Hello Ward 8 Neighbours,
One of the City’s oldest historical structures was officially handed over to Cardus on November 11 as the organization looks to implement its 200 page restoration plan.
For more details, please continue reading below…
Balfour’s Historical Background
The Balfour Estate, which is located on 1 Balfour Drive and also known as the “Chedoke Estate” is an early stone manor house and a coach house located on what at that time would have been large picturesque grounds.
The property was acquired in 1834 by William Scott Burn, who completed the original manor house in 1836. A significant addition was added in the 1850s and the property had changed hands several times before being purchased in 1909 by William Southam, editor of the Hamilton Spectator.
In 1910, Ethel May Southam (daughter of William) married St. Clair Balfour and moved into Chedoke Estate – it being a gift for the newlyweds.
The Southam family had been owners of one of the oldest and largest cross-media group owners in Canada. In addition to the Hamilton Spectator, by 1932 the Southams also owned the Ottawa Citizen, the Calgary Herald, the Edmonton Journal, the Winnipeg Tribunal and the Vancouver Province.
St. Clair Balfour passed away in 1959 and his wife Ethel in 1976. The eldest Balfour daughter, Wilson Balfour Baxter, resided in Balfour House until her death in 2013. In 1979, the last generation of Southam descendants donated the site to what is now the Ontario Heritage Trust.
Starting this month, Cardus will be leasing the property for the next 17 years and is making a “multi-million-dollar investment” in its restoration and maintenance, according to Global News.
In addition to the investment in the property, the new tenants will be required to do at least four “significant public-facing events” per year under its lease agreement with the city, including Doors Open Hamilton, which saw over 2,000 visitors at the 2022 event.
Questions or concerns?
If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact our office here.