Notice of Designation 204 Ballyduff Road Geographic Township of Manvers

Take Notice that the Council of the City of Kawartha Lakes, on June 24, 2025, passed By-law 2025-092 to designate the following property under Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.18, as a property of cultural heritage value or interest:

204 Ballyduff Road, Geographic Township of Manvers
PT LT 4 CON 5 MANVERS PT 2, 9R358; T/W R424081; KAWARTHA LAKES

Statement of Reasons for Designation

Design and Physical Value

204 Ballyduff Road holds design and physical value as a representative example of a mid-nineteenth century grist mill in Manvers Township. Built in the early 1850s, the mill retains original machinery such as pulleys, spur and cog wheels, shafts, gears, and pinions, as well as its stone foundation and gabled roof which are typical of mid-nineteenth century grist mills in Ontario. The property’s design prioritized automation, ventilation, and visibility, with large windows and multi-storey doors to facilitate milling operations. Though renovated for modern use, the mill retains key original elements, such as hand-hewn beams, masonry foundations, and historic machinery, making it a notable example of a historic local mill in the hamlet of Lotus. It is believed to be the oldest surviving mill in Manvers Township.

Historical and Associative Value

204 Ballyduff Road holds significant historical and associative value through its connection to Adam Scott Jr., the son of millwright Adam Scott Sr., who was instrumental in the settlement and development of several communities in the region, including Peterborough, Millbrook, and Lotus. Adam Scott Jr., who served as reeve of Manvers Township in the 1860s, established mills in these areas, which were crucial to growth of settlement in the region.  The construction of the subject property by Scott played an essential role in the development of Lotus as a settlement area in Manvers Township and was the community’s primarily industry and economic driver. It yields information regarding the development of mills in Manvers Township in the mid-nineteenth century and the role of mill sites in the development of rural communities.

Contextual Value

204 Ballyduff Road, known locally as Frog Pond’s Mill, holds contextual value as a local landmark that played a pivotal role in the historic and economic development of Lotus. As the site of the first grist mill in the area, the property was instrumental in attracting settlers and spurring the development of Lotus as a settlement site within the broader rural region. It is historically linked to its surroundings as part of the historic development of Lotus in the mid-nineteenth century and helps define the character of the hamlet as a settlement site set apart from its rural surroundings because of the presence of the mill. Despite being hidden by dense vegetation today, the mill remains a locally recognized site, known for its role in the development of Lotus and the surrounding areas.

Further information respecting the designation is available at the City’s Economic Development Department. Interested parties may object to the designating by-law to the Ontario Land Tribunal. Any objection to this designation must be filed within 30 days of June 30, 2025 and include the reasons for objection to the designating by-law and the fee charged by the Tribunal. Objections should be directed to: Cathie Richie, Clerk, City of Kawartha Lakes, P.O. Box 9000, 26 Francis Street, Lindsay, ON K9V 5R8.

The by-law will come into effect on the day following the last day of the notice period.

For more information regarding the property, please refer to its Heritage Evaluation Report.

Any inquiries may be directed to:

Economic Development Officer- Heritage Planning
City of Kawartha Lakes,
180 Kent Street West, Lindsay, ON  K9V 2Y6
(705) 324-9411 ext.1366
eturner@kawarthalakes.ca