A 174-year-old Ajax landmark has been demolished despite weeks of community efforts urging municipal leaders to reconsider the future of the historic property.
The Hartrick House demolition took place on Aug. 20 at 120 Roberson Drive, ending a local campaign that sought to preserve the house and have its heritage value more closely assessed before redevelopment moved forward.
Built in 1852, Hartrick House had long been recognized as a historic property in Ajax. The Town’s inventory of non-designated heritage properties identified the site as Hartrick Farm / Hartrick House and noted both design value and historical or associative value.
Residents pushed to preserve historic Ajax home
Concern over the future of the property grew after plans emerged to sell and redevelop the site. Residents argued that once the house was removed, an important piece of Ajax history could not be recovered.
Community members appealed to Ajax council during the summer, asking for more time and further heritage consideration. On Aug. 5, roughly 30 people gathered outside town hall to protest the planned demolition and call for a delay.
Those efforts did not stop the project. About two weeks later, the house was demolished.
The property had previously served the community as a municipal meeting and event space. Ajax described Hartrick House as a 1,314-square-foot community hall with capacity for approximately 80 people, along with a kitchen, foyer, back deck and gazebo. The building was permanently removed from the Town’s rental inventory at the beginning of 2025.
Property planned for new housing
The demolition is connected to plans for residential development at 120 Roberson Drive.
The Town of Ajax published a planning notice in June for a zoning bylaw amendment seeking to allow approximately 11 single-detached homes on the site. The proposal called for portions of the property to be rezoned for residential development, environmental protection and open space.
Ajax council had also approved the sale of the property and zoning changes associated with moving the redevelopment forward.
The Hartrick House demolition therefore represents a major physical step in the transition of the former community property toward future residential development.
Hartrick House was recognized but not formally designated
Although Hartrick House appeared on Ajax’s inventory of non-designated heritage properties, that status is different from formal designation under the Ontario Heritage Act.
The Town explains that properties on its non-designated heritage inventory may be considered to have heritage value or interest, but they do not receive the same formal protection from demolition or alteration as individually designated properties.
That distinction became central to the debate surrounding Hartrick House. Residents who wanted the building preserved argued that its age, architecture and local history deserved further consideration before demolition.
For supporters of preservation, the Aug. 20 demolition represents the loss of a structure that had stood in Ajax since the mid-19th century. For the redevelopment process, it clears the way for the next stage of planning for new homes on the property.
The Hartrick House demolition also renews broader questions about how communities identify, evaluate and protect historic properties before redevelopment decisions become irreversible.
While the house itself is now gone, its history and the community campaign to preserve it will remain part of the story of 120 Roberson Drive as the property moves toward redevelopment.
