Ballantrae
History:
Presumably many of Ballantrae’s first residents were of Irish background as the community is named after Ballintra, in County Donegal, Ireland. These residents would have encountered a dense tract of primordial forest which became the target of the lumber industry in the late 1800s. By the early 1900s the forests were largely wiped out and a new era of conservation was ushered in resulting in the vast tracts of conservation lands surrounding Ballantrae today.
By the early 1900s Ballantrae had a large enough population to support a small school. That school burnt down in 1971 and was replaced by the present day Ballantrae P.S. in 1973. The first Ballantrae school bell was salvaged and now occupies a prominent spot in front of the present day school. Ballantrae has experienced new growth in the 2000s with the emergence of new lifestyle communities
Further reading: Whitchurch Township, Barkey, Jean, Whitchurch History Book Committee, 1993, Toronto, Ontario: Stoddart
Overview:
The Ballantrae neighbourhood is situated in the middle of rural Stouffville. It is centred around Aurora Road and Highway 48. The main neighbourhood landmark is the Ballantrae Golf and Country Club, an award winning public golf course. Ballantrae Golf and Country Club is part of a master-planned, gated community consisting of well designed brick bungalows. There are approximately 900 homes in this adult lifestyle community that includes walking trails and a recreation centre. Street names in this community pay homage to famous names and places in the golf world.
Ballantrae is situated in the environmentally sensitive Oak Ridges Moraine corridor. It is surrounded by conservation areas. There are a few residential pocket of estate homes that cater to families who want a larger new home on an estate size lot in the unspoiled countryside.
Note: Homebuyers should inquire about the potential impact, if any, of the proposed Pickering Airport Lands due south of Ballantrae.
Lifestyle:
Downtown Stouffville is the place to shop especially along historic Main Street which has plenty of coffee shops and restaurants to indulge in along the way.
Homes:
Ballantrae Golf & Country Club is a master planned adult lifestyle community located east of Highway 48 and north of Aurora Road. This gated community, consists of large bungalows with exceptional architectural details and attached garages. Many of these homes back onto or face the golf course or the conservation lands abutting this community.
Ballantrae also has pockets of Estate homes on premium lots including Ballantrae Estates and Forest Trail Estates. Most of these homes have extensive landscaping and triple car garages
Recreation:
Ballantrae Community Centre located at 5592 Aurora Road has multiple meeting rooms that are used for community functions and events. At the rear of the community centre are four tennis courts with lights, a soccer field and a baseball diamond.
There is an abundance of conservation areas within a few minutes of Ballantrae that offer wonderful recreational opportunities with scenic hiking trails that are open year round.
The Ballantrae Golf and Country Club is open to the public, with an 18-hole Golf Course and a fully-licensed dining room and terrace that overlooks the picturesque 18th green.
Residents of the Ballantrae Golf & CC enjoy their own recreation centre which features a vast array of recreational opportunities for the fitness enthusiasts including an indoor pool, exercise room and two tennis courts. After a fitness workout you can hit the whirlpool and sauna. For more social recreation there are billiard tables, an auditorium for 250 people, a computer room and a library.
Arts:
The Lebovic Centre for Arts and Entertainment also known as Nineteen on the Park located in downtown Stouffville is a multi-purpose event centre featuring local and professional events including: comedy, concerts, live theatre, film screenings, fundraisers and much more.
Latcham Art Centre in downtown Stouffville offers year-round workshops and exhibitions as well as a variety of programs for adults and children and local schools.
Ballantrae Stats
Walkability:
Low
Bikeability:
High
Public Transit:
Low
Affordability:
Low
Greenspace:
High
Recreation:
Medium
Legend: Low, Medium, High
Commute Times
* All commuting times provided are approximate times only. Commute times may increase or decrease depending on where you live within the neighbourhood and the time of day i.e rush hour versus off hour commutes. Time estimates to public transit are based on walking distance or bus line connection whichever is quicker. All other commute times on the chart above are based on drive times.