Living in Bedford Park
The Bedford Park neighbourhood is geared toward families with young children. It has an excellent selection of public, private and separate schools, many parkettes and playgrounds, a community centre, a library, and convenient access to Toronto’s transit system.
Havergal College, Photo by Unknown
History of Bedford Park
Bedford Park began as a farming hamlet centred around the crossroads of Yonge Street and Lawrence Avenue. This village was a popular stopover for farmers travelling to and from the markets in Toronto. It is likely that Bedford Park is named after the Bedford Park Hotel which opened in 1873 at the south west corner of Yonge Street and Fairlawn Avenue. In 1890 the Metropolitan Street Railway expanded its streetcar line northward to service Bedford Park. That same year Bedford Park, no longer a remote outpost, would amalgamate with the Town of North Toronto which would ultimately be annexed by the City of Toronto in 1912. A period of rampant land speculation was then followed by registered plans of subdivision that would create the current residential neighbourhood. Bedford Park’s original housing stock was built mostly in the 1920s, 30s and 40s.
Homes in Bedford Park
Bedford Park has a good mix of detached and semi-detached homes. The original housing stock was built between 1890 and 1940. However, many of the bungalows in the neighbourhood have recently been torn down and replaced with custom designed houses.
Lifestyle in Bedford Park
Welcome to Yonge Lawrence Village! This family-centric uptown shopping destination is earning its reputation as a happening, tight-knit community with a diverse offering of culture, food and fun.
Recreation in Bedford Park
Wanless Park is the largest park in the neighbourhood. It has five floodlit tennis courts, a basketball court, a baseball diamond, a tots playground and a wading pool. Wanless Park is close to the Bedford Park Community Centre. Located at the Bedford Park Public School this Community Centre includes a gymnasium and an indoor pool. The Woburn parkette, west of Yonge street, is a popular destination point for neighbourhood parents with toddlers and preschoolers. It features a new tots playground and a wading pool. A few blocks north of the Woburn Parkette is The Fairlawn Neighbourhood Centre, which operates out of the Fairlawn Heights United Church. This centre includes seasonal programming for residents of all ages. The George Locke Public Library at the south-east corner of Yonge and Lawrence, offers year round programs for adults, children, and preschoolers. The Fairlawn Neighbourhood Centre (FNC) is a unique place -offering a broad range of programming for all ages targeted to their 2500 active members. The Centre has become a hub of the community and is often the first place that new families visit when they move into the neighbourhood. You can check out their programs at www.fairlawnneighbourhoodcentre.com
Transportation in Bedford Park
The Lawrence subway station off Yonge Street is within reasonable walking distance of all the homes in this neighbourhood. There is also regular bus service on Yonge Street, as well as limited service on both Avenue Road, and Mount Pleasant Road. Motorists are twenty minutes from downtown and approximately five minutes from the Yonge Street on-ramp to Highway 401.
