Sitting empty in Burlington, Ontario, this unique mansion was originally discovered and documented by urban explorer and photographer, Freaktography in 2017. With a chequered history, the now-demolished home was once also hiding multiple scandalous secrets in the depths of its basement. Click or scroll to discover more... 

When the abandoned mansion was first explored it had obviously been left vacant for some time. Dave of Freaktography was the first to enter the building to ‘scout out’ the main rooms. He describes finding the indoor pool and mid-century main level, before coming across an intriguing ‘red room’ in the basement...

After establishing that no one lived in the mansion and it was in fact abandoned, the photographers set about documenting the space from room to room. Marble floors and a pebbled stone feature wall greet you from the staircase, with recessed spotlighting above a number of chairs lined up, reminiscent of a waiting room. 

What was once a living space is now an empty eerie room. Large floor-to-ceiling French doors are framed by draped curtains, sitting adjacent to renovations that would have once made a luxurious space lit overhead by five skylights. ‘Attention’ yellow security tape hangs limply across old building work that has been left unfinished, whilst a red stool sits in one corner, an alluring nod to rooms to come…

Exploring further inside the creepy home, a bathroom in the master suite shows the flashy style of the mansion's previous owners. Fully mirrored from floor-to-ceiling on every wall, the reflective sanctuary is situated next to the master bedroom, which is one of six bedrooms. 

In another nod to the luxury lifestyle of the previous owners, the indoor swimming pool has a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows that look out over the waterfront views. The pool has its own diving board and there are even two viewing panels in the side of the pool that look into the secret basement room.

Leading down to the basement, this staircase looks over an ornate, patterned wallpaper that alludes to the secrets further within the house. Standing out from the otherwise plain decor, the wallpaper gives a nod to the mid-century style of the house. 

From the basement level, guests can see up into the swimming pool through viewing panels on the staircase. A large fireplace takes centre stage in the middle of the room and is surrounded by cushioned bench seating, ready for hosting multiple guests. 

The basement also holds a bar area with six stools. We can only imagine that guests would once have had front row seats to the swimming pool viewing windows, whilst sipping on a cocktail or two. But what surprises lurk around the corner?

Freaktography discovered a strange lounge hidden behind a door in the basement. At the centre stands a decorative palm tree attached to a table, which is surrounded by red carpeted floors, red leather sofas and fabric ceilings and walls. We can't help but wonder what went on here...

On closer inspection, a collection of red leather stools sit around a table, one of which was left discarded in the upstairs living room. They sit in a circle, cabaret-style, as though waiting for guests or audience members to take their seats and enjoy the evening’s entertainment. But the surprises don't end there... 

Hiding behind a set of curtains, the entrance to another room beckons, illuminated only by the urban explorer’s lights. Opening the disguised door, an even more extravagantly decorated red room awaits with a scarlet tented ceiling and drapes flowing to the floor. This secret room also boasts its own all-black bathroom.

Eventually, in May 2018, the mansion was listed for sale for CAD$4.4 million ($3.5m/£2.6m). Here we see the hallway in all its former glory, fully furnished and pristine as it appeared on the old listing. According to Talking Walls Photo, the former owners – who would have installed all the unusual features – allegedly defaulted on their mortgage payments. 

The real estate photos show the unmistakable mirrored bathroom, fully illuminated with recessed spotlighting and Hollywood-style dressing room bulbs. Reflected in the glass walls are large windows, welcoming even more light onto the bathroom suite. 

The swimming pool is pictured in full working order, surrounded by sofas, loungers and big indoor plants in the post-swim relaxation area. As the original listing describes, ‘relax in your indoor heated pool or simply enjoy a beverage lakeside on your private deck and patio'.

A photo of the secret red room shows the unmistakable red-curtained ceiling, walls and carpet, while a large ceiling lamp lights the golden furnishings. Shrouded in mystery, the old real estate description labelled this sensual space as an 'adult cabaret lounge and a spectacular showcase for relaxing or entertaining'. 

The grounds at this lakefront mansion really had it all back in the day, with terraces for entertaining guests and even a parking space for a boat or yacht in the exclusive dock. But what has become of the house since its heyday? 

After sitting abandoned for years, the home was eventually snapped up by a Cannabis tycoon for an unknown price. The owner, known only as Terry, had plans to tear down the old structure and build a brand new mansion in its place but it never came to fruition.

Content creators, Ben Rispin and Connor Lovat-Fraser of Puff Digital were given permission to use the abandoned house as a location for their ‘Cannabis Culture Content Hub’, renaming the property The Bong Mansion. Bedrooms were transformed into film editing suites, live streaming sets and offices, according to Freaktography, who posted about the fascinating home on his Facebook page. 

The content creators also welcomed local artists, musicians and skateboarders to use the vacant mansion as a set for photoshoots, music videos and even yoga classes. The swimming pool is a particular favourite and is seen as the backdrop for numerous performances. As content creator Ben Rispin told Freaktography: "People with a love of the mid-century style have shown interest in coming to see, experience and create their own content here."

However, in 2019 the property was finally demolished, putting an end to the content creation. The nearly three acres of vacant land is now on the market for CAD$6.5 million ($5m/£3.7m). According to the listing with Sotheby's International Realty Canada, the land is 'a shoreline location in the coveted enclave of Burlington's desired waterfront. Here neighbours become lifelong friends'.

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