Notice of Intention to Designate: 3054 Orchard Hill Drive

TAKE NOTICE that the Council of the Corporation of the City of Thorold intends to designate the following property at 3054 Orchard Hill Drive as being of cultural heritage value or interest under PART IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 2005, Chapter O.18.

3054 Orchard Hill Drive, Roll No.  000028042100000 and legally described as THOROLD PT LOT 111 PT RD ALLOW RP 59R4404 PARTS 1 TO 9

The subject property at 3054 Orchard Hill Drive is worthy of designation under Part IV, Section 29, of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value and meets Ontario Regulation 9/06 – the provincial criteria prescribed for municipal designation – under the categories of Historical and Contextual Value.

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

Taken together, the St Johns Common School and the Street/Haney/Miller Mill embody the layered evolution of St Johns Centre in the area of Short Hills Provincial Park in the City of Thorold. Extending from a Loyalist-era hamlet to its emergence as a mid-nineteenth-century centre of education and small-scale industry, each property demonstrates key patterns of early settlement and development in Niagara.

Each property demonstrates cultural heritage value under Ontario Regulation 9/06 (Criteria or Determining Cultural Heritage Value or Interest): individually their design/physical, historical/associative and contextual attributes; and collectively as a cohesive example of Niagara’s early colonial and settler community-building patterns.

Both structures retain a high degree of heritage integrity, with physical and spatial relationships that continue to communicate their original functions within the landscape. Restoration efforts since the early twentieth century (and most recently in 2021) have respected the established aesthetic and material character of each building. These interventions were guided by the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada (Standards 11.1 and 11.4), emphasizing an applied conservation philosophy that focuses on stabilization, minimal intervention and the retention of original fabric. This approach also aligns directly with the objectives of the Ontario Heritage Act, which seeks to conserve and maintain cultural heritage resources as they evolve over time.

Together both structures illustrate the intertwined social and economic foundations of rural life in Thorold Township. Their continued, active use as living classrooms by the DSBN and the NCDSB is not merely a contemporary function but a direct continuation of the site’s educational legacy. This adaptive reuse represents a best-practice model in heritage conservation, ensuring the properties remain vibrant, relevant and financially sustainable. The NPCA’s stewardship provides the essential environmental and managerial framework that protects these structures within their natural context.

Accordingly, it is recommended that both the St Johns Common School (c. 1850) and the Street/Haney/Miller Mill (c. 1855/1876) be designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act for their combined design/physical, historical/associative, and contextual value.

Such designations will ensure the long-term protection and stewardship of both properties while affirming their ongoing educational and interpretive roles as cornerstones of Niagara’s built, educational and industrial heritage.

Description of Heritage Attributes

The property contains the following heritage attributes that supports designation:

St. Johns Common School (c. 1850)

• Wood facade similar to the style of wood available in the 1800s
• Cedar shingle style roof
• Wooden sash windows
• Open bell tower consistent with use as a common school

John Street (Street/Haney/Miller) Mill (c. 1855/76)

• Timber frame with wood facade similar to the style of wood available in the 1800s
• Stone foundation consistent with its use as a mill
• Wooden sash windows

Notice of objection to the Notice of Intention to Designate

Within 30 days after the date of the publication of the Notice of Intention to Designate, any person may serve a written objection to this proposed designation. The notice of objection must be sent by registered mail or delivered to the Clerk’s of the City of Thorold at:

The notice of objection must outline the reason(s) for the objection and all relevant facts.

If a notice of objection is received, the Council of the City of Thorold shall consider the objection and make a decision whether to withdraw the notice of intention to designate the property within 90 days after the end of the 30-day objection period.

Any questions, please contact us below:

Development Services Department, Planning Division
planning@thorold.ca
905-227-6613 x251

Dated at the City of Thorold, this 30th day of March, 2026