In the matter of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990. Chapter 0.18
And in the matter of the lands and premises known municipally as 4600 Victoria Avenue, Concession 2, Part Lot 1 Rp 30r7878; Part 1, Clinton, in the Town of Lincoln, in the Province of Ontario
Notice Of Intention to Designate
Pursuant To the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990
TAKE NOTICE that the Town Clerk of the Corporation of the Town of Lincoln intends to designate the following real property, specifically the Grand Oak Tree, as having cultural heritage value or interest, pursuant to the provisions of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, Chapter O.18, Part IV, Section 29.
4600 Victoria Avenue, Concession 2, Part Lot 1, RP 30R7878; Part 1, Clinton, in the Town of Lincoln
Description of Property
The Grand Oak is a mature white oak (Quercus alba) located at 4600 Victoria Avenue at the corner of Victoria Avenue and Greenlane Road in Vineland, Town of Lincoln. Situated in a lawn area beside a two-storey commercial building and parking lot, its crown extends toward the Greenlane right-of-way. The tree measures approximately 160.5 cm in trunk diameter at breast height, has a crown spread of about 26 metres, and a trunk base roughly 3 metres in diameter. It remains in good structural condition and overall health, with only minor issues noted.
The Grand Oak holds significant physical, historical, associative, and contextual value as an increasingly rare old-growth white oak in southern Ontario. Although the species itself is common, mature specimens of this size and age are now uncommon due to historic deforestation. Estimated to be between 300 and 450 years old, it is considered one of the oldest documented white oaks in the region.
Historical Value
The Grand Oak holds historical and associative value through its connection to both Indigenous presence and early Mennonite settlement. Likely germinating between 1575 and 1725, it predates colonial settlement and reflects a period of Indigenous stewardship, followed by the establishment of the “Twenty” Mennonite settlement in 1799. The tree is also linked to land patented in 1803 and owned by the Culp family, prominent settlers who influenced the community’s agricultural and cultural development.
Physical Value
The tree’s physical value lies in its impressive form and presence. Its longevity provides insight into pre-settlement forest conditions, species durability, and ecological resilience within the Lake Erie–Lake Ontario Ecoregion.
Contextual Value
The tree’s contextual value stems from its contribution to the character of the historic “Twenty” settlement and its status as a remnant of the Carolinian forest ecosystem. Despite extensive land use changes, it remains a visual and ecological anchor. Its prominent location at Victoria Avenue and Greenlane Road makes it a recognizable landmark, symbolizing the region’s natural and cultural heritage and linking Indigenous and settler histories in southern Ontario.
Additional information relating to the full particulars of the reasons for designation is available in the Clerk’s Office located in the Town Hall, 4800 South Service Road, Beamsville.
NOTICE OF OBJECTION to the proposed designation, together with a statement of the reasons for the objection and all relevant facts may be served to the Town Clerk before the 12th day of April 2026.
DATED at the Town of Lincoln this 12th day of March, 2026.
Julie Kirkelos, Town Clerk