Nestled behind a stone wall and manicured shrubbery sits Paletta Mansion, at Paletta Lakefront Park in Burlington. The grounds make for a peaceful place to stroll, and the mansion is ideal for the specialist of occasions. Come with us on a mini tour of Paletta Lakefront Park.
Explore more! Enjoy local playgrounds and park spaces or find a hiking trail that is easy on the knees.
Visit Paletta Mansion
Paletta Mansion has beautifully maintained grounds with views of Lake Ontario. This estate home may be rented for special events like weddings, retirements and birthday parties. The 11,000-square-foot mansion has a Great Room and the Carmine Room. Tour the stone Verandah, Sunroom, Library and Burlington Foundation Room while you are here.
Spend The Day At Paletta Lakefront Park
Paletta Lakefront Park is a small, beautiful park along Lakeshore Road in Burlington. Stroll the gentle Discovery Walk and bridge through Burlington’s Paletta Lakefront Park. Bring the family to explore the short trail, bridge, break wall, and spectacular waterfront view. The family dog is invited, too, on a leash of course.
Visitors slow down and smell the flowers and watch the ducks swim in the lake. Stay a little later and you will see a beautiful sunset. Take a photo beside Lake Ontario. Paletta Park is a very popular location for local photographers in the spring and summer months. Bring a book, sip a coffee, or have a picnic. Sit on the lush lawns that overlook the Lake, and be sure to pack a picnic any time of day. Sit on the benches provided or bring a blanket and lawn chairs.
No matter the season, I always recommend a visit to this park is always a great idea. Access is free and so is the parking and public restrooms are available. During peak wedding season, the Paletta Mansion lot may be full of wedding guests.
Play At The Doll House
In addition to the Mansion itself, the outbuildings included a stable and a Doll House believed to have been built as a playhouse for Dorothy, the daughter of the original owners. The Doll House was on the original drawings from 1930 and is thought to be the oldest heritage playhouse in Burlington. Look for it as you wander the pathway.
A Bit of History
At one point, in 1809, the site that the Paletta Mansion sits on was granted to Laura Secord, and the park is now bordered to the east by Secord Lane. The property was later owned by numerous different families and by 1912 it was used as a fruit farm and as a park by the locals for boating, fishing, and swimming. Edythe Merriam MacKay, daughter of the founder of the Canadian Steel Company, Cyrus Albert Birge, had the home designed and built in the 1930s. Edith’s daughter Dorothy and her husband used the home, then called Shoreacres Estate, as a summer residence.
The Estate was left to Dorothy’s five children and later purchased by the City of Burlington. Learn more about the history of the Paletta Mansion, the City of Burlington maintains a website full of historical and architectural details.
Paletta Lakefront Park Amenities
- walking trails
- wildlife
- 2 suspended iron bridges
- water views
- floral gardens
- parking
- public washroom
Paletta Mansion and Paletta Lakefront Park
Address: 4250 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON, L7L 1A6
Posted Park Hours: 8 am-11 pm daily
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