Alfred Baker House - 58 Wheatfield Road
© Michael Harrison 2011
The large home at 58 Wheatfield Road (originally Robert Street) was built in 1908 for Alfred Baker.
Alfred Baker was born in Stratford, Ontario on July 13, 1877. He was the son of Ichabod Baker, a civil engineer with the Grand Trunk Railway and Carrie Matilda Smith. He apprenticed with the architect Harry J Powell in Stratford in the late 1890s.
The family later moved to Toronto and was living at 106 Cowan Avenue in Parkdale when the census taker came knocking in 1901. By then Alfred was working as an architect for Samuel Hamilton Townsend's architectural firm at 15 Gerard Street East in Toronto. When Townsend retired in 1930 Alfred led the firm.
The family later moved to Toronto and was living at 106 Cowan Avenue in Parkdale when the census taker came knocking in 1901. By then Alfred was working as an architect for Samuel Hamilton Townsend's architectural firm at 15 Gerard Street East in Toronto. When Townsend retired in 1930 Alfred led the firm.
In 1905 he married Isabel Sanderson of Stratford and they had at least four children: Alfred (though he went by his middle name Sanderson) (b. 1906), Isabel (b. 1909), Douglas (b. c. 1918) and Catherine (b. c 1920).
Alfred Baker bought vacant lot 215, Plan M134 on May 27, 1907 from Robert Hendry for $300. He then built the house and his family moved to Mimico in 1908. Alfred Baker most likely designed his new home as it seems to have a more refined look than something designed by a builder alone. His employer Samuel Hamilton Townsend, Architect lent him $2,000 for the construction of the house which Baker paid off in October 1918.
The family lived in their Mimico home for many years. Alfred died in 1956 and was buried in Park Lawn Cemetery. His widow Isabel continued to live in the house until her death and then their son Alfred Baker lived in the house until he died in 1962 when it was sold to the Moher family.
The property has been "listed" but not yet designated, under the Ontario Heritage Act, on the City of Toronto Heritage Inventory since 1998.
UPDATE - February 26, 2019
A demolition permit was filed for the house last week. Since the building is listed under the Ontario Heritage Act, Heritage Preservation Services at the City of Toronto became aware and proceeded to research the house to see if it merits designation under the Ontario Heritage Act in order to protect it and preserve it for the future. Staff determined that the building should be designated under the Act. A staff report recommending the city declare its intent to designate it is proceeding to the Toronto Preservation Board meeting of February 27, 2019 for consideration.
UPDATE - February 27, 2019
The recommendation for the City of Toronto to declare its intent to designate the Alfred Baker House under the Ontario Heritage Act was adopted by the Toronto Preservation Board on February 27, 2019. The recommendation now proceeds to the Etobicoke-York Community Council meeting on March 19, 2019 for consideration.
UPDATE - March 19, 2019
The recommendation for the City of Toronto to declare its intent to designate the Alfred Baker House under the Ontario Heritage Act was adopted by Etobicoke-York Community Council on March 19, 2019. The recommendation now proceeds to the City Council meeting of March 27, 2019 for confirmation.
UPDATE - March 27, 2019
The recommendation for the City of Toronto to declare its intent to designate the Alfred Baker House under the Ontario Heritage Act was adopted by Toronto City Council today. Pending any appeal which would be heard by the Conservation Review Board, city staff will bring forward the necessary bylaws in order to designate the property under the Ontario Heritage Act and register this on Title, in order to ensure that the property is protected and preserved for the future.
UPDATE - May 13, 2019
The timeframe to appeal the decision of Toronto City Council to the Conservation Review Board expired on May 8, 2019. No appeal was received and as a result Heritage Preservation Services will proceed in the next month or two to Toronto City Council with the necessary bylaws and bills in order to formally designate the property under the Ontario Heritage Act and register that on title.
The property has been sold. The following notice appeared on the realtor's website:
A HERITAGE HOME IN THE HEART OF THE MIMICO TRIANGLE
58 Wheatfield Road was built in 1908 by Alfred Baker, a local architect, for his family. When he passed in 1956, his widow continued to live there, followed by his son, until his death in 1962. It is a 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom home in the heart of the Mimico Triangle on a very large 50′ x 124′ lot. The home boasts the original hardwoods on the second floor and more recently renovated bathrooms on the second floor. The gardens will appeal to any landscape enthusiast-full of peonies in the spring and many, many others throughout the summer. As of late March, 2019, this home is now designated a Heritage Home by the Ontario Heritage Act.
NOTE: This home was purchased prior to going to MLS and as such, we did not even have our professional photography and videography completed.
The fact that it was sold even before being listed on MLS indicates the attractiveness and desirability of such a fine historic heritage home.
The property has been "listed" but not yet designated, under the Ontario Heritage Act, on the City of Toronto Heritage Inventory since 1998.
UPDATE - February 26, 2019
A demolition permit was filed for the house last week. Since the building is listed under the Ontario Heritage Act, Heritage Preservation Services at the City of Toronto became aware and proceeded to research the house to see if it merits designation under the Ontario Heritage Act in order to protect it and preserve it for the future. Staff determined that the building should be designated under the Act. A staff report recommending the city declare its intent to designate it is proceeding to the Toronto Preservation Board meeting of February 27, 2019 for consideration.
UPDATE - February 27, 2019
The recommendation for the City of Toronto to declare its intent to designate the Alfred Baker House under the Ontario Heritage Act was adopted by the Toronto Preservation Board on February 27, 2019. The recommendation now proceeds to the Etobicoke-York Community Council meeting on March 19, 2019 for consideration.
UPDATE - March 19, 2019
The recommendation for the City of Toronto to declare its intent to designate the Alfred Baker House under the Ontario Heritage Act was adopted by Etobicoke-York Community Council on March 19, 2019. The recommendation now proceeds to the City Council meeting of March 27, 2019 for confirmation.
UPDATE - March 27, 2019
The recommendation for the City of Toronto to declare its intent to designate the Alfred Baker House under the Ontario Heritage Act was adopted by Toronto City Council today. Pending any appeal which would be heard by the Conservation Review Board, city staff will bring forward the necessary bylaws in order to designate the property under the Ontario Heritage Act and register this on Title, in order to ensure that the property is protected and preserved for the future.
UPDATE - May 13, 2019
The timeframe to appeal the decision of Toronto City Council to the Conservation Review Board expired on May 8, 2019. No appeal was received and as a result Heritage Preservation Services will proceed in the next month or two to Toronto City Council with the necessary bylaws and bills in order to formally designate the property under the Ontario Heritage Act and register that on title.
The property has been sold. The following notice appeared on the realtor's website:
A HERITAGE HOME IN THE HEART OF THE MIMICO TRIANGLE
58 Wheatfield Road was built in 1908 by Alfred Baker, a local architect, for his family. When he passed in 1956, his widow continued to live there, followed by his son, until his death in 1962. It is a 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom home in the heart of the Mimico Triangle on a very large 50′ x 124′ lot. The home boasts the original hardwoods on the second floor and more recently renovated bathrooms on the second floor. The gardens will appeal to any landscape enthusiast-full of peonies in the spring and many, many others throughout the summer. As of late March, 2019, this home is now designated a Heritage Home by the Ontario Heritage Act.
NOTE: This home was purchased prior to going to MLS and as such, we did not even have our professional photography and videography completed.
The fact that it was sold even before being listed on MLS indicates the attractiveness and desirability of such a fine historic heritage home.
It would be a real shame to hear this beautiful house down and replace it with some over sized piece of junk.
ReplyDeleteInteresting hearing history, we knew nothing about.
ReplyDelete