Rare historic family home in prestigious Cedar Park area

This historic home was built in the 1890s and architecturally reflects the activities in the village of Pointe Claire at the time. The area in Pointe Claire around Cedar Avenue developed in the late 1600s and early 1700s; agriculture was always the center of activity and the area changed little in appearance. Transformations gradually came about with the influx of English-speaking summer vacationers attracted by the area's natural features. At the turn of the century, several hotels, which no longer exist, were built for vacationers, and a large number of private dwellings were rented. Seasonal cottages were also built which eventually became permanent residences. In 1893 a 48-year-old Swede named Otto Lilly bought a 200-year-old homestead at the corner of what are now Cedar Avenue and Lakeshore Road. Otto and his wife, Mary, had a vision: to build a permanent community for like-minded English-speaking Protestants. He named it Cedar Park because of the abundance of cedar trees, and built Cedar Avenue, a macadamised road that he lined with apple trees and a wooden sidewalk. A community needs a school and a church, but in order to establish a Protestant school board Cedar Park needed to "secede" from the Catholic parish of Pointe Claire. Lilly undertook this procedure and also funded the building of Cedar Park's first school, which opened in 1895. It is clear Otto Lilly owned a considerable amount of apple orchard and farmland at this time, which included the small cottage/farm house located on lot 42 (now 7 Cedar) in the Book of Reference for the Parish of Pointe Claire. Early documents of sale indicate Lilly purchased these lands and property from William F. Heney in 1894, so clearly the cottage was constructed prior to this date... On January 9, 1913, Otto Lilly died in his 78th year, but the seeds he had planted flourished into a vibrant community known as Cedar Park. The important part of the architectural and historical heritage of Pointe Claire is located in this area; an inventory taken in 1989 at the request of the urban planning division of the Borough of Pointe Claire counted approximately 150 old buildings of interest, which included 7 Cedar Avenue. The house sits on a beautifully landscaped and tree covered double lot providing exceptional privacy and quietness in this already secluded neighbourhood. The home is a warm, country-style dwelling with beautiful original woodwork; some original pine remains and all updated wood finishes have been completed in harmony with its style. A large wrap around veranda adds over 1000 square feet of additional outside living area, overlooking the expansive gardens and a 42x18 foot in-ground heated pool. The foundation of the home is stone, with stucco and wood exterior walls; the roof line is a gable configuration with a moderate pitch and has been recently refinished in durable metal (lifetime guarantee). The layout of the home lends itself to family living with great entertainment capability the house has seen many parties, weddings and large events/barbeques and is ideally suited for personal and/or corporate entertainment.