Notice of Intent to Designate the Hill-Hollinrake House – 15223 Highway 48

18 August 2025

The Council of the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville intends to designate 15223 Highway 48, in the community of Ballantrae, under Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, as being a property of cultural heritage value at the Council meeting held on September 17, 2025 at 1pm.

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

15223 Highway 48 (Hill-Hollinrake House)

Part of Lot 20 Concession 8, Whitchurch, Parts 2 and 5 of 65R-1057 in the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville.

Description of Historic Place

The property known municipally as 15223 Highway 48 is located on part of Lot 20, Concession 8 in the former Township of Whitchurch. The property is located on the southeast corner of the intersection of Aurora Road and Highway 48 to the immediate south of the gas station situated on the corner.  The property contains a two storey brick veneered home in the Italianate architectural style and a detached rear yard garage. 

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value

The property located at 15223 Highway 48 has cultural heritage value as the residence of the postmaster, general store operator, grain merchant, and brick manufacturer of Ballatnrae, Robert Hill. It is also the later residence of Colonel Osborn Shore Hollinrake, a veteran of the first and second World Wars and Magistrate of York County. Known as the Hill-Hollinrake House, the structure was likely built between 1881 and 1886. 

The property contains design or physical value in its Italianate architectural style with cruciform floor plan, central bay window, arched windows with concrete keystones and end pieces, brackets, gingerbreading in the gable ends, rounded dormer roofs with finials, and dichromatic brick work. Later additions include enclosing of the porches and a one storey concrete tail likely dating to the 1920s, as well as a bomb shelter likely dating to the 1960s. This structure is unique in Ballantrae and a rare interpretation of the style in the Town. The craftsmanship and detail found throughout the construction is impressive, especially in the decorative keystones and end bits in the red brick arches above each window, and in the rare metal dormer style for the Town.

The property contains historical or associative value as the dwelling was likely constructed by, or for, Robert Hill in the early 1880s. The home displays the affluence of the Hill family and their prominent role within the community of Ballantrae, serving first as a carpenter, then as postmaster, grain merchant, general store proprietor, and as the operator of a brick manufactory. It is possible that the brick dwelling served as an example of the brick produced in the brick manufactory as seen elsewhere in Ontario. The Hills would have been well known in the community, being early immigrants to Ontario and originally living in the nearby community of Churchill. Robert Hill would have been well knownin the community serving as both postmaster and as the proprietor of the general store. The dwelling also speaks to the success of Ballantrae in the late 19th century due to the thriving lumber industry. The property was later purchased by Colonel O.S. Hollinrake, an officer in the Royal Canadian Artillery in the First and Second World Wars. He became a Magistrate of York County and earned the designation of Queen’s Council. During his ownership, and demonstrating increasing tensions during the Cold War, a bomb shelter was constructed in the rear yard.

The property contains contextual value due to its location in the core of the community of Ballantrae, located close to the historic primary intersection of the hamlet. This property would also have been adjacent to the now lost general store and post office of Ballantrae, which Robert Hill operated.

Cultural Heritage Attributes

The following heritage attributes display cultural heritage value and contribute to the design and physical value of the property at 15223 Highway 48:

  • Italianate Architectural design;
  • Cruciform floor plan;
  • Gable roof with returned eaves;
  • Gingerbreading in gable ends;
  • Finials in dormer windows;
  • Brackets under the eaves;
  • Arched dormer rooves;
  • Central bay window topped with metal crest work on front façade;
  • Dichromatic brick work with buff brick façade and red brick detailing;
  • Two over two wooden arched sash windows;
  • Arched windows with shutters on central bay window;
  • Wooden sills on all windows;
  • Red brick arches over windows with concrete keystones and end pieces;
  • Enclosed porches on northwest and southwest wings;
  • Semi-dressed stone foundation;
  • Dichromatic brick chimneys on north, east, and south gable ends of the structure;
  • All window and door openings on the front and side facades of the original structure; and,
  • Rear yard subsurface bomb shelter.

The following heritage attributes display cultural heritage value and contribute to the contextual value of the property at 15223 Highway 48:

  • Proximity to intersection of Aurora Road and Highway 48; and,
  • Limited setback from the road.

Written Notice of Objection

Any person may, within 30 days after the date of the publication of the Notice, serve written notice of their objections to the proposed designation, together with a statement for the objection and relevant facts to the Town Clerk at clerks@townofws.ca

Dated at Whitchurch-Stouffville, this 18th day of August 2025.

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