Renewing the historic Mulock House Veranda

Work on the Mulock House Adaptive Re-Use project is now underway with the goal to transition the beautiful historic home to an accessible public space that will be enjoyed by future generations.

Part of this work is to restore the expansive 100-year-old veranda which will provide a welcoming space for park visitors to sit back and sip tea and read a book overlooking the property, or enjoy a catered meal during a special event.

The existing veranda consisted of a single deck at the main floor with a roof above. The new design will offer public access to the roof level too, providing increased space to enjoy the spectacular eastern view over the Great Lawn. Our heritage design professionals from +VG Architects have developed a strategy to renew the veranda while protecting its historical and architectural character.

The wooden veranda has been exposed to normal wear and tear for over a century. Even with all the care taken over the years, the wooden timbers and decking have reached the end of their safe service life. Additionally, the upper level of the existing veranda was never designed for large groups of people, and the guardrails do not meet modern safety standards. This means major reconstruction is needed to bring the vision for the space to life.

This restored veranda faithfully matches the existing design, right down to the dimensions of individual wooden elements. This spring, we expect to remove the original veranda and then reconstruct the veranda using new lumber. As part of the reconstruction, new steel structural columns and beams will be tastefully hidden within the veranda structure to carry the increased number of people using the space.

The Mulock House is designated under the Ontario Heritage Act and all work will be completed in accordance with a heritage permit and the approved, peer-reviewed Heritage Impact Assessment.

Taking care of the 150 year-old Mulock House and opening it to the public requires a thoughtful blending of new and old elements while preserving the unique character of the house. Work on the Mulock House veranda will open new vistas, providing a beautiful space that we can all enjoy for years to come. This photo shows an artist’s concept of the completed verandah.

📷Pictured: This photo was taken in 1912 and shows the verandah wrapping around three sides of the Mulock House. The young black walnut trees shown in the photo are now mature trees, and a magnificent natural feature which forms part of the park landscape design.

📷Pictured: The photo above shows the Ionic Colonnade Veranda which is a protected heritage feature. Sir William Mulock and his wife Lady Sarah can be seen standing here together in this photo.