A convent building in Mississauga received approval for a heritage designation.
The building that now houses the Holy Name of Mary Convent at 2165 Mississauga Rd. was approved for the designation at a City of Mississauga Heritage Advisory Committee meeting this month.
Originally a family home known as the William George Dean Residence, the house was designed by the architectural firm of George and Moorhouse and built in 1938.
William George Dean was born in Streetsville in 1866, according to a report to the Heritage Advisory Committee.
Dean joined the T. Eaton Co. firm in 1885 and rose through the ranks, eventually becoming vice-president. During his tenure, he oversaw all factory departments and played a pivotal role in the construction of the College Street store in Toronto.
He is credited with being one of the first people in North America to introduce “ready-to-wear” clothing. Previously, most clothing was tailored for individual customers.
Dean was also the “silent owner” of Oakridge Poultry Farm, which was an approximately 60-acre operation in Port Credit. At the time, it was one of the largest poultry farms in Canada. The poultry farm was an endeavour of his son-in-law, Trueman William Morse. Morse married one of Dean’s three children, Marjorie Martha Maud Dean.
Trueman is credited as an early proponent of the incubation method for chick rearing, a practice that has since become standard within the industry.
Dean oversaw the construction of the Mississauga Road home in 1938, and it is a “rare example of an English Tudor manor” in Mississauga, the report notes. Building materials consist of Credit Valley stone, stucco on the upper storey’s with half timbering. There is a gable roof with slate shingles and cedar shakes.
Dean died in 1944, and the home and property were transferred to his children and their spouses.
In 1956, family members sold the 26-acre property and family home to the Felician Sisters of St. Francis of Canada.
The Felician Sisters came to Toronto to help Polish immigrants get established in a new country. After they purchased the Mississauga property, the William George Dean Residence was renovated to become a convent for the sisters.
“They accomplished a renovation without any demolition of walls, giving the building a chapel, study rooms, dining rooms, dormitories and administrative offices,” the Felician Sisters say on their website.
Photo: City of Mississauga heritage report
The Felician Order had some concerns that the heritage designation may impact their ability to redevelop the property, which is also now home to the Holy Name of Mary College School. Heritage planning staff met with the owners, and staff has limited the designation to the house itself in order to address the concerns.
The Heritage Advisory Committee voted in favour of the heritage designation on March 10. It should receive final approval at a future city council meeting.
For more information, see the reports and meeting here.
Lead photo: Mississauga Library
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