Hawkstone Manor sold
Family buys Stoney Lake estate, but musician Ronnie Hawkins will still retain part of the land
Rockabilly legend Ronnie Hawkins will retain a pair of lots severed from his longtime Stoney Lake estate after selling Hawkstone Manor to a private family for their personal use, says the listing agent for the shoreline property.
It took some time, but the Hawkins finally found a buyer that could “appreciate the property and see it as it was,” Ross Halloran of Sotheby’s International Realty said Tuesday.
A deal with a Chinese-Canadian family from Mississauga who have operated a successful business for more than three decades will close June 30.
That time was chosen to allow Hawkins and his wife Wanda, currently in Florida, time to pack or determine the future of their many belongings.
“It seems like things are aligning for a smooth transition at the end of June,” he said, explaining how the two sides are in the early stages of discussions about creating a venue on the idiosyncratic property for visiting artists. “There was a passing of the torch .... It’s a really good fit.”
The 175-acre property, including the 5,600-square-foot home, was listed in the spring with an asking price of $4.25 million. Because the property was severed, it sold at $3.98 million to anticipate it becoming subject to HST, Halloran said.
Hawkstone – dubbed Canada’s Graceland by some – was the subject of much press when it went on the market, leading to two dozen showings in August and September, Halloran said. Viewers included local business people, developers and potential foreign buyers.
The market cooled before another story was published near the end of October. That’s when the agent representing the buyers contacted Halloran to set up a tour.
The family – who had enjoyed visiting Stoney Lake for fishing and were thinking ahead to their retirement – were “just enamoured” with the property as they walked around the 163-acre farm parcel, the realtor said.
The estate at 2250 6th Line Rd. and 754 Hawkins Rd. includes 3,300 feet of shoreline, two guest cottages on a peninsula and a stable that doubles as a garage.
The Hawkins have called the eightbedroom, five-bathroom manor home, built as a farmhouse in 1962, as their home since about 1970 when they moved from Mississauga – interestingly, not far from where the buyers live on Mississauga Road.
Ronnie, an Arkansas native, came to Canada in 1958 before becoming one of the key players in the 1960s rock scene in Toronto.
It was a difficult decision for the Hawkins to sell, but they felt better given the connection they will maintain with the severed lots, where Ronnie wants to build a log home.
They plan to leave it to their children, including Ronnie Jr., Robin and Leah, who each have a lifelong connection to the property, Halloran said.
The promising relationship they have forged with the buyers was another factor that helped them make the decision, Halloran added. The family has also met with the Hawkins about purchasing many of the unique items they own.
The Hawkins have also held private memorabilia sales, one of which saw The Hawk sell his custom-made gold leaf desk appraised at $50,000 to a friend.
Over the years, the Hawkins has entertained many musical celebrity guests, including Kenny Rogers, Ian and Sylvia Tyson and David Clayton Thomas. They’ve also hosted members of The Band including Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Rick Danko.
They frequently gathered at the circa 1917 barn on the property, that Hawkins frequently used as a recording studio and stage.
Canadian rockers Rush wrote songs including Tom Sawyer there while the band was rehearsing prior to recording Moving Pictures in the summer of 1980. John and Yoko Ono visited and jazz legend Oscar Peterson played the piano there.
“It’s always been a gathering place for friends,” Halloran said.
Two months ago, the Hawkins hosted a charity event called The Last Hurrah which featured musical guests Blue Rodeo and Kris Kristopherson.
Halloran, who said he was privileged to attend with his wife, said the fundraiser provide a sense of closure for the family. “It was a beautiful, beautiful day.”
Wanda sold a property near Peterborough Regional Health Centre after her husband’s health improved and purchased two others – one where she will build a home next year on the Otonabee River and another northeast of the city, Halloran said.
Wanda previously told The Examiner that the couple was ready to downsize and leave their backsplit country home – which first went on the market in 2013 – for a smaller place closer to doctors, grocery stores and their children and four grandchildren.
The rolling green hills of the Stoney Lake property reminded Ronnie of home, “of those hillbilly hills in Arkansas,” she said.