Clarkson · Lorne Park
Clarkson and Lorne Park, from strawberry fields to Park Royal
In Clarkson, most window questions follow from when a street was built. Park Royal opened in 1958, so many of its houses are likely on a later set of windows. Lorne Park's houses vary, and we don't guess their age. On Lakeshore Road, the Clarkson Village shops have storefront glass. We connect you with independent local pros for each; the pro you are matched with measures, quotes and does the work.
At a glance
- Housing
- Park Royal from the late 1950s; Lorne Park homes of mixed ages
- Shopping street
- Clarkson Village, on Lakeshore Road between Southdown Road and Meadow Wood Road
- Common jobs
- Replacement windows, storm doors, shopfront glass, patio doors
- Next door
- Across the western boundary, see our Oakville page
Strawberry country to suburb
Clarkson was once Ontario's strawberry centre. In 1915 a sign at the station claimed more strawberries passed through it than any other station in the province. The farms gave way to subdivisions, and Park Royal opened on 8 August 1958, beside Rattray Marsh.
That timing matters. Houses built in the same few years age at the same rate, so on a Park Royal street the questions tend to repeat: replacement windows, storm doors, patio doors and screens.
Park Royal and other 1950s homes: replacement windows and storm doors
Many late-1950s houses are no longer on their first windows, and those later replacements can now be failing in turn: fogged sealed units, slipping cranks, drafty frames.
List what is actually wrong. If one or two sealed units have fogged, the glass can be replaced in the frames you have. If most windows are drafty, stiff or soft at the sill, replacement windows are worth pricing. A same-size window needs no City building permit; a bigger opening does.
A storm door with a cracked panel, a weak closer or a worn sweep can usually be fixed. A new one makes sense when the frame is bent or the door no longer closes square.
Lorne Park properties
Lorne Park takes its name from the Marquis of Lorne, Governor General from 1878 to 1883, and the old village grew north of Lakeshore Road along Lorne Park Road. We don't have a reliable build date for its houses today, so we won't guess one. What matters is what your windows are now. Tell the pro:
- the type of each window: casement, slider, double-hung or large fixed picture window;
- whether any were replaced before, and roughly when;
- any original wood windows you want to keep.
Large and shaped units take longer to make than standard ones. If your house is listed or designated as heritage, speak to City heritage planning first.
Clarkson Village storefronts on Lakeshore Road
Clarkson Village is the shopping strip on Lakeshore Road, with a business improvement area set up in 1988. If a shop window is broken:
- Keep people clear of the glass, including loose pieces still in the frame.
- Photograph the damage inside and out before anything is moved.
- Have the opening covered, which pros call a board-up.
- Order the permanent glass. It is made to measure, so it comes on a later visit.
We pass storefront requests to pros who do commercial glass. See storefront glass repair for what to send.
Patio doors and screens
- Patio door replacement: a new door in the same opening needs no City permit; widening it does.
- Sliding door repair: rollers, track, lock and handle can each be replaced on their own.
- Screens and door glass: torn screens are rescreened, and a cracked patio door panel can often be replaced without a new door.
Clarkson and Lorne Park questions
Are 1950s Park Royal windows worth repairing?
It depends on what is in the openings now. If they are later replacements, a fogged sealed unit or a worn crank can often be fixed on its own. If the frames are soft, cracked or drafty all round, new windows are the better use of the money. You don't need one answer for the whole house; send photos of each problem window.
Can just the glass in my storm door be replaced?
Usually. If the frame is straight and the closer works, a pro can replace the glass panel or insert on its own. Storm-door glass is safety glass cut to size, so it is ordered rather than cut on the spot. If the door is bent or no longer latches, compare the repair with the price of a new storm door before deciding.
Do you cover Lorne Park?
Yes. Lorne Park is in Mississauga, and we take requests from there as from the rest of the city. We pass yours to an independent local pro who does that kind of job, and we follow up if it goes quiet. If you are just west of the city boundary, see our Oakville page, because coverage and permit rules there are different.
A branch came through a window in a storm. What should I do first?
Make it safe. Keep people and pets away, and wear gloves to pick up large pieces. Take photos inside and out before the cleanup goes far, for your insurer. Cover the opening with plywood or heavy plastic to keep rain out. Then send a request for the permanent glass. Our broken glass page sets out these steps in more detail.
My Clarkson Village shop window was broken overnight. Can it be secured and reglazed?
Yes, in two steps. First the opening is secured, usually with a board-up, so the shop can close safely. Then the permanent glass is measured, made to size and fitted on a later visit. Take photos before anything is moved, and check whether you or your landlord is responsible for the glass. We pass storefront requests to pros who do commercial work.