Established in 1981, the Old Oakville Heritage Conservation District is Oakville’s first heritage district and one of the first in Ontario.  The District, which sits within our OLRA catchment extends south of Robinson Street to the lake from Sixteen Mile Creek on the west to Allan Street on the east. 

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It is recognized by residents and visitors alike as having significant and distinct cultural heritage value given the area’s historical association with the founding of Oakville and its subsequent evolution into a small and prosperous town.  The collective character of the area is defined by the combination of its historical context, its pattern of development, built architecture, streetscape, topography and other natural features.

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OLRA played a significant leadership role in the creation of the 1981 plan and is now working actively with the Town as a key stakeholder to update the District Plan to comply with numerous changes to the Ontario Heritage Act, the heritage legislation that permits municipalities to designate heritage properties and districts.

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The First and Second Street Heritage Conservation District is wholely encompassed within the OLRA boundaries. This district is bound by Lakeshore Road East to the north, Lake Ontario to the south, Allan Street to the west and Second Street to the east. Established in 1987, this district offers a unique range of architectural styles and eras, extending over 150 years. The area was first surveyed in 1855, after which a number of houses were built here. A second wave of residential growth occurred in the 1920s and 1930s when residents from Toronto built cottages along the lake or moved to the area permanently. This history is evident in its diverse architecture which includes nineteenth-century elegant Italianate homes, early twentieth-century revival structures, and more modern Bungalow homes.  A new First and Second Street Heritage Conservation District Plan was approved by LPAT in August of 2019.