Tiverton home designated a heritage building
By Liz Dadson

Tiverton News

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McKay House

The old Tiverton school at 7 McKay St., has been granted a heritage designation.

At the July meeting of Kincardine council, Steve Murray, economic development and tourism manager, put forward the recommendation from Heritage Kincardine, to have all four exterior facades and the green space required by the minimum municipal setbacks, designated as a heritage property. The owner has agreed with this recommendation.

In his report, Murray states that the house is a large Italianate five bay, two-and-a-half storey school built in 1875 by local builder George McClelland. It is likely one of the earliest brick buildings in Tiverton, using local yellow brick, with elephant low-arch windows and arched protruding central entrance bay raising the entire two-and-a-half storey height. The building served the children of Tiverton from 1876-1951.

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24/07/2009 11:09 PM

According to alumnus Eleanor Thompson, "Its existence was a vital factor in the lives of all the students who emerged from its halls of learning. Without it, many of the young people of the day would have had to forgo any hope of academics at the secondary level."

The building is currently used as apartments.

Council agreed to direct staff to have the structure designated a heritage building. The bylaw will come forward at the Aug. 5 meeting.