CR283/2020 - Item 8.9 - Appendix A Western Division and the Lake Erie, Essex & Detroit River Railway lines (later changed ownership to the Canadian National Railway and Pere Marquette respectively).

The Walker Power Building, was constructed over some of the earlier rail lines and the railroad turntable. Its deep roots to the railroad history of Walkerville was brought to surface when the intact railroad turntable was uncovered below the Walker Power Building foundation. The railway turntable was found to have been left intact and constructed atop by the Walker Power Building, which has some of its column supports placed directly on top of the turntable. The turntable potentially served small locomotives on the rail line, transporting grain from the county to Hiram Walker’s distillery in Walkerville, and transportation of tourist to Kingsville’s waterfront. The turntable functioned to assist steam engine trains in reversing the direction of travel upon reaching the end of the rail line.

Railroads were an important contributor to the rapid growth of the former town of Walkerville in its formative years. The discovery of the railroad turntable has direct associations with, and contributes to the understanding of the railroad history in Walkerville. Through the past century, the Walker Power Building property was strongly associated with and contributed to the industrial and manufacturing base in Walkerville. The property (both building and the archaeological resource of the turntable) is a significant remnant of the area’s history.

Contextual Value

The property is a rare survivor of early industrial properties constructed within the core areas of Walkerville, and remains as one of the few original properties to reflect the early industrial activities and economic prosperity of the former Town of Walkerville. Located on 325 Devonshire Road which was formally addressed as 22 Devonshire Road, the Walker Power Building served as a major industrial building and was located next to the railway lines, which would have been advantageous in terms of transportations of goods for manufacturing businesses. The railway turntable is also physically and historically linked to the surrounding area being the site of the end of railway lines and close to a railway station. The Walker Power Building is a long-standing and prominent landmark in Walkerville, and is highly visible being along Riverside Drive. The property is also located at the corner of Devonshire Road, which was considered the “Main Street” of the former Town of Walkerville.

Description of Heritage Attributes:

Features that contribute to the design or physical value of the Walker Power Building:

Built in c.1911-1913, presumably by architect J.E. Kinsey from Detroit for Walker Sons Ltd,