PAGE 4, WHITBYFRÉE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12; 1988 Hearing held for report on Lynde House historicaldesignation By Debbie Luchuk A report from an Ontario Conservation Review Board on the suitability of a historical designation for the Lynde House will be presented for Whitby council's consideration "in the near future," after a hearing last week to obtain comments. Representatives from the Town and Cullen Gardens (where the house has been relocated) and opponents of the -designation spoke to the board, outlining reasons for and against designation. Recounting the relocation of Lynde House, Paul Rycroft, deputy director of planning for the Town, said the developer of the lands on which the house was situated sold the house to the Town. The house was then removed from its original site to make way for residential development. "The two-fold objective was to restore the house and use it as a museum." In November 1986, council decided to sell the house to Cullen Gardens, on the condition that Len Cullen agree to restore the house to a certain period, and within a certain time period. Cullen agreed to the terms, and Rycroft said,"I'm quite happy with what he's done." Owen Hachey, project manager for Cullen Gardens, said that the house was restored to an 1850's appearance, and that every effort was made to restore all original features of the house and replace only those features that were non-existent or beyond repair. "The objective was to restore, rather than renovate, to the period of 1850- 60," he said. Hachey said he personally supervised work on the house, and was guided in its renovation through discovery of the various foatures as the house was being restored. "Uncovering layers of the house revealed the most infor- mation as to how to restore it," Hachey said. Seventy per cent of the interior was restored to original condition, he said, and portions of the siding on the home were redeemed. Anne Murray de Fort-Menares, an restoration. consultant, gave evidence of the house's historical authenticity and dated the home to 1820 through consultation of previous studies on.the home and comparison with other similar houses elsewhere, as well as a two-hour visit to the home at Cullen-Gardens after restoration. She said the home was historically rich and architec- turally unique in many ways, and in her professional opinion, the home deserved historical designation. There were two objectors to the designation, Doug Anderson of Whitby and Phillip Branton of Brooklin. Anderson said he was "coming to the hearing torn between protecting heritage and seeing that the Heritage Act is being adhered to." The removal of the house was a "mockery of the Heritage Act," according to Anderson. As a member of the Whitby Historical Society, Anderson spent several years researching Lynde House's history, through the period when the society used the house for a museum. "I'm one of two who know more than anyone else in Ontario (about the house)," Anderson said. He gave a history of the house, and an account of the events leading to the removal of Lynde House to Cullen Gardens. The land on which the house was situated belonged to the Loblaws' Corporation, and the corporation made a deal with the historical society to use Lynde House as a museum. Loblaws lost contact with the society, which continued to use the house as a museum through the seventies. Ail attempts to contact Loblaws by the historical society were discouraged by the Town, and eventually the lard was sold to a developer, Anderson told the board. He said that the society was painted by town politicians as a bunch of idealists who had "twiddled their thumbs for Jacuzzi spas are easy to move, and may be enjoyed in either an indoor or outdoor setting. Jacuzzi spas can be carried through a 30 inch wide door opening because the self-contained support system is accomodated within the perimeter of the shell. - fourteen years" but instead it was the town's refusal to allow the society to negotiate with Loblaws' which created the problem. He felt that in hindsight the Town must have agreed to move Lynde House years earlier and had carried on negotiations with neither the knowledge or consent of the historical society. Anderson felt that the house, which was the only structure on 95 acres of land, should have been acquired and restored on site. The Town would not assist the historical society. The developer, Monarch Properties was never offered house when the land was purchased, Anderson related. Anderson said the Town had assumed a public trust and the responsibility to protect a histori- Laing is nom cal property, but sold it to avoid the costs of restoring it on site. He felt it was inappropriate for a municipality to designate a building when it bad itself been "the prime instrument for remo- ving it from its original site." Branton could not support thé historical designation of the house as it was owned by a corporation. "rve never seen a situation where a town has gone out of its way to accommodate a corporation,"'Branton said. He added that he thought the Town had no consideration for the preservation of the, town's' history for future generationsi After a final statement by the Town's lawyer,, the hearing' concluded. The board indicated that a report would be made to. Whitby council "in the neai' future." v publie school board director The Durham Board of in east Africa (Tanzania) with Education has appointed a new CUSO. director of education to replace Laing bas also worked as a Bruce Mather. system analyst/programmer in Pauline Laing will assume the Topeka, Kansas, and as'an post effective Jan. 1, 1989. educationalr è Toro- She is currently superin- nte. tendent of curriculum services "Under'ber leadersbip, trustees with the Halton Board of, and staff will be able-te work Education. togetber te. continuequality Prior to that appointment, education," said board chairman Laing served as a teacher, de- Sandra Lawson at Iast week!s, partment head, vice principal and board meeting. principal - in Halton secondary schools. Before coming to Halton, she taught in Brantford, London and Elgin. Laing has taught English, math, French and drama and has worked as a guidance counsellor HeIp your Heart Fund and school librarian. 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