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Take notice that the Council for The Corporation of the Town of Innisfil intends to designate 3857 30 Sideroad (Church Camp) as a property of cultural heritage value or interest under Part IV, Section 29 of The Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.0.18, as amended.

Property description

The subject property is described as being Lot 13 RCP 1717 Innisfil; Lot 1 PL 660 Innisfil; Lot 2 PL 660 Innisfil; Lot 3 PL 660 Innisfil; Block A PL 660 Innisfil; T/W RO1205337; Innisfil; s/t easement over Part Lot 13 RCP 1717, Part 1 Plan 51R38691 in favour of Lots 16, 17, 18 & 19 PL 908 as in SC1062183 in the Town of Innisfil, County of Simcoe, in the Province of Ontario.

Statement of cultural heritage value or interest

The Church Camp was created based on the vision of Charlotte Playter, the descendant of an early wealthy settler of York (Toronto) who saw the need to create a place where Anglican clergy might be renewed in mind, body, and spirit. Her vision and benevolence made this vision come true, and with the support and expertise of like-minded individuals, created a one-of-a-kind sustainable cottage community that has been part of Big Bay Point and Innisfil for over 90 years. The church represents the camp's ideology and offers a place for the visiting clergy and their families to worship, as well as the larger Big Bay Point community. The simple gabled building with the belfry and stone walls reflects local craftsmanship. The gateway built by local craftsmen was a tribute to Charlotte Playter upon her death in 1937. The Church Camp represents an era in the history of Big Bay Point as an elite cottage community and the early development of Innisfil’s cottage industry.

Design and physical value

The one-storey church's design and physical value reside in its simple design, the foundation of rounded granite rocks held together with thick raised mortar joints and a front-facing gabled roof with an open belfry and a bell. These features help it blend naturally into the landscape and remain relatively unchanged.

The “Charlotte Playter Memorial Gates and Entrance,” designed by Messrs. Forsey Page and Steele of Toronto, was built by Alfred Davis and Joseph Gregg of Lefroy. It features a stone fence of rounded granite rocks with thick raised mortar that matches the stone-walled church. 

Historical value

The Church Camp's historical value is associated with Charlotte Playter, one of Big Bay Point's early cottage owners and a descendant of Captain George Playter, who settled in York in the early 1790s in the Broadview-Danforth area. In 1927, three cottages were built on the property, and in 1928, the Church Camp (not-for-profit) Corporation was formed to “provide recreation grounds and summer camps for the clergy of the Church of England in Canada and their families”. The Church Camp leased the property from Charlotte Playter and her estate until 1992 when it was sold to The Church Camp Corporation. The Church Camp has been true to the vision of Charlotte Playter for over 95 years.

Contextual value

The contextual value of the Church Camp resides in its original “cottage country” look and feel of Big Bay Point in the 1920s. An abundance of trees and vegetation, including the woodlot on the southern side of the property, provides a backdrop to the church and gateway.

Description of heritage attributes

The following heritage attributes contribute to the cultural heritage value of the property:

Gateway and Gates

  • The gateway to the property is a stone fence consisting of rounded granite rocks with thick raised mortar.
  • The gate posts are of the same material, capped by cement.
  • The gates are made of decorative aluminum. 

St. Andrews by the Lake Church

  • The church has a raised foundation of rounded granite rocks held together with thick raised mortar joints (similar to the fence).
  • A one-storey building with a gable facing the street.
  • The exterior walls on the front north and south sides above the field stone foundation are covered in vinyl siding. 

Front Façade of Church:

  • The centre doorway has sidelights under the sloped roof of the porch with plain square posts.
  • A tall stone chimney to the left of the porch and three small rectangular windows to the left of the chimney.
  • Three small rectangular windows are on either side of the door.
  • Above the porch roof and below the gable is a row of four small rectangular windows like the ones on the left side. The roof has a peaked open belfry with a bell. It is supported by four posts on the main roof, has corner bracing, and has a round-headed opening at the front.

South Side of Church:

  • Three tall, narrow, two-part windows and one single window towards the rear of the wall.

North Side of Church:

  • Three tall, narrow, two-part windows and one single window towards the rear of the wall.

Other:

  • Gravel roads lead into and around the property.

Notice of objection

Any person may serve his or her notice of objection to the proposed designation to the Town Clerk within 30 days of the date of this notice and no later than 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 3, 2024. Objections should be directed to the Corporation of the Town of Innisfil, 2101 Innisfil Beach Road, Innisfil, ON L9S 1A1, Attention Ms. Patty Thoma, Town Clerk, or by e-mail: clerksoffice@innisfil.ca. A notice of objection must set out the reason(s) for the objection and all relevant facts.