Surreal Estate: $10.7 million for an old-world Niagara-on-the-Lake compound with a pickleball court

Location: Niagara-on-the-Lake Price: $10,750,000 Size: 12,800 square feet plus a 2,900-square-foot basement, sitting on nearly an acre of land Bedrooms: 5 Bathrooms: 10 Real estate agent: Doug Widdicombe, Sotheby’s International Realty

The place

A five-bedroom, 10-bathroom house on a leafy street in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The Georgian-style estate has a pool house covered in Jerusalem limestone, nine fireplaces (including one outside), a 1,200-bottle wine cellar, a greenhouse, a conservatory and plenty of space for backyard parties. It’s within walking distance of the waterfront, historic old-town NOTL and the Shaw Festival Theatre. And motorists are a short drive from both Lakeshore Road and Highway 55.

The history

The home’s original owner, a businessman and philanthropist from the St. Catharines area, built the house on three lots. Two of his children now own it and are putting it on the market.

Related: $1.4 million to live in a historic former school in Aurora

The tour

Here’s the façade, adorned with brick from the US. A cedar shake roof crowns the top.

The central staircase, which serves as the home’s spine, immediately greets residents in the foyer.

Turn left and you’re in the living room, with coffered ceilings and a wood-burning fireplace. Note the speakers that connect to the central sound system.

Turn right and you’re walking down the servery, which leads to the formal dining room. Those walls are stained oak.

Now for that dining room, equipped with a gas fireplace and a south-facing bow window.

In the kitchen: a custom island, a Sub-Zero fridge, Miele appliances and bifold doors that lead to the courtyard and conservatory.

This is the games room. Lined with stained mahogany, it also comes with a full wet bar and kitchenette (not pictured).

Moving upstairs reveals the corner office. It has another fireplace and built-in mahogany storage.

Down the hall is perhaps the coziest laundry room we’ve ever seen.

Father down the hall is the main suite, with a lounge, a gas fireplace and walk-in closet.

Three skylights illuminate the fitness centre.

Now for the basement, which has its own cantina.

Here’s a peek inside the 1,200-bottle wine cellar—air-cooled, temperature controlled and connected to the home’s alarm system.

Back on the main floor, there’s this sunny walkway leading to the conservatory, greenhouse and backyard.

The pool house is something else. Its walls are Jerusalem limestone, and the pool and jacuzzi are saltwater.

What a sight.

Here’s that courtyard.

An aerial view highlights just how huge this property is. The previous owners used to host parties here with hundreds of guests.

The pickleball court has piping and concrete underneath, so it can be flooded and used as an ice rink in the winter. That field house behind it has a change room, a bathroom, a lounge, a storage room and all the equipment necessary to make ice.

Have a home that’s about to hit the market? Send your property to realestate@torontolife.com.