Notice of Intention to Designate - 14954 Old Simcoe Road, Port Perry, Ontario

Take Notice that the Council of the Township of Scugog, on April 28, 2025, passed a resolution of intent to designate the following property under Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.18, property municipally known as 14954 Old Simcoe Road, Port Perry, in the Province of Ontario.

Statement of Reasons for Proposed Designation:

Historic and Associative Value

The dwelling is notable for having been occupied during the period of approximately 1915 to 1943 by the renowned Canadian artists Gertrude Spurr Cutts and William Malcom Cutts.
William Malcolm Cutts was painter of portraits, landscapes and marine studies. He was a member of the Ontario Society of Artists and showed with it from 1891-1928 and was also an associate member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts. His works are included in the collections of the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, the Ontario Government Collection in Toronto, the St, James Club, Montreal and the Robert McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa.
Best known for her rural landscape paintings Gertrude Spurr Cutts had a diverse body of work including oil and watercolour paintings and pen and ink sketches. She also worked as a restorer of old and damaged paintings. Her work is included in the collections of the National Gallery of Canada, the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Art Gallery of Hamilton and the Robert McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa.
In a newspaper article dated November 13th, 1919, William Cutts commented that “in the pretty little village of Port Perry we can work without interruption and derive inspiration from the outlook of every window of our delightful home”.
In recognition of these renowned Canadian artists having resided in the residence and the preservation of the original window openings through which these artists derived inspiration, this delightful home is recommended for designation as the William Malcom and Gertrude Spurr Cutts House.

Design and Physical Value

The following attributes contribute to the cultural heritage value of the property at 14954 Old Simcoe Road as a representative example of a well preserved late Victorian Gothic Revival Farmhouse displaying a high degree of craftsmanship and artistic merit:

• L shaped plan, scale, form and massing of the 2-storey dwelling
• The steeply pitched gable roof
• The spire/finial at the gabled peak
• The gothic style window opening with pointed arch in the gabled peak
• The symmetrically placed windows and original window openings at the front of the dwelling
• The dentil shelf solid wood front door with transom window above
• The original clapboard wood siding
• The attached Sunroom with sloped roof and original window openings

Contextual Value

The following heritage attributes contribute to the cultural heritage value of the property at 14954 Old Simcoe Road as being historically linked to its surroundings and important in maintaining and supporting the character of the area:

• The siting of the dwelling in its original location
• The connection of the property to the historic rural character of the area Associative Value
• The following heritage attributes contribute to the cultural heritage value of the property at 14954 Old Simcoe Road as being directly associated with renowned Canadian artists
• The ownership of the residence by renowned Canadian artists William Malcolm Cutts and Gertrude Spurr Cutts

Note: the front porch/verandah is not original to the house and as such is not identified as a heritage attribute however, it forms an integral part of the dwelling and any alteration or demolition will impact the Heritage Attributes.

The full particulars for the subject property, including a statement outlining the cultural heritage value or interest and description of the property’s heritage attributes is available for inspection in the Clerks Department, 181 Perry Street, Port Perry, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and, by visiting our Heritage Register page. If you would like to obtain further details, please contact clerks@scugog.ca or 905-985-7346.

Any person may, on or before the 29 of June, 2025, send by registered mail or deliver the City Clerk, Notice of Objection to the proposed designation, together with a statement of their reasons of the objection and all relevant facts.

If a Notice of Objection is received, the Council of the Township of Scugog will consider the objection on or before the 29 of September, 2025. If no objection is received within the designated period, Council may consider and pass a By-Law designating the property at 14954 Old Simcoe Road, Port Perry, Ontario, under Part IV of the Act.