Heritage Conservation Districts

The Bishop Hellmuth Heritage Conservation District was designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act in 2003. It is named after Bishop Isaac Hellmuth, a leading early citizen of London and the founder of the University of Western Ontario. It was also the site of the Hellmuth Boys' College, built under his direction.

Bishop Hellmuth Heritage Conservation District was largely built up during a short period of time (1895-1910) and predominantly in the Queen Anne Revival style of architecture - a flamboyant and decorative style that represented the optimism and energy of a growing and prosperous city in the early 1900s. This provides a unique architectural integrity to the Bishop Hellmuth Heritage Conservation District. This historic character has changed little over 100 years. Two churches, St. John the Evangelist on St. James Street and the New St. James Presbyterian Church on Oxford Street East, provide architectural focal points for Bishop Hellmuth Heritage Conservation District. There are approximately 190 properties in Bishop Hellmuth Heritage Conservation District.

Location

The Bishop Hellmuth Heritage Conservation District is located on the north side of Oxford Street East between Wellington Street and Waterloo Street, on both sides of Waterloo Street between Oxford Street East and Grosvenor Street, on both sides of Grosvenor Street between Waterloo Street and Wellington Street and on both sides of Wellington Street generally between Grosvenor Street and Oxford Street East. Within this boundary it includes blocks along St. James Street and Hellmuth Avenue.

The Bishop Hellmuth Heritage Conservation District Guidelines, in association with the Bishop Hellmuth Heritage District Plan, provide a resource for property owners to assist in the conservation of their heritage designated properties. The Guidelines are broken into two chapters; one which defines the architectural style of the buildings, and the second that provides building conservation resources relating to the unique elements of the buildings such as brick and stone, roofs and flashings and porches.

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Blackfriars/Petersville Heritage Conservation District has a long tradition as a suburban landscape within the City of London. Historically an independent village, Blackfriars/Petersville Heritage Conservation District has a long history of individual identity within London. There are approximately 580 properties within the Blackfriars/Petersville Heritage Conservation District.

Blackfriars/Petersville Heritage Conservation District was adopted by Municipal Council on May 6, 2014 and designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act on May 15, 2015.

Location

Blackfriars/Petersville Heritage Conservation District is bound by the Thames River on the east and the south and by Oxford Street West to the north. Wharncliffe Road North acts as the western boundary of Blackfriars/Petersville Heritage Conservation Districts, and includes properties on both sides of the road between Rogers Avenue and St. Patrick Street.

Blackfriars Bridge, Kensington Bridge, and the West London Dyke are included within the Blackfriars/Petersville Heritage Conservation District.

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The buildings which comprise the Downtown Heritage Conservation District each relate to one of five stages through which the Downtown evolved from its founding to the recent past. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries the Downtown was the region’s commercial, industrial, and service centre. There are approximately 400 properties in the Downtown Heritage Conservation District.

The Downtown Heritage Conservation District was adopted by Municipal Council on April 11, 2012 and designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act on June 18, 2013.

Location

The westerly boundary of the Downtown Heritage Conservation District is the centreline of the Thames River, the south limits of Blackfriars Bridge to the north, Fullarton Street between Ridout Street North and Richmond Street, Dufferin Avenue and mid-block between Wellington Street and Waterloo Street, north of Dundas Street. The south boundary is the Canadian National Railway tracks. The east boundary stays west and north of the Citi Plaza and extends east to Waterloo Street north of King Street.

Eldon House, Harris Park, and Ivey Park are included within the Downtown Heritage Conservation District.

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The term Woodfield refers to a geographic area which has been identified as a downtown neighbourhood by area residents and recognized as such by City Planning. Historically, Woodfield developed as a result of the city's expansion north and eastward. Several factors have contributed to the delineation of Woodfield. Several early estates were established in this area which drew affluent Londoners. This expansion, eastward, stopped at Adelaide Street and the Grand Trunk Railway established a boundary to the south. Today, the recognized perimeters of the neighbourhood are Richmond Street (west), the CPR tracks (north), Queens Avenue (south), and Adelaide Street (east).

Within Woodfield, the East Woodfield Heritage Conservation District is generally located to the east of Maitland Street. East Woodfield Heritage Conservation District was designated in 1994 as London's first Heritage Conservation District. It comprises approximately 170 properties. The East Woodfield Heritage Conservation District exhibits a surprisingly diverse, rich array of architectural styles. These include excellent examples of Gothic Revival, Italianate, High Victorian Gothic, Second Empire, Queen Anne style buildings. Many of these properties were intended for use by London's elite in the late nineteenth century but middle and working class housing filled in many of the spaces between the mansions and are especially common towards the north and the east of the East Woodfield Heritage Conservation District.

Location

The East Woodfield Heritage Conservation District has an irregular shape. It generally includes properties on the east side of Maitland Street between Central Avenue and Dufferin Avenue, the north side of Queens Avenue between Adelaide Street and Peter Street, the west side of Adelaide Street between Queens Avenue and Dufferin Avenue. Its northern edge includes portions of Central Avenue, and Princess Avenue. Internally, it includes blocks on Palace Street, Princess Avenue, Prospect Avenue, William Street, Dufferin Avenue, and Peter Street.

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The Old East Heritage Conservation District encompasses the area within what was historically known as the English Survey land, originally owned by pioneer settler Noble English. This area was part of the former London Township until 1874 when London East began its short life as an incorporated municipality lasting until 1885 when it was amalgamated with the City of London. Sparked by the development of the early oil refinery industry and the establishment of the railways and related industries, London East became the economic engine for the City of London. From 1880-1930 London grew by an average of 1,000 people per year. Old East absorbed many of the immigrants who not only found jobs nearby, but also in the factories, retail shops, and wholesale enterprises downtown. Many workers employed in the plants and factories nearby lived in the Old East which evolved into a solid, prosperous community of wage-earners that supported the three block commercial area on Dundas Street.

Except for the frontage along Dundas Street, this entire area was developed as a residential area over a fairly long period, from 1860 to 1930. Today, structures reflect many different points in its development. Taken together with the remaining industrial and commercial structures adjacent to it, the entire area of Old East is a living archive of the historical development not only of London but of urban southwestern Ontario.

The Old East Heritage Conservation District was designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act in 2006. It includes over 1,000 properties.

Location

The boundary of Old East Heritage Conservation District encompasses the vast majority of residential development bounded by the west side of Quebec Street, Queens Avenue, Elias Street and Central Avenue and dwellings east of Adelaide Street excluding those fronting onto Adelaide Street.

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London north’s character as a desirable place of residence was established in the 1840s and 1850s when four prominent Londoners built their mansions on the sparsely settled lands north of Oxford Street. When the London Street Railway extended its run along Richmond Street as far north as St. James Street in 1875, London North became a popular area in which to settle. Within five years, a prosperous middle class of merchants, government employees, and businessmen were building residences west of Wellington and south of Grosvenor Streets. The intersecting mix of large town houses, small brick cottages and grand mansions which marked this part of London in the late nineteenth century still survives today. The area has retained its diverse residential character over the past century, with only a few education and medical institutions growing up discretely in its midst. The intermix of socio-economic levels and housing types was a result of the area’s spotty pattern of development ever since it became part of London in 1840” (Heritage Places 1994, 31).

Location

The St. George-Grosvenor Heritage Conservation District Study Area is bound by Oxford Street East to the south, Richmond Street to the east, the Thames River to the west, and includes properties along Victoria Street between Richmond Street and St. George Street. As part of the St. George-Grosvenor Heritage Conservation District Study process, the boundary of the study area will be evaluated.

Documents 

St. George-Grosvenor Heritage Conservation District Study - Volume I

St. George-Grosvenor Heritage Conservation District Study - Volume II

St. George-Grosvenor Heritage Conservation District Study - Volume III

St. George-Grosvenor Heritage Conservation District Study - Volume IV

The term Woodfield refers to a geographic area which has been identified as a downtown neighbourhood by area residents and recognized as such by the Planning Department. Historically, Woodfield developed as a result of the city's expansion north and eastward. Several factors have contributed to the delineation of Woodfield. Several early estates were established in this area which drew affluent Londoners. This expansion, eastward, stopped at Adelaide Street and the Grand Trunk Railway established a boundary to the south. Today, the recognized perimeters of the neighbourhood are Richmond Street (west), the CPR tracks (north), Queens Avenue (south), and Adelaide Street (east).

West Woodfield Heritage Conservation District was designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act in 2008.

Location

The West Woodfield Heritage Conservation District has an irregular shape and is adjacent to the East Woodfield Heritage Conservation District. West Woodfield Heritage Conservation District is bounded by Richmond Street to the west, Dufferin Avenue and Queens Avenue to the south, Maitland Street and Peter Street to the east and Central Avenue and Pall Mall Street to the north.  These boundaries include approximately 500 properties, primarily residential, but also commercial, retail and office as well as churches and other institutional uses and Victoria Park.

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Wortley Village-Old South Heritage Conservation District is an area of London with an established, recognizable suburban streetscape by 1915 and mainly achieved its built form before World War II. It contains a large concentration of recognizable architectural styles and features that are consistent with the styles and methods of construction associated with the era in which they were developed. Several long-standing landmarks, such as the London Normal School and others, contribute positively to the cityscape and identity of the Wortley Village-Old South Heritage Conservation District. There are 1,048 properties in Wortley Village-Old South Heritage Conservation District.

Wortley Village-Old South Heritage Conservation District was adopted by Municipal Council on September 18, 2014 and designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act on June 1, 2015.

Location

Horton Street/Thames Park serves as the northern boundary of Wortley Village-Old South Heritage Conservation District. Ridout Street South serves as the eastern boundary, and includes properties on the west side of Ridout Street South between Ingleside Place and Elmwood Avenue East. Tecumseh Avenue East, between Ridout Street South and Wortley Road, and Duchess Avenue, between Wharncliffe Road South and Wortley Road, serve as the southern boundary, as well as properties along Wortley Road nearly to Briscoe Street. Wharncliffe Road South serves as the western boundary of Wortley Village-Old South Heritage Conservation District.

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