Notice of Designation 24-26 King Street East Village of Omemee

Statement of Reasons for Designation

Design and Physical Value
24-26 King Street has design and physical value as a unique example of a Victorian commercial building in Omemee and one of the oldest extant commercial buildings in the village. Constructed around 1868, it is primarily constructed in the Italianate commercial style, the most popular style for downtown commercial architecture in the second half of the nineteenth century but includes a unique gable roof with eyebrow dormers, an atypical feature for Italianate commercial architecture. Key architectural features from the Italianate style include its two-storey red brick construction, decorative brick coursing and division of the façade into bays by pilasters. It is one of only five downtown commercial buildings in Omemee that predate 1890. 

Historical and Associative Value
24-26 King Street has historical and associative value in its historic role as a commercial building and general store. Often identified as McNeely’s General Store, it was constructed as a general store by Isaac McNeely around 1868 and operated by him until his death in 1892. McNeely’s General Store grew to become a prominent and well-known business in Omemee and the surrounding area in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century and McNeely a well-known and community-minded businessman. It has direct historical relationships with the historic commercial and economic development in Omemee, being constructed during a period of rapid economic development between about 1860 and 1880, and in its role as a general store, it provides information regarding the economic growth of the community throughout the second half of the nineteenth century.

Contextual Value
24-26 King Street East has contextual value as part of the historic streetscape of downtown Omemee. It helps maintain and support the character of the commercial core of downtown Omemee as one of a range of nineteenth century commercial buildings extant along King Street East. While the majority of the commercial buildings in downtown Omemee predate 1900, it forms one of a small collection of commercial buildings that pre-date the early 1890s when several significant fires destroyed most of the downtown core and which are primarily located at the eastern end of the downtown. It is physically, visually and historically linked to its surroundings as part of the village’s downtown streetscape.

Further information respecting the designation is available at the City’s Economic Development Department. Interested parties may object to the designating by-law to the Ontario Land Tribunal. Any objection to this designation must be filed within 30 days of September 3, 2024 and include the reasons for objection to the designating by-law and the fee charged by the Tribunal. Objections should be directed to: Cathie Richie, Clerk, City of Kawartha Lakes, P.O. Box 9000, 26 Francis Street, Lindsay, ON K9V 5R8.

The by-law will come into effect on the day following the last day of the notice period.

For more information regarding the property, please refer to its 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