The Bronte Boat Works Building - The Silence of Missed Opportunity
Erchless Estate is historically significant as the home to six generations of the Chisholm family, and from the 1830s to 1910 was the site of Oakville's Customs House. Col. William Chisholm (1788-1842), a prominent Burlington merchant and shipbuilder, purchased the property as part of a 388.5-hectare tract from the Crown in 1827 to establish a port, shipyard and town.
In 1977, the Town of Oakville made a significant acquisition by purchasing the house and land situated at the entrance to the Harbour. Since then, these properties have been transformed into the Oakville Museum and public lands, which are now freely accessible to all residents of Oakville. Of utmost importance is the building’s location, which serves as a direct link to the Town’s rich past and extensive history. It embodies an integral part of Oakville’s cultural heritage and identity.
Similar to Oakville, Bronte’s history is intrinsically linked to the Lake, 12 Mile Creek, fishing, lumbering, stone hooking, and agriculture.
In contrast to Oakville, Bronte did not have a singular dominant family, unlike the Chisholms. Bronte’s history was more diverse, and there were not large, substantial dwellings like Erchless or those found in the Oakville Heritage District.
Bronte’s dwellings were predominantly working-class and affordable, with some being cottages. Today, there are only two structures that date back more than 100 years: the Walton Memorial Church and Glendella House.
While Sovereign House serves as a museum and provides valuable knowledge and artifacts related to Bronte’s history, Bronte lacks an iconic and defining landmark like Erchless, which provides a visible link to its past. Or does it?
Oakville has long used the Ontario Heritage Act to identify and protect buildings, a large percentage of which are located in Olde Oakville. In the past few years the Town has invested in the development of a Cultural Landscape Policy. The policy states:
"The Corporation of the Town of Oakville (town) values its cultural heritage resources and requires the conservation of significant cultural heritage landscapes. The town supports the use of conservation plans as a means of achieving conservation of significant cultural heritage landscapes such that their cultural heritage value or interest, pursuant to the Ontario Heritage Act (OHA), is retained."
As a long time resident of Bronte, if I had to select one vista, view or "cultural heritage landscape" it is that from the Boardwalk on Bronte Road, looking towards the inner harbour, with the focal point what is now called the Bronte Boat Works.
The second most important view; one many residents haven't found; is to stand beside the Boat Works Building and look out towards the Lake framed by the East and West Piers.
The Bronte Boat Works Building, although not of the era of Erchless, stands out as a unique and significant structure. Notably, it is the only building of its design and purpose on the north shore of Lake Ontario. While a few buildings of this style can be found along Lake Erie and Huron, the Bronte Boat Works Building holds a distinct place.
At the time of its construction, the building served as a hub for boat building, encompassing trawlers, tugs, workboats, and other vessels. Notably, several of the trawlers constructed there are still operational on Lake Erie, and at least one workboat, Pierless, operates as a tour boat on Lake Muskoka.
Beyond its primary function as a boat building facility, the Bronte Boat Works Building also served as the residence of the remainder of the freshwater commercial fishing fleet, which is commemorated on the Bronte Fisherman’s Memorial. It was the home of Bronte’s final fisherman, Freeman Bray.
The Bronte Boat Works/Northern Marine serves as a direct, tangible link to Bronte’s historical past, its establishment, and its evolution. Similar to the Erchless Estate, its location within the inner harbour and its panoramic view of the lake contribute to the community’s significant cultural heritage and exude a commanding presence.
Upon assuming ownership of the Erchless Estate, Oakville established a path forward for the surrounding lands and the building that served a purpose and maintained the link to the town’s past. It also made the space accessible to all Oakville residents, both present and future, transforming it into a public space. Oakville did not consider a model where the asset would serve a limited, non-public purpose, such as municipal offices or services.
In June 2024, the Town presented a report to Council requesting the relocation of TOWARF to the Bronte Boat Works Building.This proposal was submitted without any public consultation or engagement. Typically, the Town engages the public on significant programs and decisions. However, this instance was an exception.
Of particular concern, the report did not mention previous proposals for the use of the Boat Works Building as a public space. Specifically, for several years and during consultation on the Bronte Beach and Harbour Master Plans and Heritage Designations, the Bronte BIA made such requests and recommendations.
In recognition of the contributions of our local councillors, the report has been deferred for public consultation, which has not yet been held.
There is no doubt that the Torbay Yacht Club (TOWARF) plays a significant role in safeguarding Lake and Harbour. In fact, its founding dates back to a Bronte resident, Fred Oliver, who was then the Police Chief.
If the Boat Works Building is to be utilized by TOWARF for boat, equipment storage, and operations, it will be inaccessible to the general public, potentially negating its potential as a community hub. This could also result in the loss of cultural vistas from the inner harbour to the lake.
At the time of the report being presented to the council, Bronte residents proposed alternatives to the proposed location of TOWARF. These alternatives included inner harbour space and renderings of a second floor, as well as the repurposing of the Washroom and Storage Building on Bronte Beach. At this location, TOWARF would be positioned to monitor the Beach, 12 Mile Creek, and Boat Launch, in addition to its primary function on the lake.
Another alternative is the Outer Harbour, which is currently the location of the Halton Police Launch. A shared location would provide opportunities for the integration of the two functions.
Effective communication and transparency are fundamental principles of local government. Regrettably, these principles have been lacking in Bronte. Until last spring, the signage at the Boat Works Building facing the lake and Lakeshore Road both read “Welcome to Oakville Harbour.” However, during the pandemic, the Lighthouse was removed without any prior warning or subsequent discussion on an alternative. Recently, there has been construction at a significant expense on Bronte Road, which is not being utilized by anyone and the reason for its presence remains unknown. Furthermore, the June 2024 report on the Boat Works building is concerning.
The Bronte Boat Works/Northern Marine Building holds a profound connection to Bronte’s past and heritage, serving as a direct link to the author’s life and legacy. It stands as the most significant and irreplaceable cultural heritage and scenic vista of the Villages, defining Bronte’s unique identity and setting it apart.
Similar to Erchless, the Bronte Boat Works Building should be accessible and utilized by all residents of Oakville. It should not be relegated to a storage facility for only eight months of the year, rendering it inaccessible to the public. There are viable alternatives to relocating TOWARF. The Bronte Boat Works Building possesses the potential to provide a crucial missing component of livability infrastructure for the Village in the face of substantial redevelopment and intensification.
Many village residents comment on change and development in Bronte and its impact on the community, not just the disruption, but its liveability.
The last great truly transformative investment was the creation of the Bronte Heritage Waterfront Park.
While we have Market Square, it was a condition of the development. Berta Point is more about boating than liveability.
Yes, the work on Bronte Beach is underway. However, some context is necessary. First, compare it to that of Oakville Harbour and Tannery Park. In 1968, the Town acquired the Bronte Bluffs, and for the past five decades, it has essentially fallen into the lake. Investment in Bronte Beach to this point in time has been parking lots and a boat launch ramp. Hopefully the Beach improvements will make it more vibrant than parking for boaters and fishing and a year round public space as opposed to storage for docks.
The Greb’s property in the heart of the Village amidst its current state of disarray is merely an integral part of the landscape. Similar to the Boat Works, it possesses substantial potential, not only as a public space that fills a gap in the urban fabric. The Greb’s ability to facilitate seamless connectivity between various destinations, including Third Line on Lake Trail, the Bronte Heritage Waterfront Park, the East Pier, and the Boat Works site, creates a network that extends to Berta Point, the Bronte Marsh, the Bronte Bluffs, Bronte Beach, and the West Pier.
While construction of new buildings like those underway on Lakeshore is changing Bronte, the biggest impact on Bronte is SILENCE. It has always been about missed opportunities. It has been about not being bold and investing. A year has passed since we talked to the City Manager, our MP, and our MPP. SILENCE.
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