Famed equestrian, realtor Moffat Dunlap passes away

By Mark Pavilons

A medal-winning equestrian, and real estate professional, Moffat Dunlap, has passed away.

The well-known and respected King resident left an unrivalled legacy in the equestrian and real estate fields.

His King-based firm specializes in luxury country properties across the GTA, and in particular, King and Caledon.

Moffat Dunlap Real Estate Limited has been licensed in the real estate industry for more than 45 years. Since 1972, Moffat owned and operated his own independent firm, specializing in the purchase and sale of country properties in the Greater Toronto Area.

Moffat Dunlap is well known throughout the Canadian horse and farm community, having been a 20-year member of the show jumping team of the Canadian Equestrian Team (a Team Bronze Medal winner at the 1967 Pan-American Games and Team Gold Medal winner at the 1970 World Championships).

He served on many boards and management committees; a former director and Jumping Team Chairman of the Canadian Equestrian team over the Los Angeles Olympic Games; a past Director of the Canadian Pony Club; the Canadian Horse Council; the Canadian Horse Shows Association; the Horseman's Benevolent and Protective Association.

He was an Honourary Director of the Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association and a Director, former Horse Show Chairman and a Past President of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.

Moffat was inducted into the Jump Canada Hall of Fame in 2015. According to Jump Canada, his life-long commitment to show jumping, his generosity towards his teammates, and his dedication to the continued improvement of Canada's hunter/jumper industry made him a “true builder of the sport.”

“Strong, yet quiet, Moffat instilled a sense of trust in those he worked with, and developed a reputation for always being good to his word,” Jump Canada noted during his induction.

Moffat was also co-founder of King's independent school, The Country Day School, which today boasts an enrolment of 725 students.

The idea to start The Country Day School was the topic of a 1971 dinner conversation between Moffat Dunlap, the late Margo Bindhardt, Edmond G. Eberts and the late Daphne Eberts. All were in agreement that King Township was in need of a co-ed private elementary school. Moffat and Margo enrolled their two children, Louise and John, the year the School opened. Moffat's youngest daughters, Daphne and Allie, also attended CDS starting in the late 1980s.

“The Country Day School community is profoundly saddened to hear the news of the passing of our Co-Founder, Mr. Moffat Dunlap. Moffat was a driving force behind starting our school, serving as one of the original trustees and as Chairman of the CDS Foundation for years. He sent all four of his children to CDS; two starting the year the school opened in 1972. CDS benefited immensely from Moffat's guidance and knowledge of the King real estate market, especially in negotiating the lease of the original property in the early days. His passing is an incredible loss not only to our community, but all of King and the Canadian Equestrian community. The Dunlap name will live on forever in the hallways and classrooms of CDS and proudly adorns one of our four houses – Dunlap House,” said John Liggett, Head of School.

Moffat also worked on the purchase of land and subsequent rezoning for Canada's Wonderland for the owner, Taft Broadcasting of Cincinnati, Ohio in the 1970s. He helped with the sale of Eaton Hall to become Seneca College's King Campus and rezoning for the King Ranch Health Spa (now Kingbridge), designed and built to be a world class facility.

In Caledon, Moffat helped with the land assembly and rezoning of the Devil's Pulpit Golf Course and in Aurora, assembled lands for the world headquarters of Magna International.

Moffat also was involved in the management and sale of Glenville Farms, a 700-acre agricultural show place in King. He was also involved in the sale of Green Meadows, the famed Leslie Street estate of the late J.A. (Bud) McDougald, one of Canada's captains of industry.

Moffat acted as the Koffler family's advisor and agent when their property, Joker's Hill (890 acres), was gifted to the University of Toronto – the largest single gift the University has ever received.

His firm is a member of Provincial and National Real Estate Boards and Associations (Toronto Real Estate Board, Ontario Real Estate Association and the Canadian Real Estate Association). The firm and its associates are well regarded in the community and offer a very high level of experience and commitment to their clients.

Moffat graduated from Upper Canada College (Toronto) and the University of Western Ontario (London, ON). He also served on the Equine Advisory Board at both Humber and Seneca Colleges; was a member of the capital fund raising team at the Princess Margaret Hospital and the Southlake Regional Health Centre Foundation and co-chairman of The York Region Police Appreciation Committee. Moffat was a member of the Toronto Club for over 40 years.