Inventory Report: 2197 Lakeshore Rd West, Bronte Athletic Field

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14: 2197 Lakeshore Rd West, Bronte Athletic Field

1. Description of Property Municipal Address 2197 Lakeshore Rd. West Name (if applicable) Bronte Athletic Field Legal Description CON 4 SDS PT LOT 27 Location of Property This property is located on the north side of Lakeshore Rd. West, between East Street and

Solingate Drive, and adjacent to Donovan Bailey Park. Ownership Public - Town of Oakville Access Access was granted by the Town. Site inspection completed on Oct 8th, 2015 (AB, LS) Current Use Public Park/Recreational Area Existing Designation None. General Description Bronte Athletic Field is a public park with a large baseball diamond and a football field. A

modern building sits beside the football field. At the north end of the park is “Lawson Playground, which includes an in-ground pool and children’s play area. The park is grassed, with mature trees occurring singly, in groupings, or in rows towards the north and east parts of the park. Gravelled paths lead around the perimeter of the park. Directly in front of the baseball diamond, and adjacent to Lakeshore Road West, are two, square piers, about two metres high, with stone cladding and concrete caps. The area around the piers is landscaped with a modern concrete sidewalk, metal benches and a lamp post.

Priority Level Low

Figure 1: 2197 Lakeshore Rd. West (AB, 2015)

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Bronte Athletic Field

Cultural Heritage LandscapeInventory Map

Drawing not to scale

Corporation of theTown of Oakville1225 Trafalgar RdOakville, ONL6H 0H3

Watercourse

Site Structures

Vegetation

Assessment Boundary

Building

CHL Study Area

Heritage District

Heritage Trail

Parkland

Park Trail

Road

Cemetery

Inventory Report: 2197 Lakeshore Rd West, Bronte Athletic Field

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2. Key Recommendations Priority = Low

Rationale for priority level:

• No known vulnerabilities; • Potential cultural heritage resources have been lost or significantly altered.

Recommendations for future action:

● Erect an interpretive plaque at the site so that pedestrians would understand the sporting history of the site and former function of the piers;

3. Documentation and Inventory of Built Form List of Built Features:

● Two, square piers, about two metres high, with angel-stone-type cladding and concrete caps; ● Modern landscaping around the piers, including a concrete sidewalk, metal benches, lamp post and trash bin; ● A Town of Oakville sign; ● A paved parking lot with lampposts; ● A baseball field and football field with wire fencing and large night lights; ● A small maintenance shed; ● An in-ground community pool and building; ● Children’s playground equipment; and ● A large, modern building adjacent to the football field, with change rooms and washrooms. Documentation and

Inventory of Natural Form

List of Natural Features:

● Trees and shrubs along the western edge; ● A mature tree line between the pool and football field; ● Gravel foot paths around the perimeter of the property; and ● Mature plantings.

4. Design (Typology) ‘X’ all that

apply Categories of Cultural Heritage Landscape

Description

X Designed Landscape “…clearly defined landscape designed and created intentionally by man.”

X Organically Evolved Landscape

“…results from an initial social, economic, administrative, and/or religious imperative and has developed in its present form in response to its natural environment”

Relict Landscape (Evolved Landscape)

“…in which an evolutionary process came to an end at some time in the past.”

X Continuing Landscape (Evolved Landscape)

“…retains an active social role in contemporary society closely associated with the traditional way of life, and which the evolutionary process is still in progress.”

Associative Cultural Landscape “…justifiable by virtue of the powerful

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‘X’ all that apply

Categories of Cultural Heritage Landscape

Description

religious, artistic, or cultural associations of the natural element rather than material cultural evidence, which may be insignificant or even absent.”

5. Historical and Thematic Associations Bronte Historical Society volunteer Betty Strong provided the following written information on the Bronte Athletic Field:1

The Bronte Baseball Team, from 1910-1915, drew such a great interest that a chartered company was formed to secure grounds for a permanent ball park. In 1927, a 7-acre site on Lakeshore Hwy., east of Bronte Village was purchased; this area was named Bronte Athletic Field. Bronte Athletic Association members reached into their own pockets and bought shares to create the sports field. They bought the farmland from William Henry Sargant. It is thought that Major Osler, who had an estate about where Shell Park now stands, may have helped financially. He had a reputation for supporting community activities, sports in particular.

The property was graded, and rolled and a fine stone gateway was erected. A grandstand, changing rooms and booths underneath were provided. The stone pillars are on the Lakeshore Rd. edge of the field – there was an arch between them, made by local blacksmith Bill Johnston. It spelled out “Bronte Athletic Field” in recycled iron wagon wheel rims. This arch was in place as late as 1977. For many years prior to WW 2, Bronte was a strong Baseball power.

As of WW 2, interest in the Bronte Baseball Team waned and the organization folded. The Team surrendered their Charter to Trafalgar Township, which took over the property for a permanent park ground. In the 1960’s, this baseball diamond was described as undersized, not turf covered and used chiefly for Little League and pickup games; this area was part of “Bronte Athletic Field – Town of Oakville”.

Bronte Athletic Field recently underwent major upgrade and now provides newer Athletic facilities. The only remaining resources associated with the early establishment of the field are the two square piers on the north side of Lakeshore West. They no longer include an arch, no longer mark an entrance or pathway into the park, and are surrounded by very modern landscaping. There is nothing at the site to indicate their origin or nature.

1 Betty Strong’s written notes from her research at the Bronte Historical Society.

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Figure 3: Bronte Athletic Park c. 1963 (Town of Oakville Archival Slide, Retrieved from http://images.oakville.halinet.on.ca/80638/data?dis=ex)

6. Contextual Associations Bronte Athletic Park is a large green space on the north side of Lakeshore Road West. It is surrounded by residential subdivisions to the north and east, and Donovan Bailey Park to the west. Condominiums line the south side of Lakeshore Road West. The park serves as a large green space in a residential and commercial centre.

7. Evaluation (O. Reg 9/06)

O.Reg.9/06 Criteria Criteria

Met (Y/N)

Justification

1. The property has design value or physical value because it,

i. is a rare, unique, representative or early example of a style, type, expression, material, or construction method,

N

The stone piers do not retain enough integrity to serve as an example of a style, type, expression, material or construction method.

ii.displays a high degree of craftsmanship or artistic merit, or N The piers do not display a high degree of

craftsmanship or artistic merit.

iii. demonstrates a high degree of technical or scientific achievement. N

The piers do not demonstrate a high degree of technical or scientific achievement.

2. The property has historical value or associative value because it,

i. has direct associations with a theme, event, belief, person, activity, organization or institution that is significant to a community,

N

The piers have some association with the history of Bronte Athletic Field, but do not retain much integrity.

ii. yields, or has the potential to yield, information that contributes to an N The piers do not yield, or have the

potential to yield, information that

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O.Reg.9/06 Criteria Criteria

Met (Y/N)

Justification

understanding of a community or culture, or

contributes to an understanding of a community or culture, or

iii. demonstrates or reflects the work or ideas of an architect, artist, builder, designer or theorist who is significant to a community.

N

The piers do not demonstrate or reflects the work or ideas of an architect, artist, builder, designer or theorist who is significant to a community.

3.The property has contextual value because it,

i. is important in defining, maintaining or supporting the character of an area, N

The piers are not important in defining, maintaining or supporting the character of an area

ii. is physically, functionally, visually or historically linked to its surroundings, or N

The piers are no longer physically, functionally, visually or historically linked to their surroundings.

iii. is a landmark. N The piers are not considered a landmark.

8. Photographic Documentation

Figure 4: View from Lakeshore Rd. West, looking north, showing parking lot, town sign and baseball diamond. (AB, 2015)

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Figure 5: Football building, with change rooms and washrooms. (AB, 2015)

Figure 6: Stone Piers that once marked the entrance to the park (AB, 2015)

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Figure 7: Detail of western stone pier (AB, 2015)

Figure 8: View of football field, facing east (AB, 2015)

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Figure 9: Tree line and gravel path (facing south) with Bronte Athletic Park on left, and Donavon Bailey Park on right (AB, 2015)

Figure 10: Tree line at north end of football field, with ‘Lawson Park’ to the north. (AB, 2015)

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Figure 11: Pathway running along the north edge of property and tree line (AB, 2015)

Figure 12: Children’s play area and footpath in north west corner, facing south (AB, 2015)

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9. Analysis & Recommendations Potential Heritage Value:

Bronte Athletic Field has an interesting history, but there do not appear to be sufficient resources at the site to support a finding of cultural heritage value or interest. The only remaining historical resources are the two stone piers adjacent to Lakeshore Road West. The piers have lost their metal arch, and all sense of context: they no longer mark any entrance to the field. The arches themselves are clad in a brick-like stone that does not look much like the type of commemorative cairns typical of the 1920s, and they may actually be mid-20th century replacements or reworking of the original stone piers. Further research to confirm their authenticity and integrity would be helpful.

Actions:

The Town might want to consider providing an interpretive plaque at the site so that pedestrians using the metal benches would have some idea of the history of the site and former function of the piers. Additional research should be conducted to support any interpretative plaque.

A ‘low’ priority level is recommended for the following reasons:

• No known vulnerabilities; • Potential cultural heritage resources have been lost or significantly altered.

10. Sources Pope J. H., Illustrated Historical Atlas of the County of Halton, Ont., (Toronto: Walker & Miles, 1877). Accessed online August 2015, from http://digital.library.mcgill.ca/countyatlas/searchmapframes.php

Town of Oakville Archival Slide, Bronte Athletic Field. Accessed November 2015, from http://images.oakville.halinet.on.ca/80638/data?dis=ex

Written Communication from Betty Strong, Volunteer from Bronte Historical Society. Bronte Athletic Park. Submitted November 5th, 2015.