Central Toronto Neighbourhood: North Toronto

Overview of the North Toronto Area

North Toronto residents patronize the local shops and restaurants on Yonge Street, between Eglinton and Lawrence Avenues. The mix of stores on Yonge Street is very diverse, ranging from mom and pop owner-operated stores, to international chain stores; that have added a certain lustre to the entire area.

Indoor shopping is available nearby at the Yonge and Eglinton Centre, which has recently undergone a major renovation and expansion. The Yonge and Eglinton corridor has been coined 'Young and Eligible' due to the many bars, restaurants, nightclubs, and movie theatres, that proliferate at this intersection.

North Toronto goes as far west as Avenue Road, as far east as Bayview, north beyond Bythwood Road and south to Eglinton Avenue.

History of North Toronto

The town of North Toronto was incorporated in 1890. It was formed as the result of an amalgamation between Davisville Village, Eglinton Village, and Bedford Park Village.

At the time of its incorporation, North Toronto was primarily an agricultural farming community. However, large parcels of land in North Toronto were already subdivided, and were being held by speculators.

The actual building of houses in this area began in the 1890's, when the Metropolitan Street Railway, made North Toronto the northernmost stop on its five cent line from downtown Toronto.

By the early 1900's, North Toronto had emerged as one of Toronto's most popular commuter suburbs. However, frustrated by the poor level of municipal services being offered by the Town, North Toronto residents voted in favour of Annexation to the City of Toronto on December 15, 1912. North Toronto filled in quickly after annexation and was completely developed by the 1940's.

Roads & Transit near North Toronto

North Toronto has bus routes on Eglinton Avenue, Mount Pleasant Road, Yonge Street and Avenue Road. All of these surface routes connect to Eglinton station on the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line.

Motorists can be downtown in ten minutes. Highway 401, and the Allen Expressway are both approximately ten minutes from North Toronto.

Parks and Recreation around North Toronto

The ultra-modern North Toronto Community Centre is located on Eglinton Avenue, just east of Avenue Road. This centre includes a gymnasium, squash courts, a walking track, and a water slide.

Adjacent to the community centre is Eglinton Park which has sports fields, a baseball diamond, a wading pool, a children's playground, and tennis courts that become an artificial ice rink in the wintertime.

Sherwood Park, located east of Mount Pleasant Road, has a wonderful walking path highlighted by some of the oldest and largest trees in the city. This park contains a picturesque children's playground and a wading pool.

The Northern District Public Library, on Orchard View Boulevard, offers programs for both children and adults.

Homes in North Toronto

North Toronto's housing stock includes bungalows, as well as semi-detached and fully detached houses, built mostly between 1910 and 1940. North Toronto houses are well maintained and a pride of ownership is painted on the face of every home.

North Toronto also contains a large number of low and high-rise apartment buildings centred around the Yonge and Eglinton area. These apartment buildings range from luxury condominiums, to affordable co-ops and a wide range of rental opportunities.

Homes in North Toronto typically range from $500,000 to $2,000,000 plus.