Description of Historic Place

The Meadowvale Village Heritage Conservation District (HCD) is located primarily along Second Line West and Old Derry Road which intersect each other. The area is defined based on an understanding of the perceived village character in the City of Mississauga. Along Old Derry Road, the district is bounded by a visual narrowing of the road from the east and the Credit River from the west. The northern limit to the village occurs at the intersection of Pond Street and the southern limit is considered the Community Hall property. The district is primarily a residential area consisting of 63 structures, 23 of which are historically and/or architecturally significant. The remaining structures contribute to the overall historical character of the District.

The Meadowvale Village HCD was designated by the City of Mississauga in 1980 for its heritage value under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act (By-law 453-80).

Heritage Value

The Meadowvale Village HCD is one of Ontario's few surviving communities that capture the physical charm of the mid-to-late nineteenth century. Although situated in a highly urbanized area, the Meadowvale Village HCD has successfully maintained its historical character.

The village predates Confederation by almost half a century. In 1819, twenty-nine Irish families immigrated to the Meadowvale area from New York. The soil proved to be quite fertile and ensured settlers had enough food to survive. The settlers' income was supplemented by cutting down the white pines and sending them downriver to Port Credit for barrel staves and ship masts.

By 1830 the white pines were in great demand. With the guaranteed market, a ready supply of prime lumber, and downriver transportation to Port Credit, the lumber industry was a natural choice for Meadowvale. The firm of Gooderham and Worts acquired and expanded a saw mill, grist mill and general store. By providing employment and stimulating trade and commerce, these mills constituted the greatest single force in the economic life of the village. Thus, the location of Meadowvale Village beside the Credit River was key to its success in the lumber success; it ensured a readily available supply of white pine trees in the area, but the Credit River allowed for easy transportation downstream to Port Credit.

After 1860, the boom was over and the days passed relatively quietly in Meadowvale. The only major facility built before the twentieth century was the new schoolhouse constructed in 1871, which now acts as the community centre. The most significant occurrence during this period was the decision of Canadian Pacific Railway to bypass the village thereby reducing local trade. As local trade and commerce began to decline, the saw mills also suffered.

Meadowvale's progression to the modern age has been a quiet one. In the 1940s descendants of the original settlers still owned farms around the village, and the church and school still maintained their status as centres of activity. Unfortunately, nothing remains of the mills which were so important to the historical development of the community. The residential structures have fared somewhat better. Some of the earliest houses constructed in the village are still in use. Meadowvale has maintained its historical features without succumbing to the surrounding urbanization. Even today, Meadowvale has no taverns, beauty salons, or movie theatres, even though it is minutes away from a very urbanized area.

Although the Meadowvale Village HCD does not reflect an architectural style unique to a specific era, it has special character. This character is a result of a restraint in construction that has resulted in a basically unaltered physical environment with mature trees and heights that rarely exceed two storeys, ensuring the overall scale and type of building is harmonious with the setting. The buildings display a limited range of materials and colours. These features result in a cohesive community distinct from its urban surroundings.

Sources: City of Mississauga By-law 453-80; Meadowvale Village, Heritage Conservation District Plan, City of Mississauga, 1980.

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements that contribute to the heritage value of the Meadowvale HCD include the:
- structure heights rarely exceed two storeys
- predominantly gable roofs
- structures generally moderate in size
- structure materials mainly horizontal/vertical wooden or aluminium siding including board and batten and stucco
- many of the modest homes are plank-on-plank construction
- local scale roads
- narrow irregular streets with curb-free natural shoulders
- mature trees
- boundary from the west defined by the Credit River