Council designates Bradley/Craig Farmstead as heritage site
Posted Mar 5, 2010 By Sarah Kelford
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Tweet ThisEMC News - The Bradley/Craig Farmstead received heritage designation last week.
The farmstead, located at 590 Hazeldean Rd., was settled in the 19th century by the Bradley family, prominent pioneers in Goulbourn Township, and represents the early development of agricultural activity in the region.
"I'm happy to see that happen with this property," said Ward 6 Stittsville-Kanata West councillor Shad Qadri. "It's important that as we look into our future we preserve our past."
Qadri noted that the property has become a local landmark and the barn and house definitely have heritage quality that needs to be preserved.
"The property owner is concerned because the barn sits in the middle of their land and they wanted to develop," noted Qadri. "I am looking into other avenues of protecting the barn. Relocating it is an option, but it hasn't even been put on the table yet.
I am happy to see this happen and I think it's a good thing for the community. People can look back at history and early (settlement) in Goulbourn."
Richcraft Group of Companies purchased the land in 2006 with a parcel of about 120 acres, to use as part of the Fernbank community design plan.
"The area with the farm stead is planned for mixed-use and the proposal is for the land fronting Hazeldean to be commercial," explained Richcraft senior planner Lisa Dalla Rosa.
"The land is still going to be commercial, so the designation just means we have to respect the heritage of this site. How this is done will be the topic of future conversations with the city, potential tenants and us."
Dalla Rosa noted that Richcraft plans on pushing the idea of moving the barn to preserve its heritage better.
"The designation does make it harder," she noted. "We will try and work it into the (development) concept, however it will remain as is until that time."
The farmhouse was built in the Gothic Revival style in 1871 and boasts many original details including the front door with sidelights, steeply pitched gable roof and decorative woodwork.
The large dairy barn, the last known building constructed by local barn builder John Cummings, has a monitor roofline and diamond-shaped windows.
Together the two buildings and the farmyard are examples of the parallel development of farming methods and farm buildings in the area from simple log structures to large, timber frame barns and elaborate houses.
The new designation will protect this valuable part of Ottawa's rural heritage.
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