loyalist township to decide heritage status of barns near kingston
two barns near amherstview, including one built in 1784, are linked to two historic families in loyalist township
2 minute read
loyalist township is to consider the heritage status of two barns on bath road, one of which is considered the oldest in ontario, near kingston.
elliot ferguson
/
the whig-standard
amherstview — two barns, including one believed to be oldest in ontario, could be removed from a list of properties being considered for heritage protection west of kingston.
loyalist township council is to consider a request to remove the barns at 4669 bath rd. from the municipality’s list of non-heritage designated sites.
properties listed in the township’s heritage registry are considered for heritage preservation.
the property was added to the registry in early 2022 and a previous owner had sought to have it delisted in 2023 but withdrew the request when council was about to vote to keep it on the list.
since then, the property was sold and the provincial legislation governing heritage designations was changed and the new owner in march requested the barns be delisted.
the age, design and historical context of the barns prompted the frontenac heritage foundation to ask for township council to defer the decision to delist until alternatives can be explored.
“loyalist township is of staunchly rural character and was the agricultural powerhouse of early upper canada, yet virtually nothing survives of that legacy, except perhaps this barn,” ron tasker, the owner of ham house in bath and a longtime board member of the frontenac heritage foundation, wrote in a letter to council. “timber frame structures and especially barns are easy to fix and very easy to move.”
advertisement
the original barns were built in the late 1700s and early 1800s. barn 2, the older of the two structures, was built as early as 1784 and both buildings are linked to the families of robert clark sr. and samuel smith, two prominent names in the early history of the township.
“this means that barn 2 is the probably the oldest in the province, the first substantial agricultural building to be built in the province, and the last remaining agricultural structure from the township’s early loyalist settlement,” tasker wrote.
clark was a loyalist who fled to canada after the american revolutionary war and was granted 200 acres. smith purchased 91 acres from the clark family in 1866 and that land was in the smith family until 2022.
“it is our understanding that approval of this request would allow the near-immediate demolition of the barns, subject to a request for a demolition permit under the ontario building code,” tasker wrote.
“while ideally these barns would be conserved in their historic location, it would be preferable to consider relocation of barn 2 rather than allowing its demolition,” tasker added. “at a minimum, however, this barn must be thoroughly documented prior to – and during – demolition, to ensure that its heritage value is fully understood for future generations.”
advertisement
the property is part the land included in the amherstview west phase of development.
although the property’s heritage listing is to expire in 2027, the owner, kenlar investments inc., does not want to wait but is wiling to discuss options for the original portion of the older of the two barns, according to a letter to the township from heritage and land use planner mark gladysz on behalf of the company.
“the listing is now hindering the applicant’s planning applications,” gladysz wrote.
township council is to discuss the delisting application at its tuesday night meeting.
elferguson@postmedia.com
share story
