Plaques & Historical Designations:

“That d…d Historical Society won’t let me do what I want to my home”

We hear that frequently from homeowners who want to make changes to a designated property, so we’d like to clear up a few misconceptions.

The Society's Historic Building Signs:

The black and white Historic Building plaques that you see around town have been provided by the Historical Society for close to fifty years. They do not signify any kind of designation. They simply show pride in ownership of a building over 100 years old. Owners of buildings with a Society plaque are free to make whatever changes they wish to their building - provided it doesn’t have a Town Heritage Designation or contravene any laws! While we do have a representative on the Heritage Oakville Committee, the Society has no direct role in establishing, policing or enforcing those laws.

Having a plaque made for your building – be it a store, house or other structure – is easy (provided it's at least 100 years old). Simply contact the Society and give us the address of the building. We have information and the date of construction on many of the buildings in town.

If we don’t have any information, the Registry Office in Milton maintains a file of all transactions for each property. A change in value or a mortgage on a property usually indicates when the first building was put up and by whom. Other records such as early censuses or books usually give us the occupation of the first owner.

Some buildings have or had a plaque which has deteriorated and needs replacement. New and replacement plaques are made by Society volunteers and cost $150.

Heritage Designations:

There are two types of designation under the Ontario Heritage Act.

A Part IV designation can be made on an individual structure or even part of a structure. Buildings with a Part IV designation frequently display the oval bronze plaque shown.

A Part V designation can be made on a district. There are currently three Heritage Districts in Oakville. A building within a Heritage District can also have a Part IV designation.

A recent revision to the Act has led to the creation of a list of “properties of interest” which have cultural heritage value or interest but are not designated under Part IV or V of the Act.

Designations under the Heritage Act are made by Town Council on recommendation by the Heritage Oakville Committee (formerly LACAC or Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee). Owners wishing to make changes to the outside of their property or to the landscaping must submit an Application for Heritage Permit.

Further information on Heritage Designations and Permits is available at http://www.oakville.ca/heritage.htm