De La Salle "Oaklands" Heritage House

The De La Salle College Heritage House was originally built on land purchased from the Anglican Church by Senator John MacDonald in 1860. Dubbed "Oaklands" due to the abundance of surrounding oak trees, the mansion was completed with a tower observatory that would provide MacDonald with a clear view of Lake Ontario some 5 kilometres to the south.

Currently, the Oaklands mansion has been designated as a historical building by the City of Toronto as an example of local Gothic architecture. The property was purchased in 1905 by the family of Cyrus McCormick (whose farm implement business evolved to become International Harvester). 

The Brothers of the Christian Schools bought 12 acres (49,000 m2) of the property in 1931 and turned it into a boys' school.