Q&A: Cook farmhouse

What is the Cook farmhouse?

The Cook farmhouse is a 19^th century red brick building at 1888 Klondike Park Road, just north of the Nottawasaga River. 

The house sits on property that makes up the Wasaga Beach Sports Park. The home is on the south side of the sports park driveway. 

When was the home built?

Hiram Wilson built the home on farmland in 1890.

Later, in 1925, Mereada and Lewis Cook purchased the property.

By the 1930s, the property was home to the couple’s dairy business, Hillside Dairy, which served the area.

When did the farm operation cease?

The farm operation ended in the 1970s and the family sold the property to the Government of Ontario, which later transferred the property to the Town of Wasaga Beach.

The town repurposed the property for the Wasaga Beach Sports Park.

In the years that followed, the house sat largely unused, although for a period the Wasaga Beach Snowmobile Club made use of the space as a meeting spot.

How did the town determine the building needed to come down?

In June 2020, members of the Cook family approached the town about the crumbling exterior of the building, seeking permission and financial support to beautify the structure by repairing some of the glaring deficiencies and creating ornamental gardens.

How did the town respond to the Cook family request?

Staff were directed to liaise with the family and determine the status of the structure and the viability of the family’s request.

In March 2021, the town commissioned a report from R.J. Burnside and Associates on the structural integrity of the house. The purpose of the report was to determine the current state of the building.

What did the report find?

The review of the building identified a structure in poor shape.

A number of deficiencies would need to be immediately addressed to stabilize the structure and preserve it from further deterioration.

A visual inspection revealed the following:

• Advanced deterioration of the foundation in the northwest corner of the building, with structurally significant movement.
• Rubble stone foundation between the main farmhouse and exterior basement stairwell in poor condition with significant mortar loss and missing stone units.
• Outward movement of exterior masonry due to the failure of the stone foundation wall, resulting in significant step cracking and requiring repointing, and some areas replacement.
• Significant moisture damage to the interior finishes of the house.
• Broken windows and doors that allow moisture and wildlife into the building.
• Damaged or missing soffit and fascia.
• Insufficient attic insulation, gaps in the roofing, and lack of ventilation.

What would repairs cost?

At the time of the report, Burnside estimated the cost of necessary and immediate repairs to foundation, brick, and attic, along with the need to seal openings to the building from weather and wildlife, at roughly $58,000.

The report made it clear that due to the volatility of the construction industry and the issues surrounding the material supply chain the costs could increase significantly.

In order to make the building suitable for occupancy, a number of additional items would need to be addressed:

• New insulation for the entire building.
• New roof, including localized replacement of deck boards.
• New windows and doors.
• New electrical service and wiring.
• New HVAC system.
• Upgraded plumbing, including a sewer and water connection.
• Underpinning of the foundation.
• New interior drywall and subfloor.

Staff estimate these items to cost an additional $250,000 on top of the $58,000 required for immediate repairs, bringing the cost to $308,000.

The above does not include any unforeseen issues that might arise.

What options did staff present to council for consideration?

Demolition of the existing structure and the creation of a garden.

The town received a quote for the demolition of the structure, expected to cost $9,300, plus HST.

Staff recommended that if the option were chosen, the area be used to create a commemorative garden, highlighting the structure that once occupied the land and the Cook family that served the community. Staff would endeavour to incorporate salvaged materials from the farmhouse, including beams and bricks into the garden structure.

This option could take two forms:

1. Gazebo and Garden Area at a cost of $21,300, plus HST.
2. Commemorative Garden (no gazebo) at a cost of $17,800, plus HST.

See the related staff report for further details.

Council, sitting as Coordinated Committee, selected the gazebo and garden area option at its April 14, 2022 meeting.

Repairs, as noted above, would be extremely expensive.

In addition, the town has no use for the building.

The town needs to be responsible about how it uses tax dollars.

The structure is not unique. Thousands of red brick farmhouses are in Central Ontario, many in far better shape. These can be found just outside Wasaga Beach in nearby Clearview Township and Tiny Township.

What if someone wanted to buy the structure and repair it?

The town is aware of such interest.

Staff are researching the feasibility.