Inventory Report: 2197 Lakeshore Rd West, Bronte Athletic Field
14: 2197 Lakeshore Rd West, Bronte Athletic Field
1.
Description of Property
Municipal Address
Name (if applicable)
Legal Description
Location of Property
Ownership
Access
Current Use
Existing Designation
General Description
Priority Level
2197 Lakeshore Rd. West
Bronte Athletic Field
CON 4 SDS PT LOT 27
This property is located on the north side of Lakeshore Rd. West, between East Street and
Solingate Drive, and adjacent to Donovan Bailey Park.
Public - Town of Oakville
Access was granted by the Town. Site inspection completed on Oct 8th, 2015 (AB, LS)
Public Park/Recreational Area
None.
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.
Low
Figure 1: 2197 Lakeshore Rd. West (AB, 2015)
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Woodsid
e Dr.
Elementary
School
Cres.
Play
Area
Sedgewick
Day
Care
Sedgewick
Play
Area
Hixon
St.
Play
Area
Public
Pool
Hix
Football
Field
Baseball
Lakesho
Rd.
W.
Diamond
Public
Pool
re
on
St.
Forest
Corporation of the
Town of Oakville
1225 Trafalgar Rd
Oakville, ON
L6H 0H3
Bronte Athletic Field
Cultural Heritage Landscape
Inventory Map
Football
Field
LEGEND
Assessment Boundary
Building
CHL Study Area
Heritage District
Heritage Trail
Parkland
Park Trail
Road
Baseball
Diamond
Vegetation
Watercourse
Cemetery
La
ke
sh
or
e
Rd
.W
.
Site Structures
Drawing not to scale
Inventory Report: 2197 Lakeshore Rd West, Bronte Athletic Field
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:
●
3.
Erect an interpretive plaque at the site so that pedestrians would understand the sporting history of the site and
former function of the piers;
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:
●
●
●
●
4.
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.
Design (Typology)
‘X’ all that
apply
Categories of Cultural
Heritage Landscape
X
Designed Landscape
X
Organically Evolved
Landscape
Relict Landscape
(Evolved Landscape)
X
Continuing Landscape
(Evolved Landscape)
Associative Cultural
Landscape
Description
“…clearly defined landscape designed and created
intentionally by man.”
“…results from an initial social, economic, administrative,
and/or religious imperative and has developed in its present
form in response to its natural environment”
“…in which an evolutionary process came to an end at some
time in the past.”
“…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.”
“…justifiable by virtue of the powerful
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Inventory Report: 2197 Lakeshore Rd West, Bronte Athletic Field
‘X’ all that
apply
5.
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.”
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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Inventory Report: 2197 Lakeshore Rd West, Bronte Athletic Field
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
1. The property has design value or physical
value because it,
Criteria
Met
(Y/N)
i. is a rare, unique, representative or early
example of a style, type, expression,
material, or construction method,
N
ii.displays a high degree of craftsmanship
or artistic merit, or
N
iii. demonstrates a high degree of technical
or scientific achievement.
N
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
ii. yields, or has the potential to yield,
information that contributes to an
N
Justification
The stone piers do not retain enough
integrity to serve as an example of a style,
type, expression, material or construction
method.
The piers do not display a high degree of
craftsmanship or artistic merit.
The piers do not demonstrate a high
degree of technical or scientific
achievement.
The piers have some association with the
history of Bronte Athletic Field, but do not
retain much integrity.
The piers do not yield, or have the
potential to yield, information that
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Inventory Report: 2197 Lakeshore Rd West, Bronte Athletic Field
O.Reg.9/06 Criteria
Criteria
Met
(Y/N)
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.
3.The property has contextual value
because it,
N
i. is important in defining, maintaining or
supporting the character of an area,
N
ii. is physically, functionally, visually or
historically linked to its surroundings, or
N
iii. is a landmark.
N
8.
Justification
contributes to an understanding of a
community or culture, or
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.
The piers are not important in defining,
maintaining or supporting the character of
an area
The piers are no longer physically,
functionally, visually or historically linked
to their surroundings.
The piers are not considered a landmark.
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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Inventory Report: 2197 Lakeshore Rd West, Bronte Athletic Field
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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Inventory Report: 2197 Lakeshore Rd West, Bronte Athletic Field
Figure 7: Detail of western stone pier (AB, 2015)
Figure 8: View of football field, facing east (AB, 2015)
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Inventory Report: 2197 Lakeshore Rd West, Bronte Athletic Field
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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Inventory Report: 2197 Lakeshore Rd West, Bronte Athletic Field
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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Inventory Report: 2197 Lakeshore Rd West, Bronte Athletic Field
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.
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