Heritage Landscape as deemed appropriate by the City’s
Director of Planning.
a. The Heritage Impact Assessment shall be completed in accordance with the City of
Kitchener Heritage Impact Assessment Terms of Reference, or a Scoped Heritage Impact
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 37
Assessment Terms of Reference which will be provided by the City’s Heritage Plannerand
will recommend an appropriate conservation strategy for the cultural heritage resource or
heritage attribute. The HeritageConservation Plan shall be completed in accordance with
the City of Kitchener Conservation Plan Terms of Reference and will recommend
appropriate conservation measures and work for the cultural heritage resource or
heritage attribute.
b. The City might require the submission of additional documents and/or studies as deemed
appropriate by the City’s Heritage Planner.
3. The City will ensure that new developments are designed and planned to ensure that views and
vistas of Kitchener’s significant cultural heritage resources are created, maintained, and /or
enhanced where appropriate.
4. Any new development that may be proposed within any part of the Cultural Heritage Landscape
identified as exhibiting archaeological potential (as shown on Map 3) that will result in
subsurface impacts must be preceded by Stage 2 Archaeological Assessment. Any such
assessment(s) must be conducted in accordance with the 2011 Standards and Guidelines for
Consultant Archaeologists (Ministry of Tourism and Culture 2011).
5. New development and alterations on properties within and adjacent to the Cultural Heritage
Landscape must be compatible with and complementary to the Cultural Heritage Landscape’s
cultural heritage value and heritage attributes.
6. Demolition or removal of heritage attributes within the Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape
is not permitted.
7. The City acknowledges that accessibility requirements are an important consideration for public
and private properties and that a balance must be found between meeting accessibility
requirements and conserving cultural heritage resources and heritage attributes in order to
achieve solutions that meet the needs of both, as much as is feasible.
2.1. Public Realm Guidelines
2.1.1. Parkland
1. Mature trees and vegetation within Willowlake Park, Homer Watson Park and the Grand
River Natural Area north of Old Mill Road will be maintained and conserved.
2. The City acknowledges that maintenance to parkland may be required. Any alterations
required to Willowlake Park and Homer Watson Park will be compatible with and sympathetic
to the heritage attributes located within them, including but not limited to: topography,
Schneider Creek, and the southernmost trail within Willowlake Park and Homer Watson Park
on the south side of Schneider Creek that follows the alignment of the former Grand Trunk
Railway.
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 38
3. Any alterations required to the Grand River Natural Area north of Old Mill Road will be
compatible with and sympathetic to the heritage attributes located withinit, including but not
limited to: topography, Schneider Creek, andmill ruins.
4. The existing alignment of the southernmost trail within Willowlake Park and Homer Watson
Park that follows the alignment of the former Grand Trunk Railway will be maintained and
conserved.
2.1.2 Grand River Shoreline
1. The Grand River shoreline within the Cultural Heritage Landscape will be conserved in its
naturalized state.
2. Any alterations to the Grand River shoreline within the Cultural Heritage Landscapewill
enhance the overall setting and history of the site and conserve its cultural heritage value.
2.1.3 Mill Ruins
1. The limestone ruins of the Ferrie Mill located within the Grand River Natural Area north of
Old Mill Road will be conserved and stabilized in alignment with ongoing City initiatives.
2.1.4 Roads and Circulation Routes
The portion of Old Mill Road within the Cultural Heritage Landscape forms part of a Heritage
Corridor as per the City of Kitchener Official Plan.
1. The existing alignment and width of streets within the Cultural Heritage Landscapewill be
conserved, including the segments of Old Mill Road, Pinnacle Drive and Amherst Drive.
2. Transportation facilities and/or streetscape improvementswill be needed to meet the needs
of residents of all ages and abilities, and these improvements shall be appropriately balanced
and integrated with the existing context of the Cultural Heritage Landscape.
2.1.5 Interpretation Plan
1. An interpretation plan should be developed for the Cultural Heritage Landscape, for
integration into the public realm. The interpretation plan should communicate the history and
significance of the Cultural Heritage Landscape. This could include, but is not limited to,
wayfinding signage or plaques throughout the Cultural Heritage Landscape and/or at its entry
and exit points.
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 39
2.2Built FormGuidelines
1. The properties at 6 Amherst Drive and 10, 20, and 37 Pinnacle Drive, and their primary
buildings will be conserved in a manner that ensures their integrity and respects the cultural
heritage value of the Cultural Heritage Landscape.
2. Repair rather than replacement of damaged or deteriorated heritage attributes is
encouraged. Where repair is not feasible, replacements shouldbe in-kind, conserving the
historical form, appearance, materials, and features of the heritage attribute and should be
physically and visually compatible with the property in terms of its form, appearance,
materials, and features.
3. New development within or adjacent to the Cultural Heritage Landscape will bevisually and
physically compatible with, but subordinate to and distinguishable from theproperties within
the Cultural Heritage Landscape, and shall not negatively impact the cultural heritage value or
heritage attributes of the Cultural Heritage Landscape.
4. New development on or adjacent to the properties at 6 Amherst Drive and 10, 20, and 37
Pinnacle Drive will be compatible with the height, massing, and materials of the existing
buildings on the properties, as described in the list of heritage attributes.
2.3 Protection of Views
1. Views from the public realm identified as heritage attributes and shown on Map 2 will be
conserved.
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 40
41
Study
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape
heritage attributes within the Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape
: Location of select
1
Map
42
Study
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape
ttributes
A
eritage
H
dentified as
I
ews
Vi
: Location of
2
Map
43
Study
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape
Archaeological Assessment Results
: Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Stage 1
3
Map
7.0 Implementation Recommendations
1.The Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape should be designated as a significant cultural
heritage landscape in the City of Kitchener Official Planand identified on Map 9 of thePlan.
Guideline III in the Regional Implementation Guideline for Cultural Heritage Landscape
Conservation (Region of Waterloo 2018) recommends that the Official Plan identify designated
C.H.L.s using an official name, a statement of significance and a general location map, and
reference the detailed documentation within the C.H.L.’s Technical Study. The Guideline also
advises that additional C.H.L. conservation policies and/or a detailed map may be included.
2. Publicly-owned lands located within the Lower Doon C.H.L. should be appropriately managed by
the City of Kitchener to ensure the conservation of the C.H.L.’s identified heritage attributesand
in accordance with the objectives, policies, and guidelines presented herein. These lands include
Willowlake Park and the ruins of Doon Mills, Schneider Creek, the Grand River Natural Area north
of Old Mill Road, and the original street alignment of Old Mill Road, Pinnacle Drive, and Amherst
Drive .
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 44
8.0 References
Archaeological Services Inc. 1997. “Master Plan of Archaeological Resources for the City of Brantford,
Technical Report.” Toronto: Report on file with the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and
Sport.
Birch, J., and R. F. Williamson. 2013. The Mantle Site: An Archaeological History of an Ancestral Wendat
Community. Latham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Bray Heritage. 2021. “Lower Doon Land Use Study Heritage Component.”
Burley, David. 2003. “Ferrie, Adam (1813-49).”
http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/ferrie_adam_1813_49_7E.html.
Canadian Heritage Rivers System. 2016. “Grand River.” 2016. http://chrs.ca/the-rivers/grand/.
City of Kitchener. 2014a. “City of Kitchener Cultural Heritage Landscapes.” CHL Inventory. Report on File
at ASI, Toronto, ON.: The Landplan Collaborative, Goldsmith Borgal & Company Ltd, and
Archaeological Services Inc.
https://www.kitchener.ca/en/resourcesGeneral/Documents/DSD_PLAN_CHL_Study_Report.pdf.
———. 2014b. “City of Kitchener Official Plan, as Approved, with Modifications by the Region of
Waterloo on November 19, 2014.”
https://www.kitchener.ca/en/resourcesGeneral/Documents/DSD_PLAN_New-Official-Plan---
CONSOLIDATED-Version-Modifications-Deferrals--Appeals.pdf.
Cumming, Peter A., and Neil Mickenberg. 1977. Native Rights in Canada. Second Edition. Toronto,
Ontario: The Indian-Eskimo Association of Canada in association with General Publishing Co.
Limited.
Department of Militia and Defence. 1916. “Topographic Map - Galt Sheet.”
Department of National Defence. 1936. “Galt Sheet.” National Topographic System.
Dodd, C. F., D. R. Poulton, P. A. Lennox, D. G. Smith, and G. A. Warrick. 1990. “The Middle Ontario
Iroquoian Stage.” In The Archaeology of Southern Ontario to A.D. 1650, edited by C. J. Ellis and N.
Ferris, 321–60. Occasional Publication of the London Chapter OAS, Number 5. London, ON:
Ontario Archaeological Society Inc.
Edwards, T.W.D., and P. Fritz. 1988. “Stable-Isotope Paleoclimate Records from Southern Ontario,
Canada: Comparison of Results from Marl and Wood.” Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 25:
1397–1406.
Ellis, C. J., and D. B. Deller. 1990. “Paleo-Indians.” In The Archaeology of Southern Ontario to A.D. 1650,
edited by C. J. Ellis and N. Ferris, 37–64. Occasional Publication of the London Chapter OAS,
Number 5. London, ON: Ontario Archaeological Society Inc.
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 45
Ellis, C. J., I. T. Kenyon, and M. W. Spence. 1990. “The Archaic.” In The Archaeology of Southern Ontario
to A.D. 1650, edited by C. J. Ellis and N. Ferris, 65–124. Occasional Publication of the London
Chapter OAS, Number 5. London, ON: Ontario Archaeological Society Inc.
Fear, Jon. 2010. “Flash from the Past: Doon Mill Pond Becomes a Popular Summer Retreat.” The Record,
2010. https://www.therecord.com/life/2010/11/26/flash-from-the-past-doon-mill-pond-
became-a-popular-summer-retreat.html.
Ferris, N. 2013. “Place, Space, and Dwelling in the Late Woodland.” In Before Ontario: The Archaeology
of a Province, 99–111. McGill-Queen’s University Press.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt32b7n5.15.
Filice, Michelle. 2016. “Haldimand Proclamation.” Canadian Encyclopedia. June 3, 2016.
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/haldimand-proclamation.
Government of Ontario. 2020a. “A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe.”
https://files.ontario.ca/mmah-greater-golden-horseshoe-place-to-grow-english-15may2019.pdf.
———. 2020b. Provincial Policy Statement. https://files.ontario.ca/mmah-provincial-policy-statement-
2020-accessible-final-en-2020-02-14.pdf.
Grand River Conservation Authority. 2020. “Our Watershed.” Grand River Conservation Authority. 2020.
https://www.grandriver.ca/en/our-watershed/Our-Watershed.aspx.
Homer Watson House and Gallery. n.d. “Historical Walking Tour of Lower Doon.”
https://www.homerwatson.on.ca/about/walking-tours/lower-doon/.
Hunting Survey Corporation Limited. 1954. “Digital Aerial Photographs, Southern Ontario 1954.” 1954.
http://maps.library.utoronto.ca/data/on/AP_1954/index.html.
Johnston, C. E. 1964. The Valley of the Six Nations: A Collection of Documents on the Indian Lands of the
Grand River. Toronto, Ontario: The Champlain Society.
Kitchener Public Library. n.d. “Birds Eye View of the Village of Doon, 1950.”
———. n.d. “Residence on Pinnacle Drive, 1967.”
———. n.d. “Ruins of Ferrie Mill, circa 1920.”
Kitchener-Waterloo Record. 1969. “Doon Mill’s Owner in Doubt,” 1969.
———. 1971. “Honor of Joining City ‘Not Enough,’” 1971.
———. 1976. “2000 Population Predicted at Doon,” 1976.
———. 1977. “Doon Road Plans Stalled Again,” 1977.
Lower Doon Cultural Heritage Landscape Study 46
———. 1981. “Once the Largest in Canada, Most of Doon Mill Levelled,” 1981.
———. n.d. “Original Ferrie Grist Mill, Built in 1839.”
———. n.d. “Thousands Cooled off at Willow Lake in Doon.”
Lennox, P.A., and W.R. Fitzgerald. 1990. “The Culture History and Archaeology of the Neutral
Iroquoians.” In The Archaeology of Southern Ontario to A.D. 1650, edited by C.J. Ellis and N.
Ferris, 405–56. Occasional Publication of the London Chapter, OAS, Number 5. London: Ontario
Archaeological Society Inc.
Lytwyn, V. P. 2005. “Historical Research Report: Aboriginal Settlement and Use of the North Pickering
Development Planning Area and Adjacent Lands, 1690-1923.”
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. 1990. Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.13.
———. 2020. “Provincial Policy Statement, 2020, Under the Planning Act.” Queen’s Printer for Ontario.
Ministry of Tourism and Culture. 2011. “Standards and Guidelines for Consultant Archaeologists.”
Cultural Programs Branch, Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Culture.
Ministry of Tourism Culture and Sport, M.T.C.S. 2006. “Heritage Resources in the Land Use Planning
Process: Info Sheet #5, Heritage Impact Assessments and Conservation Plans.”
http://www.mtc.gov.on.ca/en/publications/Heritage_Tool_Kit_Heritage_PPS_infoSheet.pdf.
Ontario Ministry of Culture. 2007. “Eight Guiding Principles in the Conservation of Built Heritage
Properties.” https://www.heritagetrust.on.ca/en/pages/tools/tools-for-conservation/eight-
guiding-principles.
Parks Canada. 2010. “Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada.”
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———. 2018. “Regional Implementation Guideline for Cultural Heritage Landscape Conservation.” On
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20River.
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———. 1941. “Twenty-Ninth Annual Report of the Waterloo Historical Society.”
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Appendix A: Photographic Documentation of Heritage Attributes
The followingfigures are representative photographs of the Heritage Attributes of the Lower Doon
Cultural Heritage Landscape, as identified in Section 4.3. Note that Attribute 1 -Topography of the area
which slopes towards the Grand River - and Attribute 7 –Mature trees – are represented throughout
this collection of photographs.All photographs were taken by A.S.I. on September 29, 2022.
Landscape Attributes
Figure 18: Schneider Creek, looking north from the bridge on Old Mill Road
(Heritage Attribute #2).
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Figure 19: Schneider Creek, looking northeast from within Willowlake Park
(Heritage Attribute #2).
Figure 20: Schneider Creek at its outlet into the Grand River, looking west
(Heritage Attribute #2).
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Figure 21: Limestone ruins of the former Doon Mills complex within the
Grand River Natural Area north of Old Mill Road(Heritage Attribute #3).
Figure 22: Limestone ruins of the former Doon Mills complex within the
Grand River Natural Area north of Old Mill Road (Heritage Attribute #3).
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Figure 23: Willowlake Park with trail along Schneider Creek, looking
northeast (Heritage Attribute #4).
Figure 24: Southernmost trail within Willowlake Park that follows the
alignment of the former Grand Trunk Railway, looking west (Heritage Attribute #5).
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Figure 25: Grand River Natural Area north of Old Mill Road, with trail
leading to Grand River, looking northeast (Heritage Attribute #6).
Figure 26: Grand River Natural Area north of Old Mill Road, with trail
leading to Grand River, looking northeast (Heritage Attribute #6).
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Figure 27: Grand River shoreline (in foreground) within Grand River Natural
Area north of Old Mill Road (Heritage Attribute #6).
Built Form and StreetscapeAttributes
Figure 28: Topography along Pinnacle Drive which slopes towards the
Grand River, looking north from 20 Pinnacle Drive(Heritage Attribute #8).
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Figure 29: Original alignment, width and rural cross-section of Old Mill
Road, looking west from the intersection of Old Mill Road and Pinnacle
Drive (Heritage Attribute #9).
Figure 30: Original alignment, width and rural cross-section of Pinnacle
Drive, looking south from the intersection of Pinnacle Drive and Old Mill
Road(Heritage Attribute #9).
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Figure 31: Original alignment, width and rural cross-section of Amherst Drive,
looking west along Amherst Drive towards its intersection with Pinnacle Drive
(Heritage Attribute #9).
Figure 32: 10 Pinnacle Drive(Heritage Attribute #10).
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Figure 33: 20 Pinnacle Drive (Heritage Attribute #10).
Figure 34: 6 Amherst Drive (Heritage Attribute #11).
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Figure 35: 37 Pinnacle Drive (Heritage Attribute #12).
Views Identified as Heritage Attributes
Figure 36: View of Schneider Creek looking north from the bridge on Old
Mill Road(View #1).
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Figure 37: View of Schneider Creek looking south from the bridge on Old
Mill Road (View #1).
Figure 38: View of mill ruins looking northwest from the bridge on Old Mill
Road (View #2).
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Figure 39: View of the Grand River from the Grand River shoreline on the
west side of Schneider Creek, looking northwest (View #3).
Figure 40: View of the Grand River from the Grand River shoreline on the
west side of Schneider Creek, looking southeast (View #3).
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Figure 41: View of the Grand River looking north from the intersection of
Pinnacle Drive and Old Mill Road toward the Waterloo Pioneer Memorial
Tower (View #4).
Figure 42: View looking south up Pinnacle Drive towards 10and 20
Pinnacle Drive and 6 Amherst Drive (View #5).
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Figure 43: View looking south up Pinnacle Drive towards 37 Pinnacle Drive
(View #5).
Figure 44: View of 37 Pinnacle Drive looking west along Amherst Drive
(View #6).
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Appendix B: Glossary
Addition: New construction that extends the pre-existing building envelope in any direction, and which increases
the building’s pre-existing volume.
Adjacent: Lands, buildings and/or structures that are contiguous or that are directly opposite to other lands,
buildings and/or structures, separated only by a laneway, municipal road or other right-of-way. (Official Plan)
Alteration: Any change to a property on the Heritage Register in any manner including its restoration, renovation,
repair or disturbance, or a change, demolition or removal of an adjacent property that may result in any change to
a property on the Heritage Register. Alteration and alter have corresponding meanings.
Built Heritage Resources: A building, structure, monument, installation or any manufactured remnant that
contributes to a property’s cultural heritage value or interest as identified by a community. Built heritage
resources are generally located on property that has been designated under Parts IV or V of the Ontario Heritage
Act, or listed by included on local, Regional, Provincial and/or Federal registers. (Official Plan)
City: Refers to the Corporation of the City of Kitchener. (Official Plan)
Compatible: Refers to the physical and visual impacts of new development on existing structures and contributing
properties. Physical compatibility refers to the use of materials and construction methods that do not negatively
impact the contributing property, detract from or damage its heritage attributes. Visual compatibility refers to
designing new work in such a way that it is distinguishable from the historic building, while complementing its
design, massing, and proportions. (Standards & Guidelines)
Conserve/Conserved/Conservation (in regard to cultural heritage and archaeology): The identification,
protection, management and use of built heritage resources, cultural heritage landscapes and archaeological
resources in a manner that ensures their cultural heritage value or interest is retained under Ontario Heritage Act.
This may be achieved by the implementation of recommendations set out in a heritage conservation plan,
archeological assessment, and/or heritage impact assessment. Mitigative measures and/or alternative
development approaches can be included in these plans and assessments. (Official Plan).
Cultural Heritage Landscape: A defined geographical area that may have been modified by human activity and is
identified as having cultural heritage value or interest by a community. The area may involve features such as
structures, spaces, archaeological sites or natural elements that are valued together for their interrelationship,
meaning or association. Examples may include, but are not limited to, heritage conservation districts designated
under the Ontario Heritage Act; villages, parks, gardens, battlefields, main streets and neighbourhoods,
cemeteries, trailways, viewsheds, natural areas and industrial complexes of heritage significance; and areas
recognized by federal or international designation authorities. (Official Plan)
Cultural Heritage Resources: Includes buildings, structures and properties designated under the Ontario Heritage
Act or listed on the Municipal Heritage Register, properties on the Heritage Kitchener Inventory of Historic
Buildings, built heritage resources and cultural heritage landscapes as defined in the Provincial Policy Statement.
(Official Plan)
Cultural Heritage Value: The aesthetic, historic, scientific, cultural, social or spiritual importance or significance
for past, present or future generations. The heritage value of an historic place is embodied in its character-
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defining materials, forms, location, spatial configurations, uses and cultural associations or meanings. (Standards
and Guidelines)
Development: The creation of a new lot, a change in land use, the construction of buildings and structures or an
addition or alteration to a building or structure that substantially increases the size or usability of the site,
requiring approval under the Planning Act, but does not include: a) activities that create or maintain infrastructure
authorized under an environmental assessment process; and, b) works subject to the Drainage Act. (Official Plan)
Heritage Attributes: The principle features or elements that contribute to a cultural heritage resource’s cultural
heritage value or interest, and may include the property’s built or manufactured elements, as well as natural
landforms, vegetation, water features, and its visual setting (including significant views or vistas to or from a
cultural heritage resource. (Official Plan)
Heritage Conservation Plan: A document that details how a cultural heritage resource can be conserved. The
conservation plan may be supplemental to a heritage impact assessment, but is typically a separate document.
The recommendations of the plan should include descriptions of repairs, stabilization and preservation activities
as well as long term conservation, monitoring and maintenance measures. (Official Plan)
Heritage Corridors: Streets or multi-use pathways which because of their unique structural, topographic and
visual characteristics, as well as abutting vegetation, built environment and cultural landscape, historical
significance or location within a Heritage Conservation District are recognized as a cultural heritage resource and
are intended to be conserved. (Official Plan)
Heritage Impact Assessment: A document comprising text and graphic material including plans, drawings,
photographs that contains the results of historical research, field work, survey, analysis, and description(s) of
cultural heritage resources together with a description of the process and procedures in deriving potential effects
and mitigation measures as required by official plan policies and any other applicable or pertinent guidelines. A
heritage impact assessment may include an archaeological assessment where appropriate. (Official Plan)
Integrity: As it relates to a heritage property or an archaeological site/resource, is a measure of its wholeness and
intactness of the cultural heritage value and attributes. Examining the conditions of integrity requires assessing
the extent to which the property includes all elements necessary to express its cultural heritage value; is of
adequate size to ensure the complete representation of the features and processes that convey the property’s
significance; and the extent to which it suffers from adverse affects of development and/or neglect. Integrity
should be assessed within a Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment. (Official Plan)
Views and Vistas: Significant visual compositions of the built and natural environment that enliven the overall
physical character of an area. Views are generally panoramic in nature while vistas are typically a strong individual
feature framed by its surroundings. (Official Plan)
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