Waverley Place completes $500,000 restoration in Bowmanville

Waverley Place, a heritage home and museum at 37 Silver Street in Bowmanville, has undergone a $500,000 restoration to preserve historic features and add accessibility upgrades.

The site is among Bowmanville’s earliest brick homes and is operated by Clarington Library, Museums & Archives (CLMA). The museum interprets the period from 1901 to 1930 and is used for public programs and rentals.

Clarington’s Heritage Committee and the Accessibility Advisory Committee guided the project. Mayor Adrian Foster, council members and municipal staff joined CLMA staff and board members to mark the restoration.

“Waverley Place is a standout landmark in downtown Bowmanville. This restoration was lovingly done to preserve the treasured heritage character, and now even more folks can enjoy the charming veranda and grounds. We’re making sure everyone gets a chance to experience the past at this historic spot with ongoing maintenance and preservation, even while Clarington keeps growing,” Mayor Adrian Foster said.

Work completed included:

• Recreating porch columns to reflect the 19th-century design using fibreglass for strength and visual accuracy.
• Using Accoya wood for handrails and spindles to improve durability while maintaining the historic look.
• Rebuilding chimneys with heritage mortar and bricks matched to the original colour and texture.
• Repairing the interior ceiling with attention to original plasterwork and proportions.
• Repairing, repainting and reinstalling exterior storm windows.

Additional restoration is planned in 2026, including replacing the veranda light fixture, repairing woodwork above the new porch columns and replacing cedar shingles on the north porch roof.

“The culmination of this most recent restoration work is an important milestone for the community. It was integral to the project to not only preserve the beautiful architecture of this heritage building, but help ensure its accessibility,” said Tenzin Shomar, chair of the Clarington Public Library Board.

Waverley Place was built in 1847 by David Fisher and later was home to the Jury family. Its architecture reflects Regency and Italianate styles. Today, the museum focuses on the period when the Jury family lived there (1901–1930).