Ballantrae, Ontario (
2011 population 1,382) is a
hamlet
''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...
in the
Town of Whitchurch–Stouffville. Named after the village of
Ballantrae in
South Ayrshire
South Ayrshire (; , ) is one of thirty-two council areas of Scotland, covering the southern part of Ayrshire. It borders onto Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire. South Ayrshire had an estimated population in 2021 of 112,45 ...
,
Scotland
Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
, the community is centred on the intersection of Aurora Road (
York Regional Road 15
York Region, located in southcentral Ontario, Canada, assigned approximately 50 regional roads, each with a number ranging from 1 to 99. All expenses for York Regional Roads (i.e: maintenance, traffic lights, and snow clearing) are funded by th ...
) and
Highway 48.
History
The hamlet was first settled in the early nineteenth century, and by 1895 it had a population of 300.
A spur-line of the
Toronto and Nipissing Railway built in 1877 ran through Ballantrae from
Stouffville to
Jackson's Point on
Lake Simcoe
Lake Simcoe is a lake in southern Ontario, Canada, the fourth-largest lake wholly within the province, after Lake Nipigon, Lac Seul, and Lake Nipissing. At the time of the first European contact in the 17th century, the lake was called ''Ouentir ...
. In the early twentieth century, Ballantrae's population declined dramatically. Large-scale deforestation and erosion of the thin soil of northern Whitchurch Township created virtual sand deserts. With the passage of the Reforestation Act (1911), the process of reclaiming these areas slowly began. The Vivian Forest, a large conservation area on the edge of Ballantrae, was established in 1924 for this purpose.
Vivian, Ontario
Vivian was initially an independent settlement located on the edge of a vast lumber industry centred at Highway 48 and Vivian Sideroad. The hamlet had a post office (southeast corner of Highway 48 and Vivian) and school house. Now downgraded to a community, the abandoned post office remains and school house replaced by Vivian Outdoor Centre.
Current Development
Ballantrae experienced 300% growth between 2001 and 2006 to 1,278 people, and 8% growth between 2006 and 2011 with a total population of 1,382 people. In 2011, Ballantrae had 105 children age 17 and under, and has one public school of the same name (Ballantrae Public School) with 259 pupils. The Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville forecasts the population of Ballantrae to decline slightly between 2012 and 2031.
A significant issue facing Ballantrae in the coming years is the federal government's proposed development of an international airport directly south-east of
Whitchurch-Stouffville
Whitchurch-Stouffville (2021 Canadian census, 2021 population 49,864) is a town in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada, approximately north of downtown Toronto, and north-east of Toronto Pearson International Airport. It is in area, ...
(the
Pickering Airport lands); under the current plan, an approach for one of the three landing strips would be directly above the communities of Ballantrae and
Musselman's Lake, with planes descending (or ascending) from 535 to 500 metres. The 2004 plan calls for 11.9 million passengers per year (or 32,600 per day) by 2032. A "Needs Assessment Study" was completed by the
Greater Toronto Airports Authority
The Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA; ) is a Canadian non-profit organization that operates Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. The airport is Canada's largest, that handled 49.5 million passengers in 20 ...
for the federal government in May 2010. After a "due diligence review,"
Transport Canada
Transport Canada () is the Ministry (government department), department within the Government of Canada responsible for developing regulations, Policy, policies and Public services, services of road, rail, marine and air Transport in Canada, tra ...
released the report in July 2011, and on June 11, 2013 announced a decision to proceed. The 2013 announcement was not challenged by the community's municipal leadership.
Residents have expressed concerns about wet basements and frequent operation of their sump pumps. In 1993, the Whitchurch Historical Committee said "Whitchurch-Stouffville residents" should be "vigilant to treat trees and forests with respect.... In the 1990s care must be taken so that urbanization and concrete road-building do not repeat the destruction to our forest heritage."
[Barkey et al]
Whitchurch Township
33; 30f.
References
*
Notes
{{Communities of Whitchurch-Stouffville
External links
Town of Whitchurch-StouffvilleOntario Plaques - Founding of StouffvilleStouffville.com
Stouffville's Online News and Events, Tourism and Business Directory
Communities in Whitchurch-Stouffville