Ann Cormack House – Orr’s Haven (1911)

Cormack House was built in 1911 in the gabled vernacular style, as evidenced by the steeply pitched front gable and full-width porch.

This charming home was built for Ann Cormack (Robert’s widow) and her large family. Son Thomas Cormack built this house for his mother and then built his own home at 419 Alberta Street, where he lived for several years.  

Beginning in 1918, the Madills and their descendants lived in the Hospital Street house for a century. It became a second home for Hannah Madill and their six daughters, three attending nursing school at Royal Columbian Hospital. Her husband, Reverend William Henry Madill (who came to B.C. in 1899 from Guelph, Ontario), continued to live in their farmhouse in Burnaby to serve his many local United Church congregations.  

When the current owners took possession in 2018, the house had already undergone several renovations. The fir floors, upstairs and downstairs, had been painted and carpeted. Vinyl floor tiles covered the front hall and main living area. The homeowners painstakingly removed it all, refinishing the fir floors themselves before focusing on the also-painted staircase. The revealed wood now gleams, and the bannister feels as smooth as butter — as do the treads, so step carefully!

The front room had previously been opened to the dining room, leading to the removal of all casings and baseboards. Replicas were meticulously crafted based on those found in the hallway. Traces of a picture rail were uncovered on the walls, prompting its restoration to preserve the home’s original character and charm.

The homeowners designed a warm and functional kitchen with a handsome banquette after inheriting ‘60s-style cabinets and floors that were too damaged to salvage, as well as a convenient adjacent bathroom.  

Upstairs, the principal bedroom was originally two separate rooms, with access to the east room provided through what is now the hall closet door. The bathroom’s original clawfoot tub has been refinished and one of the homeowners skillfully laid the patterned penny tiling floor herself. A talented artist, her paintings can be seen throughout the house –  just one example of this young couple’s hard work and vision to transform an ailing old house into a vibrant family home that’s more than ready for its second century on Hospital Street.

Cormack House holds one final mystery. Embedded in the front sidewalk is a reference to Orrshaven or Orrs Haven. If anyone has information about this lovely name, the owners would love to hear it.  

Article by Sheilah Harris

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