201 Sutherland Dr. is one of the two Lea family settler homes still gracing Leaside (the other is 35 Heather Rd.). The James Lea house, built around 1909 – the “first brick house built in York County” – was listed for sale in early June. Though this seems to be a big event in real estate circles, my main interest is the home’s heritage significance, not to mention the magnificent trees on the property, where the big maple surely must be over a century old.
From the street, the red brick Georgian style house located on the outer curve of Sutherland just north of Millwood is notable for its odd placement on the lot. As Jane Pitfield explains: “It does not front onto Sutherland, but rather was constructed to face James Lea Lane, which came in from Bayview at the time.”
This all precedes Frederick Todd’s plan for Leaside (1911) and Leaside’s incorporation as a town in 1913 with its Garden City plan layout overlaid on the former farm lots. The property is also notable for the large size of the lot – 65 x 135 ft. – which allows for an expansive back yard. Despite the disorientation to Sutherland Drive, the James Lea House’s exterior remains remarkably unchanged, except for the addition of a porch and entranceway.
Who was James Lea?
Born in 1877, James was the son of John Lea Jr. and grandson of John Lea Sr., the settler and successful farmer. His son, Edgar Lea (1919-1993) was the last member of the family to live in the house, which became a nursery school, “The Wendy House,” run by Mrs. Eve Procunier from 1939 to the late 1950s. Until recently, the house was the home of the Rutherford family. David Rutherford’s obituary in 2023 mentions his passion for “restoration and renovation of his beloved century home.”
What is the heritage status of 201 Sutherland Dr.?
It has been included on the City of Toronto’s Inventory of Heritage Properties since 2009. While this does not by itself convey legal protection, in the event of an owner’s application for a demolition permit it does provide for a 60-day delay during which the City can consider designation under the Ontario Heritage Act. But the Province has enacted legislation that eliminates listed properties from the inventory that are not otherwise designated by January 1, 2027.
In the face of thousands of listed but undesignated properties, and a looming deadline, the City has responded by developing a priority list of listed properties for designation. Unfortunately, 201 Sutherland Dr. is not currently on the priority list. For that reason, we need to nominate the James Lea house for designation, so we have some assurance that the heritage attributes can be protected.
