Demolition of heritage home leads to legal action by Town of Oakville

The town said it has filed the following charges with the Ontario Court of Justice, which are scheduled for first appearance on Sept. 17:

• Demolition of a building without a building permit.
• Failure to comply with an order.
• Demolition of a designated heritage property without municipal consent.
• Destruction of a tree without a permit.

The move comes after the house at 1475 Lakeshore Road East was knocked down last month, even though it had a heritage designation.

A heritage designation doesn’t mean that a structure is untouchable; rather, permission has to be received from a municipality before any alterations can be made.

Many believe the structure was demolished to make way for a housing project on the 3.5-acre site.

Originally constructed in 1830 but added to later, the building was known for its Georgian-style architecture and had gone under several names, including the Griggs House and the Ryrie Estate, but was most commonly known as the Halfway House when it was used as a hotel for those heading between Toronto and Hamilton.

It was located on the north side of Lakeshore Road between Maple Grove Drive and Trelawn Avenue.

Records show the property was owned by 1475 Lakeshore Road East Inc., which bought the site in 2021 for $7.6 million.

In Ontario, demolishing a home with a heritage designation without consent carries a maximum penalty of a $1 million fine and/or one year in prison under the Ontario Heritage Act. But rarely are such penalties imposed.

News of the demolition rocked Oakville’s ardent historians, who have called the structure one of the town’s most prized historical sites.

A message posted on the Oakville Historical Society’s Facebook page in the days following the demolition called for strict penalties against the perpetrators.

“We’re appalled by the recent unauthorized demolition of 1475 Lakeshore Road East. This blatant disregard for the heritage of our Town and for the legal protection afforded to the Barnett Griggs house must not go unpunished. A very strong message needs to be sent that this is not acceptable, and a fine cannot be part of the cost of doing business. Jail time would be appropriate for this egregious action. Redevelopment should not be permitted, particularly by this developer,” the message reads.