Notice of Intention to Designate 16-22 King Street East Omemee

Take Notice that the Council of the City of Kawartha Lakes, on May 21, 2024, passed a resolution of intent to designate the following property under Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.18, as a property of cultural heritage value or interest:

16-22 King Street East, Village of Omemee
LT S/S KING ST AND E/S STURGEON ST PL 109; PT LT 3 S/S KING ST AND E/S STURGEON ST PL 109; PT LT 4 S/S KING ST AND E/S STURGEON ST PL 109

Statement of Reasons for Designation
Design and Physical Value
16-22 King Street East has design and physical value as a representative example of a Second Empire style commercial building in Omemee. The style, which was popular at the end of the nineteenth century, is relatively rare in Kawartha Lakes, although there are several extant examples in Omemee. The subject property, constructed in 1893 as a downtown hotel, is a good example of the style and demonstrates its key features including the characteristic mansard roof, dormer windows, and pilasters. It is representative of the execution of this style in Omemee in the early 1890s when the commercial core of the village underwent a period of reconstruction after a series of devastating fires.

Historical and Associative Value
16-22 King Street East, also known as the Commercial House Hotel, has historical and associative value as a former hotel serving the community in Omemee from the end of the nineteenth century to the early 1920s. Constructed in 1893, it yields information regarding the reconstruction of Omemee after a series of fires in the early 1890s and the development of its businesses in the late nineteenth century. It has direct historical relationships with the history of commercial and economic development in Omemee as one of the community’s former hotels and is directly related to the growth of its nineteenth century hospitality industry. It also yields information regarding the local option in the early twentieth century and the impact of the temperance movement on the hospitality industry during this time period.

Contextual Value
16-22 King Street East has contextual value as part of the historic streetscape of downtown Omemee. It helps maintains and supports the character of the commercial core of downtown Omemee as one of a range of late nineteenth century commercial buildings extant along King Street East. It is one of a collection of Second Empire style commercial buildings dating from the 1890s along the street and forms part of the historic streetwall along the north side of King Street. It is physically, visually and historically linked to its surroundings as part of the village’s downtown streetscape.

Further information respecting the proposed designation is available at the City’s Economic Development Department. Any objection to this designation must be filed within 30 days of June 5, 2024. Objections should be directed to: Cathie Richie, Clerk, City of Kawartha Lakes, P.O. Box 9000, 26 Francis Street, Lindsay, ON K9V 5R8. Objections may be filed electronically at clerks@kawarthalakes.ca.

For more information, please refer to the property's Heritage Evaluation Report.

Any inquiries may be directed to:

Economic Development Officer- Heritage Planning
City of Kawartha Lakes,
180 Kent Street West, Lindsay, ON  K9V 2Y6
(705) 324-9411 ext.1366
eturner@kawarthalakes.ca

The last date for objection is 4:00 p.m. on July 5, 2024.