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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday March 14, 2007 - 3 Builder goes the extra distance for history By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF A piece of Oakville's history has not only been saved but has been sold for more than $800,000. The newly-reconstructed Tovell home was opened to the public last Friday to give those interested a chance to see how history can be made functional for the present. Originally built in 1868 by Dr. Anson Buck and later purchased by William Tovell Sr., the Tovell home was located on Lot 27, Concession 1, south of Dundas Street where it served as a stage coach stop between Toronto and Hamilton. Two years ago, Dawn Victoria Homes purchased the land the Tovell home sits on as part of a housing development project. With the Tovell home not fitting in with the type of houses owner Donald Husack had planned for the area, he was presented with a choice -- tear it down or relocate it. He chose to relocate it, but with ASHLEY HUTCHESON / SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER this decision came problems. "The structure was in very poor PRESERVING HERITAGE: Myrtle Tovell stands with her daughters Dorothy Kingston and Shirley Dolby in condition. So, it wasn't worth moving front of original beams that were extracted from her original 1918 home on Third Line and Dundas Street. It was disit as a whole. It was better to disas- mantled and rebuilt in a Joshua Creek home designed by heritage architect Ian McGillivray. semble the house and then rebuild it On this occasion he found "I'm very impressed with some new materials," said did a terrific job," she said. "Another special thing they did himself singing the praises of because he's done a terrific Husack. amount of work on this Utilizing the talents of Heritage was move the tree on the corner one. Architect Ian McGillivray, as well as there from a row of trees my husband the historic architecture business planted along the border of the old Timeless Materials Co., the Tovell property." Now living in Delmanor Glenn home was taken apart, transported and reassembled in the Joshua Creek Abbey Seniors Community, Tovell came with her daughters Dorothy area of Oakville. "What you're seeing in the house is Kingston and Shirley Dolby, to see all original to this house. The floor- how much is left of the home she ing, all the beams that are in the cor- occupied for 60 years. "I can't believe all this, I really ners are all original to the house," can't," said Tovell, said Husack. noting how the "We took the "It's really neat that they The International Centre - 6900 Airport Rd., Mississauga hardwood floor she stones out of the were able to preserve some walked on in the original foundaPRESENTED BY replica is the same tion, had them split of it. So many farm homes floor she had walked and then installed are just being torn down." on for over half a in this house here. century in her There's actually a Shirley Dolby home. corner stone that, Smooth Jazz Wines of the World "It brings tears to at some point, Visit Wave 94.7 FM Smooth Jazz Come visit, taste and enter for your chance to win Wine Garden featuring live entertainment. a Package Plus Vacation to Paris France, someone had put 1883 on it. It's at my eyes." sponsor: Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi. courtesy of Transat Holidays. Tovell's daughters had a similar the front corner of this house." Although much of home's historic feeling of déjà vu as they walked the Sample Vintages Wine & Cheese material has remained intact certain halls of the two-storey home. Appreciation Seminars Sample and purchase at the L.C.B.O. Vintages Classic Tastings. "This is just the way it looked," said areas have been improved upon for Professional classes & tutored tastings. Dolby. the 21st century. Admission: Corks & Forks Kitchen Theatre "It's really neat that they were able "The windows are not the origi$18 (must be 19 years of age or older to attend) Cooking demos, sampling & wine pairing classes nals. They're replications and very to preserve some of it. So many farm presented by the Bay. good ones, too. You wouldn't want homes are just being torn down." Show Hours: Free Parking & Free shuttle to Kipling subway. Dolby says understanding that the original windows in the house. Fri. 12-10 p.m., Sat. 12-9 p.m.. Sun. 12-6 p.m. Enjoy the show, please don't drink and drive. (Seniors Day Friday, 12-5 p.m. $10) They were just too drafty," said demolition would not be the Tovell home's fate helped her mother with Husack. Proper insulation in the walls and her decision to sell. "I think it made it easier for mom the addition of a garage and laundry facilities are some of the other mod- to leave knowing that this was going to happen," she said, gesturing to the ern touches Husack has added. By all accounts the replica was a structure around her. The home also went over well with hit with all who came to see it, particularly Myrtle Tovell, 87, the previ- the Oakville Historical Society's Harry Visit our website to pre-register for all Seminars & Tutored Tastings www.towineandcheeseshow.com ous owner of the original Tovell Barrett who all too often is forced to fight developers to save Oakville's herhome. "I'm really pleased. I think they itage. house," he said. Husack alerted the Oakville Historical Society to the fact that he wanted to preserve the Tovell home and worked closely with them throughout the moving process. "It just proves the fact that you can do it," said Barrett. "He said, `I can move it and I can make money,' and it's not too often a developer will tell you that." In perhaps the greatest review of all the replica of the Tovell home sold for over $800,000 to an Oakville couple who, Husack says, will truly appreciate it. "They're into vintage houses." For Husack keeping a piece of history alive while at the same time updating it for the modern world just makes sense. "The thing with a historical building is that it has to have a purpose when you're done," he said. "There's no point in restoring something that has no purpose because it's just going to fall into wreck and ruin. This one has a purpose now, it's going to a family that is going to live here." The finest wine &culinary event in Toronto. MARCH 23 - 25, 2OO7